Nepal, March 10 -- Much of our lives is shaped by goals, or by the absence of them. We grow up being asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" This question assumes that life is a project moving towards a future version of ourselves. Even in psychotherapy, a person's relationship with the future tells us something about their mental state. Depression is characterised by a loss of hope. When a person feels empty, motivation fades.

Ambition, therefore, becomes one of the guiding forces of life. We admire people who are driven. And like them, we also start wanting to earn more, achieve more, and build more. A better job. A stable relationship. A house. Financial security. Ambition seems to be the guide that moves us forward, giving ...