Can Ambition Ever Be a Bad Thing?

I was born a highly ambitious person. It is inherent within me.

Most people see being very ambitious as a positive and welcomed attribute, and for the most part, I fall within that category of people. But the times that I'm at work, home, in my car, at church, in the bathroom, etc. that I nearly drive myself crazy thinking about what I should be doing or what my next step towards success should be, I have to ask the question: Can ambition ever be a bad thing?

Having the ambition to achieve your own personal definition of success is great, but I think sometimes I let my drive to do and be "more" (More what? I'm not quite sure.) overtake my thoughts and I become entrenched in figuring out what it is that I should be doing that I'm not, that one holy step that will lead me to ultimate success. This can be a very tiring, and dare I say it, at some times miserable existence.

Don't get me wrong, I think ambition is a necessary and important attribute to possess, but I think like all good things, it should be taken in moderation. Constantly thinking about what our next step should be can lead us to live so far in the future that we don't recognize what he have at this time, in this moment, in the here and now.

So, my conclusion is this: Ambition is a vital and inherent ingredient in random mix of attributes, but I need to learn to apply ambition (much like a self-tanner) in moderation and with care as to not miss the blessings that already exist in my life. I think I need equal parts contentment and ambition to make my life delicious.