Fueling your ambition: Strategies for achieving success

Harutyun Baghdasaryan
Bootcamp
Published in
5 min readMay 9, 2023

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As human beings, we have an innate desire to grow and develop our skills. This desire is what fuels our ambition and drives us to achieve success in both our personal and professional lives. But how do we nurture this hunger for level upping to reach our full potential?

Hunger for growth

It starts with never being satisfied with the achieved results. While acknowledging and appreciating our achievements is important, it is equally essential to recognize that there is always room for improvement. The moment we become complacent with our current position is the moment we stop growing. Instead, embrace the mindset of constant improvement and seek opportunities for growth.

It can be easy to fall into the trap of self-pride once we achieve a level of success. However, this is a dangerous state of mind that can prevent us from reaching our full potential. It is crucial to remain humble and recognize that there is always more to learn and achieve.

At the same time, think about avoiding dwelling on past mistakes or regrets. It is useful to learn from our shortcomings, but we must not let them hold us back. Instead, we can focus on the present and future, seeking to improve and move forward.

Successful individuals usually question their decisions and seek out additional information to make the best choices. It is crucial to remain curious and not become complacent with what we think we already know. So, try to strive to be lifelong learners, continuously seeking to learn and grow.

Try to view your achievements as a starting point for the next level. Rather than becoming content with your accomplishments, you can use them as stepping stones towards even greater success. Our journey towards success should be seen as a continuous and ongoing process.

With this, the growth mindset receipt that I strive to achieve is:

  • Never be satisfied with the achieved results. Instead, view each accomplishment as a building block for future success. Continually strive to improve and learn from your experiences.
  • Don’t forget to appreciate your achievements, no matter how big or small. Take time to celebrate your successes and acknowledge the hard work that went into them, as this can help you stay motivated and focused.
  • Be vigilant against feelings of self-pride, which can cloud your judgment and hinder your growth. Instead, stay humble and open-minded, and be willing to learn from others and your own mistakes.
  • Embrace the present and future rather than dwelling on the past. Avoid regrets or feelings of disappointment and instead focus on learning from what went wrong and how to improve moving forward.
  • Challenge yourself by questioning and analyzing your decisions. Seek additional information and perspectives to make informed choices that align with your goals and values.
  • Use your past achievements as a springboard for future success rather than resting on your laurels. Continually set new goals and strive to improve, building on your previous accomplishments.

Nurturing our hunger for level-upping is critical for achieving success. To do so, I suggest adopting a mindset of constant learning and improvement, remaining humble, questioning our decisions, avoiding dwelling on past mistakes, and viewing our achievements as a starting point for even greater success. We can reach our full potential and achieve our wildest dreams by fueling our ambition.

Breaking free of the comfort zone

The allure of comfort and security is powerful. From a young age, we are taught the importance of achieving success, earning money, and carving out a stable life for ourselves. Once we’ve accomplished our goals, it’s natural to want to settle into a routine and continue enjoying our accomplishments.

Unfortunately, this type of complacency can be dangerous. When we get too comfortable, we stop pushing ourselves to innovate, explore new opportunities, and challenge our assumptions. We become trapped in our comfort zone, and it becomes increasingly difficult to step outside of it.

One way to avoid this trap is to build a self-awareness and self-judgment environment. It’s critical to surround ourselves with people who are willing to provide honest feedback and criticism when necessary. This includes friends, family, and colleagues who we trust to tell us the truth, even when it’s hard to hear.

On the other hand, it’s important to avoid people who adulate us. When everyone constantly tells us how great we are, it’s easy to become too convinced that we’ve already achieved everything we need. This can lead to arrogance and a lack of motivation to improve.

One of the best things to try is to ensure that our family knows we are open to criticism. Otherwise, we won’t be able to grow personally and professionally. We must be willing to hear the truth from those who love us the most.

My recommendation for the balanced environment creation is:

  • Carefully select people around you who are willing and able to provide thoughtful and constructive feedback when needed. It’s not just about finding people who will be honest with you but also people who have the expertise and perspective to help you improve.
  • Avoid surrounding yourself with only people who praise and flatter you. While it may feel good to receive compliments, you need honest feedback in order to truly grow and progress.
  • Make sure your family knows you value and appreciate criticism and welcome it as a way to improve. This can also help them feel more comfortable sharing their own feedback with you.
  • Reminding yourself that hearing the truth from those close to you is a valuable opportunity to learn and improve; not everyone has that luxury. Be grateful for those who are willing to give you honest feedback and take it seriously.

While it’s tempting to stay within our comfort zones and rest on our laurels, we must resist this urge. By building a self-awareness and self-judgment environment, we can continue to grow and improve throughout our lives. This means surrounding ourselves with honest and trustworthy people, avoiding sycophants, and making sure that we are open to criticism.

Small steps that help in building routines that can be converted into habits:

  • Always seek constructive criticism and use it to improve yourself
  • Continuously set and pursue goals, but be open to adapting and revising them as you grow and change
  • Celebrate small victories along the way and use them to fuel your motivation and momentum
  • Regularly check around to see if there are mentors and peers who inspire and challenge you
  • Periodically pause to focus on your strengths and plan to build upon them to achieve your goals

Success is not a destination but a journey that requires constant effort, growth, and self-awareness. By adopting these strategies and incorporating them into your daily life, you can fuel your ambition and achieve the success you desire. Remember, success is not a guarantee, but by taking steps to improve yourself and your environment, you increase your chances of finding it.

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Technology leader with a demonstrated history of helping individuals, teams, and leaders create success.