My Ambition in Life
Everybody has an ambition in his life. Life without an ambition does not lead anywhere. You do not know where to go and what to do. A person with set ambitions sets his goals well in advance. He does not lead astray. His eyes are always on his ultimate goal He cannot be mislead by other temptations. He is master of his luck. He does not believe in destiny. He works very hard. His energy does not go waste. He goes on and on forcefully. His health does not fail him. Failures do not change his mood to change his track.
Ambition is a great incentive to work If you have an ambition, you can pursue it all your life and never feel tired. It drives you on and on quite tirelessly. You must decide early in life whether you want to become an engineer a doctor a lawyer; a teacher: banker; join Indian Administrative Service, or Indian Foreign Service, join Army, Air Force or Navy or become a commercial pilot, or a scientist, philosopher, writer or a poet, a musician or an artist. The whole world is open before a young man and he should make up his mind about his career as early as possible.
Most of the people work to have as much money as possible so that they have easy, comfortable and luxurious lives. People want to get rich quickly and they want tons of money at their disposal to realize their desires. But money is not everything in the world. There are other things more important in the world than mere money making.
My own ambition is not in that category. Wealth, power and possessions do not tempt me. My one and single aim is to serve my country. How can I serve my nation? I have thought over the problem very coolly. I feel I can serve my people the best by becoming an ideal teacher. It is the best way to cater to the needs of the coming generations.
I know that teachers are not well paid and as such they are not respected in society. But money is not the main consideration in life. Simple living and high thinking should be the way of life for a person who chooses teaching as a career.
My ambition is to become a teacher with a missionary zeal. A true teacher is a builder of the nation and an architect of national destiny. I shall mould the character of my students and see that they became ideal citizens. I shall also help them in the choice of their careers. They most grow up to be great engineers, great doctors, great teachers, great philosophers and statesmen.
As an ideal teacher I must have a flawless character and I should be a lighthouse to all coming generations. I shall be a living model of punctuality, discipline, humility, efficiency, and righteousness. A good profession is its own reward; and to ‘rock’ able citizens is the greatest price for a true ideal and great teacher.