College is dubbed the best four years of your life by essentially every person you come across. You meet your lifelong best friends, you learn who you really are, you find your passions and you find what you despise, but most importantly – you find your future. Whether you’re proactive or not, as a college student you’re forced to figure it out. You choose your career path (hopefully) and you start networking. However, more often than not, college students are labeled lazy and unproductive – which in some cases is true. But for the individuals who are ambitious and take risks to reach the abnormally large goals they set for themselves, this is anything but true. All too often are we as college students criticized for carrying a sense of entitlement, which is something that’s always bothered me. I am a firm believer in working hard and getting rewarded for that work – not having things mindlessly handed to me. I like to think that I am an ambitious person, and I like to think that my ambition is vital to any success I have. More than this, ambition is so important in being successful and truly making a name for yourself, regardless of the setting. Whether it be in the classroom, at a job, or out with your friends, being ambitious is never a bad thing, and here’s why.

1. There are endless opportunities out there, you just have to take the initiative. I can't say that I would be where I am today without my ambition. I've had some amazing experiences throughout my life, most of which I would've never had if I hadn't taken the initiative and made them happen. When finding these opportunities and taking initiative, it's imperative to avoid being a cold-hearted individual. Try to always base your success off of whether or not you reached your goal, as well as if you helped those around you in the process.

2. Ambition is so much more important than talent. This one is very straightforward - you don't necessarily have to be good at something to succeed. Instead, you just have to want to succeed bad enough to make it. When it really comes down to it, people won't mind if you're not the best at something as long as they see you trying. Don't let yourself be discouraged by being "less than," instead, use it to your advantage. Work harder because of it. Hard work pays off more than you realize.

3. Ambition keeps you humble. The most important thing to remember in working towards goals is to stay humble. No one appreciates an arrogant and conceited person, but people do appreciate a humble and dedicated individual. Being ambitious constantly reminds you that you can be better, thus keeping you from the "I'm the best" mindset. I'm not saying we shouldn't be mindful of our individual success - I'm saying that we must be mindful of how much more room for growth we do have.

4. You can be ambitious everywhere in life. Being ambitious is not limited to one aspect of life. Instead, it's a way of life. You can be ambitious at the grocery store, in a conversation with a friend, in the workplace, in a classroom. You name it, and you can be ambitious there.

The importance of ambition is this: you're guaranteed some sort of success. At the end of the day, that's all anyone really wants. We all want success and happiness out of life, and being ambitious is the best way to achieve that. So remember, work hard, be kind, and stay humble.