What does ambition really mean?

[Givenup2026]

In a dating context say.

if somebody says “equally ambitious on the same academic or career journey”, wouldn’t you say career wise would be the equivalent of Gordon Gekko? Maybe not to that extreme, but you get my gist.

People on Reddit seem to have a similar confusion and I think it’s somewhat ambiguous these days.

so AIBU that the term “ambitious” has been diluted over the years?

For me it means someone who is keen to make the best of the skills and talents they have. Not necessarily climbing the corporate ladder, but not sitting at home waiting for someone to supply all their needs. I’ve always had the stronger career, my DH has always had steady, stable employment in his chosen field. He doesn’t lack ambition by any means but is best placed in a consistent job, that’s meant i’ve been able to take risks in my work life.

I think it can be very difficult to have two equally ambitious people once kids come along because there needs to be compromise to keep all their bases covered.

It’s very subjective. It’s not sitting where you are in life and striving for better - that means a different thing depending on your skillset and where you are starting from. So any ambiguity is probably just because the word means something different to every person so it’s not universally definable!

I'd read that to mean the person want to climb their career ladder and earn a high salary and didn't want to be dragged down by a less successful lower earning partner. I'd also think they were a bit naive, because two equally ambitious people, each prioritising their own career can lead to conflicts of interest. A highly ambitious person is often better off with a person who isn't that bothered about their own career.

For me 'ambitious' meant that I wanted to do the best I could with my skills and knowledge within the context of how I was living. It meant planning ahead to the next phase of life, getting additional qualifications if I needed them or if it motivated or fulfilled me.

I was never ambitious for a particular job or salary - until I fell into a role that 100% suited my demeanor and skill set.

I was at my most ambitious late in life in a role that paid less than most of my career, but which i absoloutely loved. I was ambitious to be the best in that job.

To me it also means that you prioritise that ambition above any other “variables”. Which is I think part of the “disconnect”.

I’d be concerned about someone prioritising ambition above all else, what ambition looks like will be different at different life stages. In times of poor health, family crisis or raising small kids ambition may mean holding steady, not going for the promotion etc.