Ambition: How big is the gap between where you are and where you want to be?
In career coaching we often use a simple tool to visualise that gap.
When the distance feels huge, people tend to slip into stress, overwhelm, even anxiety.
When the gap is small, motivation rises. There is something clear to close.
And if there is no gap at all, people often lose their spark. No drive, zombies.
I’ve struggled with this myself. I’m naturally future-focused. Always thinking ahead, always wondering what else I could create or explore. It can be exciting, but it sometimes pulls me away from the present and everything I’ve already built, achieved, or simply enjoy.
Some of the best people I’ve met, and the moments where I’ve felt most myself, share a common pattern: they are deeply grateful and proud for what they have, yet they keep dreaming. They don’t rush to any finish line. They enjoy the journey as much as the destination.
There’s a Star Trek episode that stayed with me for years. The crew finds a lost human on an alien planet where everything has been designed for his comfort. Food, nature, companions, safety. And still, he is unhappy. Spock says something like: ‘humans are funny creatures; even when they’re given everything, they still want something to chase’.
Ok, so, drive matters, but how much is too much?
For me, it’s all about balance.
Some people feel content with a tiny gap (I call it the ‘Hobbit gap’). That small stretch is enough.
Others, like me, enjoy a bit of distance. Not too much, not too little. Enough to keep the fire in my eyes.
Maybe that’s part of being human. We need the journey. We need something to walk toward, while staying proud of everything that’s already good.
How big is your gap right now? Do you prefer a «Hobbit Gap» (small and manageable) or a larger, more adventurous one?
