Greed can look a lot like ambition.
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Greed can look an awful lot like ambition.
When you meet someone working 80-hour weeks and building a successful company, we might call them "ambitious."
But sometimes what looks like ambition is greed in disguise.
Need some help spotting the difference? Ambition improves the world. Greed only improves your situation.
Ambitious people tend to solve problems. They create value that didn’t exist before. They make things better for others while also benefiting themselves. The mission is their contribution to a greater good.
Greedy people accumulate. They optimize for personal gain regardless of whether they're adding any value. The mission is acquisition.
We confuse them because they often look identical from the outside. Both types work insanely hard. Both might create successful businesses. Both might become very wealthy.
But their internal compass are worlds apart.
The ambitious person is driven by a passion to serve others. And they may get rich in the process.
The greedy person is driven by a passion to serve themselves. And, unfortunately, might reach the same outcome.
Sometimes you only discover what type of person you're dealing with when you’re in a tight situation or, worse yet, ethics get tested. The ambitious person maintains their principles and integrity. The greedy person reveals that principles were just a means to an end.
The tricky part is that many of us can be ambitious and greedy. There have been many times in my career when I've been excited about a project because I know it will help thousands of people. And then I'll catch myself daydreaming about how much money it might make. It’s humbling to realize I’m not immune.
That’s why I don't spend a lot of time judging other people. I mostly try my best to understand my own motivation. What's really driving me? If everything I’m doing suddenly couldn't benefit me personally, would I still do it? These are useful questions for us all to ask.
Because the world needs more ambition and less greed. It needs more people solving real problems instead of simply filling their bank accounts.
Next time you meet someone exceptionally driven, look a little closer. Is it ambition or greed?
The distinction matters more than you think.
What’s your take on today’s topic? Do you agree, disagree, or is there something I missed?
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Tomorrow, we have Paul Millerd, the author of The Pathless Path, coming in to discuss his unique approach to life and business, which he calls “Ship, Quit, Learn.”
Intent is the differentiator. Always be clear on yours.
I know I can wrestle with that inner voice too. It may come down to whether you have grown enough internally to genuinely want to make a difference outwardly.