If one were to look up the dictionary, the word aspiration is defined as ‘a hope or ambition of achieving something’ or ‘a strong desire, longing, or ambition’. The meaning certainly has a positive connotation. In fact society in general encourages people to aspire. We talk of raising the aspirations of the deprived sections just so that their thought processes can be energized and empowered. A person or life without aspirations is often labelled as an aimless drifter.

What then makes this contention debatable?

In order to understand this, let’s look up the dictionary for another word – greed. Greed gets defined as ‘an intense, excessive or rapacious and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power or food’. This meaning certainly evokes a strong negative feeling. The meanings lead one to think that the ‘intensity’ of desire makes all the difference, the thin line that segregates aspiration and greed. How then does one figure out when a ‘strong desire’ turns into an ‘excessive desire’? Is there a standard, demarcated ‘line of control’ that divides the two? The truth probably is that there is no real or clear line that separates the two. It’s more like a ‘grey zone’, a minefield that then needs to be negotiated carefully and cautiously.

The cause for this debate within most of us becomes a little clearer now. Can we then attempt to fathom this grey zone? Can we chisel out a benchmark which will help guide each individual in different (or same) situations to remain in the safe zone of positivity and not stray into the zone of negativity?

Let’s feel a mother’s love for her child. It is nature’s example of defining something ‘intense’. She thinks and prays for nothing but the best for her child even in the most trying of the circumstances. We see a baby blissfully cuddled up as the equally blissful mother holds it close to her bosom. It’s a sight that warms up even the fiercest or coldest of human hearts! She decides to hold the baby in an even tighter embrace. The mother may simply love this sensation and may want more and more of it. However if the intensity of this embrace becomes ‘excessive’, due to a sense of an ‘all mine’ possession, the cuddle may become stifling. The child becomes uncomfortable. From a win-win situation between the mother and child, it now turns into a win-lose situation. Likewise when we aspire intensely or excessively for anything be it wealth, food or power, even if it is with a selfish motive, it may not be ‘bad’. We need to continuously introspect and monitor our deeds and actions that one may be taking towards fulfilling one’s aspirations. If others too are getting benefitted it’s a win-win and can be undoubtedly classified as ‘good’. The moment anyone starts to hurt or lose in the process we must realise that we are crossing over into the ‘bad’ zone. We should become aware and immediately course correct.

Aspiration is a good word! As long as we carefully negotiate this treacherous gray zone and maybe use this benchmark to keep ourselves safe.