To lack ambition is often regarded as a flaw in character—a sign of complacency or timidity. But I’ve come to see that it’s often our ambition, rather than our lack of it, that can perpetuate disappointment. Ambition can convince us that we can play every part, strive for every accolade, pursue every coveted opportunity. But this can come at a cost: we forgo what we enjoy for something we deem more noteworthy. Instead of taking a moment to uncover what we really want, we keep up a pace that helps us maintain the appearance of success, hurtling toward an image of ourselves or the shadow of
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