There's a sign in the gym I go to that has the definition of ambition printed on it: A strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work. Every time I'm sitting at this specific machine, doing one of the exercises I dislike the most, I see this sign. At this point in my workout I am absolutely exhausted, but for some reason, each time I read it I feel this little push as I recall my favorite quote of all time: Hell on earth would be to meet the man you could have been. I love this quote because it takes away the first thing all of us do when we're trying to judge our performance - we compare ourselves to others. Instead, it focuses on one single person: You. What would the best version of you be doing right now? This slight change in perspective, in some circumstances, will make you resent 'best' you, because they just do everything right, don't they? But that's what's so beautiful about it - they do all the things you know deep down you are capable of doing
