Ambition and Adversity: The Dual Paths to Leadership Wisdom

A note to young leaders.

Exertion comes in two forms: voluntarily through ambition; and involuntarily through adversity.

We laud the one and loathe the other.

But to every prize there is a price. And to every price, there is a prize.

The prize of ambition is fulfilled desire. The prize of adversity is wisdom and enlightenment.

Ambition is a thing of beauty, make no mistake – but all the great human beings I’ve met in my life have been blessed with a little adversity at an early age.