Lack of ambition could be a sign of getting depressed

“Should there be a limit to ambition in life? I feel there are people who try to achieve too much at times and end up depressed when they fail to meet their targets.”

It might be helpful for you to start off by defining what your ambition might be. If you have not yet dealt with this question, then today is a good and proper starting point.

When asked about their ambition in school, many boys and girls jump up and down saying things such as they wish to become journalists, pilots, lawyers or engineers. Many teachers and parents stop at that answer, but should in reality probe learners further to find out what they really mean when they say they want to be, for example pilots.

A number will perhaps say they like to travel, while others might say they like the look of air hostesses while still others are attracted to the crisp uniforms worn by pilots. Other children could confess that they have a relative who was a pilot and who brought them lots of presents from travels abroad. All are valid reasons for a child’s choice.

When discussing his ambition, and in answer to a question similar to yours, an 18- year- old ‘A’ student had a rather broader answer to the question. His ambition was to find a suitable treatment for teenage depression.

Asked to explain, he first clarified that in his mind an ambition has to be greater than achieving a qualification. In his view, a person whose ambition is to be a doctor, a nurse, or even a politician is short of a vision and has no clear mission or goal in life. The young man explained that being a doctor is not in itself an end and must be seen as a means to an end that fulfils a target, dream or hope!

What started off as a simple conversation about ambition in young people had become a rather abstract but meaningful discourse as to whether one is not mixing the word ambition in this context with future plans and professional training.

As the conversation came to an end, it became clear that ambition as defined by the young student included a “desire and determination to achieve success”. A person who can be said to be ambitious, therefore, would show some initiative, motivation, determination, zeal and commitment to achieve a stated goal.

Coming back to your question, and as you can see, the pursuit of an ambition is not an event that you turn on and off. It is more of a destination to which you set your eyes and steadily move towards.

In the case of the ‘A’ student whose ambition was to find a cure for teen depression, the journey would obviously be long, as he first became a doctor, specialised in psychiatry and later went on to research the challenges of teen depression.

His ambition, like many other people was driven by an event that had shaken his young life when he was in form III; his best friend had taken an overdose of his mother’s antidepressants and died.

After the initial shock that follows the death of someone close, the ‘A’ student went on to study depression, teen suicide and mental health in young people in general. His findings led him to the ambition he then held.

His friend had all the symptoms of depression, and all around him had failed to identify them for what they were.

Relevant to your question, the best friend had first of all lost ambition. He was a top performer whose grades went down steadily. He had been one of those boys who teachers knew would end up in a first class university.

On account of the depression, he had very low self esteem and a sense of lack of self worth. He lacked both ambition and focus. He had neither zeal nor drive for life. He had for months, slept badly, lost weight and seemed to neglect himself. Some teachers said he must be on drugs!

Later, the doctors said that like his mother, the lack of drive and ambition were the evidence of a depressive illness.

Partly out of guilt, the ‘A’ student had felt the strong desire to ensure that what happened to his best friend does not happen to another teenager. His long term ambition was to do good for society.

In your case, consider the possibility that your lack of ambition could be a sign that you are indeed getting into a depressive state.