Ambition in today’s fast-moving world is considered fuel that guarantees success. Whether it be entrepreneurs, scholars, sportspeople, or even artists, the pursuit of greatness is hailed as the identifying mark of a well-lived life. However, the other side of this coin—that much-neglected emphasis on self-care—is always missed in the process. In this cacophony of winning big, the race gets away with self-caring. Striking the right balance between ambition and self-care is not only essential for sustained success but also for leading a fulfilling life.
As the great Indian spiritual teacher Swami Vivekananda once said, “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.” That says it all—though ambition drives us from the outside, true success happens only when we tend to our inner selves, so self-care forms the very base of any ambition worth striving for.
The Myth of Relentless Hustle
Hustling-obsessed modern world, where one has to work long hours, not sleep, and just be in motion. Popular culture glorifies such a relentless pursuit of goals when it brainwashes that only those who never sleep reach success. However, this attitude often drives people to burnout, anxiety, and feelings of unfulfillment, even when they reach the pinnacle of success.
Take the example of Arianna Huffington, the American media mogul. In 2007, at the apex of her career, Huffington had a breakdown due to exhaustion. The moment made Huffington rethink her work and life. She knew that she had been able to sustain a highly rewarding career but at a great cost—as the losses in personal life indicated. Huffington has also written another book titled Thrive, which argues success should be redefined as including well-being, wisdom, and wonder—not just power and money. Her story is such an important reminder that no ambition is worth giving up our health and sanity.
Wisdom of India: The Tale of the Archer
In Hindu mythology, the story of Arjuna—the great warrior in the Mahabharata—explains a deep lesson on balancing ambitions with self-care. Arjuna was considered by his times the finest archer, and his ambition to be the best in his field was simply second to none. However, at the beginning of the great war of Kurukshetra, an emotional and mental breakdown hit him as to how stupendous lay ahead. What he did have was ambition, which, until then, had served as the driving force in his life but suddenly indicated paralysis from streaks of grave self-doubt and inner turmoil.
It was only by the guidance of Lord Krishna that Arjuna regained his composure. Krishna taught him the importance of how one should look into his inner self; hence, self-awareness and balance are very important, even for the most ambitious lot. Arjuna’s story underlines that however driven we are, nothing replaces the richness of inner peace and mental clarity over external achievements.
The Paradox of Self-Care
One of the dilemmas around balancing ambition and taking care of the self is that, sometimes, self-care can feel like a betrayal to our goals. After all, if we aren’t investing in our dreams, aren’t we lagging behind? It is, in fact, the paradox of self-care: we often perceive rest, reflection, and time spent on our well-being as indulgences we can’t afford. True self-care is not an escape from responsibility nor a surrender of ambition but a way of recharging, resetting, and becoming allowed the space to grow in a sustainable manner.
From Barack to Buddha, we see this internationally in the lives of so many successful figures. Take, for example, Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft. Gates is known to go on “Think Weeks,” where he steps away from his daily life into a technology-free, isolated cabin filled with books and ideas only. The ritual of stepping away from the chaos of professional life lets him reflect and recharge, making him hyper-effective when returning to work. Solitude and time for reflection are what Gates points to as a lot of the cause of his innovation and success; hence, ambition can and should coexist with taking care of oneself.
Learning to Pause: Mindfulness in Practice
Mindfulness, however, might be one of the strongest tools in balancing one’s ambition with self-care. Mindfulness really encourages us to be full participants in this present moment. That allows us to detach from this constant drive to achieve and to focus on the here and now. It is no coincidence that mindfulness harks back to both Indian and global traditions.
The yogic exercises and meditation have long been propagated in India for balancing the mind with the body. Except for the physical postures, yoga disciplines the mind with clarity. The great Indian yogi B.K.S. Iyengar has rightly said, “The body is your temple—keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in.” From this perspective, a most vital aspect of physiological and mental health provides a very strong base to succeed in life.
In fact, mindfulness has been popularly adopted worldwide, especially in high-pressure parts of the world like Silicon Valley. Technology companies such as Google have introduced programs in mindfulness to maintain high employee productivity by managing their levels of stress. The realization is clear: taking time to breathe and time to reflect on and care for oneself is not only a luxury but a necessity.
Achieving Balance: Small Steps That Bring Big Gains
So, practically speaking, how will we balance our ambition with our need for self-care? It does not have to be radical; it can be small and constant. Here are a few steps:
- Set boundaries: Don’t be afraid to say no whether it is working overtime or overcommitting events. You know your limit, so protect your personal time.
- Prioritize Sleep: Arianna Huffington iterated and learned that sleep is not a luxury but one of the building blocks to success. In sleeping, we do much-needed rest to function at our highest.
- Practice Mindfulness: Meditate or practice mindfulness exercises. Even five minutes a day will make quite some difference in your mental clarity and stress levels.
- Also reflect regularly: take some time out to step away and look at how it is going. Reflection allows you to realign your goals and strategies, ensuring your ambition is congruent with your wellbeing.
Conclusion: The Symphony of Success and Self-care
A balancing between ambition and taking care of one’s self is not a destination but a journey—a continuous process, dynamic in character. The greatest feats are not about burning ourselves to attain something, but it is in balance that comes from within us with the outside world. As Buddha expressed so eloquently, “To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise, we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”
True success therefore lies in achieving that balance so that ambition and self-care become the perfect symphony. The day we learn to nurture both, we do not only achieve greatness but also a deeper sense of fulfillment and joy.
Learn more about how to become a Top Performer at: ORL Leadership Summit 2024.
Dr. Prahlada N.B
MBBS (JJMMC), MS (PGIMER, Chandigarh).
MBA (BITS, Pilani), MHA,
Executive Programme in Strategic Management (IIM, Lucknow)
Senior Management Programme in Healthcare Management (IIM, Kozhikode)
Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Leadership and Innovation (MIT, USA)
Advanced Certificate in AI for Digital Health and Imaging Program (IISc, Bengaluru).
Senior Professor and former Head,
Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, Skull Base Surgery, Cochlear Implant Surgery.
Basaveshwara Medical College & Hospital, Chitradurga, Karnataka, India.
My Vision: I don’t want to be a genius. I want to be a person with a bundle of experience.
My Mission: Help others achieve their life’s objectives in my presence or absence!
My Values: Creating value for others.
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