How to Tell If Youre Ambitious or Impatient - The Muse

How to Tell If Youre Ambitious or Impatient - The MuseHow to Tell If Youre Ambitious or Impatient Ambition is an admirable thing. Theres absolutely notlagehing wrong with setting a goal and hustling your tail off in order to reach it- hey, Id even recommend it. But, we all know at least one person who crosses the very fine line between ambition and impatience. He clutters your inbox with requests for answers and updates, despite the fact that youve already explained your timeline on multiple different occasions. He expects that big promotion- even though hes only been with the company for two months. And he makes way too many comments about how he would run things if he was in charge. Basically, he makes everybody crazy. Yes, theres definitely a difference between being driven and being obnoxiously pushy. And, dealing with those overly eager co-workers can be a bit of a pain. But, have you ever stopped to consider whether or not you have the tendency to cross that line? Are you comin g across as exceptionally motivated or incredibly annoying?Well, its time for a little self-reflection. Ask yourself these five questions to help determine whether youre just one heck of a go-getter- or youre the cause of those office-wide eye rolls. 1. Have I Paid My Dues?This is probably one of the biggest differentiators. When youre ambitious, youre willing to put in the effort and take the necessary steps to achieve your mission. It might take some time, but its worth it to you in the long run. But, when youre impatient, you anticipate your desired result immediately.Whether youre chasing a promotion, a raise, or that open position at your dream company, its important to take some time and evaluate whether or not youve truly earned what you want. Have you excelled in your current position? Have you proven enough value to your employer to warrant a pay bump? Do you actually have the experience and qualifications for that coveted job- or should you hone your skills and get a few m ora years under your belt?Very few people get what they want right from the get-go, no matter how entitled to that instant gratification you may feel. So, be honest with yourself about whether or not youve truly laid the right groundwork for your goal- or if youre just trying to skip a few steps. 2. How Are Other People Responding to My Efforts?Dont worry- if youre a little fuzzy on whether or not youre acting like a driven professional or an irritating pest, your peers and co-workers will have no trouble cluing you in.Do people in your office tend to look to you for guidance, instruction, or even encouragement? Or, do they blatantly ignore your 18 follow-up emails? Are you friendly with the people you work with? Or, do they scurry out of the break room whenever you enter- for fear youre going to ask them for a status update again? If your co-workers had to describe you in three words, which three do you think they would use?Were not all self-aware. So, pay close attention to how ot hers respond and react to your behaviors to get a better sense of how youre presenting yourself. If youre still unsure, dont hesitate to approach a co-worker youre close to and ask his or her opinion on whether or not you should hit send on email number 19. 3. Am I Being Fair and Considerate of Others?Im all for climbing the ladder- but not if it means stepping on other people in order to do so. The best types of people are those who are not only driven and determined, but also conscientious. Have you heard of blind ambition? Its when your focus is so zoned in on your end goal, that you neglect to recognize what else is happening around you. That report you keep demanding from one of your co-workers, even though its not actually due for another two days? Maybe youre failing to realize that hes currently buried under tons of other important- and more time-pressing- projects. Instead of being a supportive team player, youre just adding to his stress with your overwhelming and unrealis tic demands and expectations. Needless to say, you dont want to fall victim to the blind ambition trap (although, I do think itd make a pretty awesome band name). So, take some time to think about those who your actions directly affect. If you wind up with a laundry list of people who will be negatively impacted, perhaps its time you reevaluate your approach. 4. Why Do I Need This Now?Listen, we can all be a little impatient every now and then. Its human nature. So, asking yourself to justify exactly why you desire something immediately is a great way to determine whether youre being realistic or just plain pushy. Lets take a promotion as an example. When asking yourself why you feel like you need that step up right now, what sorts of answers do you come up with? If you think things like, Well, Ive been here for three years and I think this position is a logical next step in my career, or I successfully completed XYZ in the hopes of attaining a position like this, youre on the right track.But, if the only things that come to mind are simple, empty explanations such as, Well, its here, and I want it, you might be dabbling in pushy territory.5. How Will I Respond to Rejection?Like it or not, rejection is a part of life. Some of the most successful and notable people in the world have experienced more failure and refusal than theyd probably like to admit- although Ill spare you another clich Abraham Lincoln example.As youve probably already guessed, ambitious people dont let stumbling blocks stop them in their tracks. Instead, they pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and try again. Impatient people? Well, theyre much more likely to complain about their unfortunate circumstances, assign blame, and then wallow in their own self-pity.So, although it may seem pessimistic or painful, think about how you would react if you didnt achieve that goal. Would you keep moving forward? Or, would you just feel slighted?Theres a notable difference between being ambitious an d impatient. But, as vast as that difference is, its actually an incredibly fine line to walk. Its all too easy to transition from motivated and driven to pushy and overly eager.So, keep yourself in check with these five questions, and youre sure to avoid those exasperated sighs and eye rolls from your irritated co-workers. Photo of man looking at watch courtesy of Shutterstock.