"Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?" That everybody-knows-it question, asked in many an interview. What does it aim to uncover? This must be a trick question to check whether the person is ambitious enough.

Now, don't think I am going to write about interview skills. No sir, not me! What I am wondering about is this 'ambition' thing? Why is it necessary for somebody to be ambitious? People seem to have this idea that ambitious people are smart and would contribute better. I am very opposed to that idea. When I think about it, I find ambition and greed to be so closely related that they are almost the same thing. Many ambitious people go to great lengths (often on the wrong side) to achieve their ambition, don't they? That makes ambition a bad thing, atleast in my dictionary.

I never seem to understand how ambitions work. I have no inkling of how having an ambition helps. Why should I have plans of what I want to be in 5 years? It does not motivate me in any way. I cannot see myself working harder because I have an ambition to achieve.

I have dreams, dreams that don't have to come true to make me contended. There are things that I would like to happen, but I won't be upset if they didn't happen. I wouldn't strain myself to make them happen. I would probably feel good if they happened. Maybe that is what ambition is, a dream that one chooses to bring to life. Is that so? Does it mean that I have ambitions too? It can't be. "Why?" you ask. That's because everytime I hear people speak of ambition, it is either about money/power/fame or some professional ambition or a mix of all these. I don't have such ambitions (or dreams).

Am I just plain stupid to think I am any different, :-) ?