Huainanzi - Entry 13

The world can only be entrusted to those who are able to avoid harming their countries by global ambitions and who are able to avoid ruining themselves by national ambitions.
~ a passage from The Book of Leadership and Strategy by Thomas Cleary ~

The key word in this passage is ambition. In western society, ambition is something to be proud of and to strive for. An ambitious person is a go-getter; someone who supposedly has the ability to manipulate circumstances and other people to meet the ambitious person's ends.

But ambition carries a heavy price tag. In most cases, the ambitious person can never get enough. No matter how many titles they claim, dollars they pocket or doodads they purchase, it is never sufficient. It's like a mountain climber who expends great time and energy to scale one peak and yet is so consumed with the next mountain to climb that they can't even take a moment to enjoy the objective achieved and the breathtaking beauty that surrounds them.

It is the same way with nations. No matter how much of the world's natural resources are claimed, wealth is amassed or territory is added, it's never enough. Before one conquest has been completed, the politicians, financiers and generals are plotting the next bold move.

To read the introduction to this ongoing series, go here.