Topic

ambition

5 essays on ambition from the Consilium journal. Featuring Friedrich Nietzsche, Herbert Simon, Mary Parker Follett. Each pits three thinkers against one hard question.


Career

When Is Ambition a Strength and When Is It a Trap?

Three thinkers on ambition as strength or trap. Nietzsche asks whether you are creating or consuming yourself. Simon warns about searching without stopping. Follett finds the third path.

Friedrich NietzscheHerbert SimonMary Parker Follettambitionself-deception

Ethics

When Is It Right to Want More Than You Have?

Three thinkers on desire and enough. Schopenhauer says desire is suffering in disguise. Maslow says you cannot stop yourself. Wollstonecraft says wanting more is a political act.

Arthur SchopenhauerAbraham MaslowMary Wollstonecraftambitioncontentment

Career

Should I Work Harder or Am I Working on the Wrong Thing?

Three thinkers on effort and direction. Maslow asks if the work serves what you could become. Russell says effort may be overvalued. Chekhov says state the problem correctly first.

Abraham MaslowBertrand RussellAnton ChekhovAmbitionMeaningExcellence

Career

Should You Build Security First or Go After the Thing That Scares You?

Three thinkers disagree about when to play it safe. Graham says protect the downside. Ibn Khaldun says civilizations collapse from within. Boyd says speed beats security.

Benjamin GrahamIbn KhaldunJohn BoydRiskAmbition

Career

Should I Follow My Passion or Be Practical?

Three thinkers disagree on passion versus practicality. Aristotle asks what habit builds. Drucker asks where your results come from. Emerson asks whose voice you follow.

AristotlePeter DruckerRalph Waldo EmersonPurposeAmbitionSelf-Reliance

Related

Abraham Maslow Anton Chekhov Aristotle Arthur Schopenhauer Benjamin Graham Bertrand Russell Friedrich Nietzsche Herbert Simon Ibn Khaldun John Boyd Mary Parker Follett Mary Wollstonecraft Peter Drucker Ralph Waldo Emerson Excellence Meaning Purpose Risk Self-Reliance contentment self-deception

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