Aiming too high?

When I was younger, my environment had told me that being ambitious wasn't a really good idea, wasn't “good form” and that if I was born out of modest conditions, I ought to stay that way, all my life. Right, I had to remain graciously nested inside my assigned, lowly social slot, make as few waves as possible and all should would be alright.

One day, “Mickey” a buddy of mine who got his driver's license ahead of me and was gracious enough to driving me around town during weekends, told me “you're aiming too high!” as he was observing at times, some of my daring demeanor. At the time, I kind of accepted his remark, as the official validation of a paradigm that was not up for discussion. The sad truth is that I embraced that lie for too long a time in my life and it certainly has held me back on too many occasions.

At the same time, I realized that less qualified, less intelligent and lazier people could easily get ahead of me, or later that my bosses, CEO and politicians would land – and keep - unbelievable positions without the perquisite effort, talents or record of achievement. There was one difference though; these lackluster leaders were aiming high!