“Considering that we are born with this condition, that is, that we can become whatever we choose to become, we need to understand that we must take earnest care about this, so that it will never be said to our disadvantage that we were born to a privileged position but failed to realize it and became animals and senseless beasts…. Above all, we should not make that freedom of choice God gave us into something harmful, for it was intended to be to our advantage. Let a holy ambition enter into our souls; let us not be content with mediocrity, but rather strive after the highest and expend all our strength in achieving it.” – Giovanni Pico della Mirandola
Each of us was born with a holy ambition, a particular confluence of the spirits of love and truth which properly gestated ought to be born into a unique and perfect expression of the spirit of life. We are likewise each blessed with the freedom of choice, the sacred privilege of deciding how to use what we were given at birth and what we’ve obtained in life in the accomplishment of this aim.
Mediocrity marks the line between a living soul and a walking corpse. Moreover, it is an abuse of free will. The only way to live – to truly live as God intended – is through striving after the highest in all things – not just in that which we like to do, that for which we have a natural talent or that in which we excel already – but in in all things.
Gregory Hake 
If this were taught to youngsters early on in their life than perhaps they would learn to take the responsibility of their own choices earlier on and understand the value of choice earlier on. I was just thinking how different our country might look today is at an early age, even in the earliest grades of school, we were constantly being taught and shown by both our parents and our teachers on a daily basis the value of choice and of taking responsibility for our choices. And those choices were consistently the high road; i imagine that there would be a lot less need for dependency on government today for example, and a lot more desire to discover our individual true value in the world. Also, there would likely be more of us looking to see what we can contribute rather than looking for what we can take.
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Chuck makes a great point here. I watched a documentary “Teach” the other night and there are many frustrated educators. This is the answer – kids need to learn that they have value and that their choices determine what evolves next in their lives. Holy Ambition should be first and foremost but how few know this. Those who recognize this have a responsibility to bring it to remembrance in any way we can. Thanks Gregg and Chuck!
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Whether we can be just what we choose might be a question, but I have no doubt that we are born with immense potential for creative achievement. The key to the actualization of that inborn potential is found in the steady orientation in holy ambition – the fire of aspiration that can’t and won’t settle for anything less than excellence in all things. As you imply, this isn’t just a matter of “following your bliss” but rather a commitment to transcend that applies to all areas of living.
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Thanks Gregg,
These are words to take to heart for ourselves and for those we are with. It is good to acknowledge the holy ambition for all and all that we do.
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I believe this is the covenant we each make with our creator. There seem to be many other laws that are also in play as we live but my thinking is this is the basis on which all the others exist. Once we become aware of this sacred oath how can anything have more meaning to us then this?
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