We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience and deliver our services. By continuing to visit this site, you agree to our use of cookies.More info
ALL IN Miami GroupALL IN Miami Group
Call Us:

(305) 439-3031

    Miami's ULTIMATE Dining Guide
    Follow us
    The Team

    About Us

    • Meet the Team
    • Contact Us
    • Our Award Winning Blog
    • Miami's Best Neighborhood Guide
    • Miami's Best Restaurants

    Our Services

    • Why Sellers Hire Us
    • Get Your Home's Value
    • Why Buyers Hire Us
    • Search for Homes
    ALL IN Miami Group

    2550 S Bayshore Dr, Suite 106, Miami, FL 33133

    • (305) 439-3031
    • [email protected]

    Ambition and the Barrier Between Us

    BEFORE I BEGAN selling real estate in Miami, there was a period in the early 2000’s where I had no idea what I was going...

    • Amit Bhuta
    • November 2nd, 2020
    • 4 min read
    Featured Image

    BEFORE I BEGAN selling real estate in Miami, there was a period in the early 2000’s where I had no idea what I was going to do next. I was idle, so to speak. 

    And I had felt so many mixed emotions -- from questioning my ambition, fulfilment, and purpose -- that I forgot what got me up in the morning. 

    I thought I had lost my ambition. This state of idleness had created an emotional barrier between my present self and my future self, and it wasn’t until much later, when I became a real estate agent, that I realized how to balance ambition while recognizing the impact it had on my mental health.

    Recently, the University of California at Berkeley conducted a study that explained how one’s perception of social status, including financial status, often predicted future mental health issues such as bipolar disorders, narcissistic personality, anxiety, and depression. 

    After interviewing 600 young men and women focused on their motivation to achieve wealth and power, the study found that a disappointed perception of social status produced a higher risk of depression and anxiety, while excessive ambition produced a higher risk of bipolar disorder and narcissistic personality disorder.

    More interestingly, though, was a 2010 study that showed people who lived in developed countries with high levels of income inequality were three times more likely to suffer from depression than those who lived in developed countries with more balanced income. 

    The new study from the University of California at Berkeley therefore suggests that these unequal income countries may foster intense striving of wealth and power, and therefore skyrocketing cases of mental illnesses.

    This isn’t to say that ambition is bad, however. It’s certainly necessary for people to set goals, achieve milestones, and find career happiness. 

    I’m only addressing the issue that has the potential to create even bigger problems. 

    If we are aware of our current mental state, it will be easier to navigate the weight of ambition and subsequently recognize any depressive symptoms in the future. Or so the idea goes.

    According to Skywood Recovery, there may also be biological reasons ambition can lead to depressive symptoms. 

    For instance, a study from Vanderbilt University found that “go-getters” experienced a dopamine release associated with reward and motivation. 

    When the dopamine levels became harder to reach, however, or the dopamine became depleted, one risked suffering from Anhedonia - an inability to feel pleasure, which may be involved in certain instances of workaholism. 

    For me, I decided that, similar to the Vanderbilt study, my consistent desire to feed my ambition had me asking, “What is the point?” 

    Luckily, as a Realtor, I had gotten out of the darkness before I dug deeper. 

    Everyday I help people achieve their goals while proactively pursuing mine, and so I like to think that the sociological pain-points are met and satisfied. 

    But how do we help others steer clear of over-ambition? 

    It’s a hard task to complete, being that so many people associate ambition with positive outcomes. 

    But for now, we can start by asking some simple questions: 

    •  Is ambition correlated with perfectionism? If so, we should ask ourselves whether only “perfect” results are acceptable, being that it will almost certainly lead to disappointment. 
    •  Is success a game to you? If so, it’s going to be hard to celebrate someone else’s victories. And their victory doesn’t mean your loss. 
    •  Do your goals reflect your values? More importantly, are your goals your goals, or society’s goals? 
    •  Is ambition a result of an underlying event? Without diving too deep into your past, it’s a healthy exercise to determine why ambition is so important to you. (ex - a friend of mine, who grew up extremely poor, vowed to be rich so his children wouldn’t experience the poverty he experienced.) By addressing the negative and honest associations with ambition, we’ll not only recognize our financial goals in a healthier state, but we’ll also recognize our mental and personal goals, too. To put it simply, we need to ensure that our minds will appreciate and enjoy the fruits of our labors, otherwise it’s only a matter of time before we ask ourselves, “Why am I really doing this?”
    Author Photo
    About the author

    Amit Bhuta

    (305) 439-3031
    • facebook
    • X
    • instagram
    • linkedin
    • youtube
    I use non-traditional marketing to inspire the most motivated buyers to pay the max for Miami luxury homes. Besides selling real estate, I love tennis, sports cards, NFTs, my family, mental health awareness, and HIGH-calorie foods 🤷🏽‍♂️

    Similar posts like this

    Neighborhood Blogs

    Top 5 Coffee Shops Near Biscayne Park

    Slide into your day with slow sips, fresh pastries, and a sense of stillness as you visit the top cafés just outside Bis...
    Read more
    Neighborhood Blogs

    Top 5 Hotels Near Biscayne Park

    Swap your never-ending to-do list for robe service, room keys, and blissful silence as you unwind at the peaceful retrea...
    Read more
    Neighborhood Blogs

    Top 5 Instagrammable Places Near Biscayne Park

    Wander into scenes that feel like pages from a vintage photo book as you roam the most charming corners near Biscayne Pa...
    Read more
    ALL IN Miami Group

    PRICELESS Marketing Your Home Deserves!

    ALL IN Miami Group | Compass | 305.439.3031

    2550 S Bayshore Dr, Suite 106, Miami, FL 33133

    ALL IN Miami Group | Compass | 305.439.3031

    2550 S Bayshore Dr, Suite 106, Miami, FL 33133

    (305) 439-3031
    [email protected]

    Footer Links

    • Meet the Team
    • Read Our Blog
    • Client Reviews
    • Why Sellers Hire Us
    • Get Your Home's Value
    • Why Buyers Hire Us
    • Search For Homes
    • Miami's ULTIMATE Neighborhood Guide
    • Contact Us
    GET OUR LATEST ADVICE

    Join 9,383+ People Getting Our Emails

    *We respect your inbox. We only send interesting and relevant emails.

    ALL IN Miami Group | Compass | 305.439.3031 © 2025

    Privacy Policy
    Powered by