Ambitions, goals, and dreams are not necessarily the same thing; while related, ambitions are typically fueled by societal and social expectations. Ambition can look like purpose when it’s actually just a performance for others to convince ourselves of our own value. This means ambitions aren’t necessarily yours; often they can be borrowed beliefs driven by external voices such as family, peers, and the wider community. If the fire fueling you is from applause or expectation, that flame may burn you up. It’s ultimately self-defeating once people move onto the next up-and-coming performer, because there will always be someone who is better than you at something or other. 

Meanwhile, goals are steppingstones that give you structure and safe progression that’s measurable and manageable. They are your anchors in an often stormy, unpredictable harbor. We should treat them like trail markers at which we can not only celebrate each milestone as they come, but also at which we can rest and/or redirect as necessary. 

Goals are concrete mile markers, grounded, actionable waypoints that keep your footing steady as you reach upward. Having these goals is not only healthy, but even necessary to keep ourselves steady and looking up and forward. Dreams are the stuff of imagination, no matter how unrealistic they may be, they give us the ceiling we strive to one day touch.

Having goals means that our dreams can serve as a sort of “celestial ceiling.” They don’t necessarily need to be realistic, but they need to be there as a space to hold possibility, and to remind you that your mind can stretch beyond the immediate moment.

While ambition can be useful and is what inevitably drives us to take certain risks, these risks must be informed and intentional, based on your goals. Risk without properly reflecting on the probabilities of success and the potential outcomes of failure, isn’t courageous. It can end up as self-destruction masquerading as boldness.

The trick is not confusing ambitions for our goals and dreams. The fuel for our ambition should come from entirely within; otherwise, it’s tainted by outside influences – whether it’s applause, prestige, or whatnot. We need to research ourselves a bit more before we take too many steps towards the cliff. That isn’t to say we shouldn’t take risks, but they should always be measured and understood before diving in and committing to a path, lest we confuse self-destruction for fulfillment. Ambition without internal alignment is like driving blind toward a cliff, not a destination.

So how do you ensure that you’re not just performing for others, and actually working to improve yourself to reach your own goals and fulfill your dreams?

Some questions to ask yourself:

• Are the goals you’re pursuing actually yours, or did they hitchhike in with your ambition?
  
• Do your dreams stretch your spirit, or are they pressuring you into someone else’s story?
  
• Have you mistaken the momentum of ambition for the direction of purpose?
• What feels easy for you: stepping into structured goals, or imagining lofty dreams?
  
• Where is ambition showing up in your life right now, and whose voice does it echo?
  
• What risk are you considering, and how well-traveled is the path behind it?

For the best results in achieving your goals and realizing your dreams, your ambition must be lit from within. Then, your goals must guide the journey as your dreams let your spirit fly.

~ APD, June 25, 2025