About the author :
Rishi Khanna currently manages investments in public and private markets for his family office TreeForest Capital. He is also Managing Director of the Trimaster Group. Prior to this Rishi was managing director of C&S Electric Limited, which was acquired by Siemens in February 2021.
Of late, Rishi is spending time on his Foundation activities. Scholarships for higher and specialised education is one theme he is exploring. He is also an active member of the YPO’s Delhi chapter.
He can be reached at rishi@treeforest.capital.
Entitlement can masquerade as ambition when an individual’s desire for success or recognition is driven not by a genuine drive to achieve based on effort and merit, but by a belief that they inherently deserve success, often without the requisite hard work or talent.
This can manifest in several ways:
1. Unrealistic Expectations
Someone may set high goals not based on their abilities or the effort they are willing to put in, but on a belief that they are inherently deserving of success.
2. Lack of Perseverance
They may give up easily when faced with challenges or failures, as their sense of entitlement makes them less resilient and less willing to put in the hard work necessary for true achievement.
3. Overestimation of Abilities
Entitlement can lead to overconfidence, where individuals believe they are more competent or talented than they actually are, confusing this self-perception with ambition.
4. Disregard for Others
Entitled individuals may pursue their goals with little regard for others, believing their success is more important than how they achieve it. They might step on others to get ahead, mistaking this ruthlessness for ambition.
5. Frustration with Lack of Progress
When success doesn’t come as easily as they think it should, entitled individuals may become frustrated or bitter, blaming external factors rather than reassessing their efforts or strategies.
Recognising the difference between true ambition and masked entitlement is important for personal growth and healthy goal-setting.
Ambition is characterised by persistence, hard work, and a willingness to learn and grow, while entitlement is marked by a lack of these qualities and a focus on outcomes rather than the journey.
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