My New Year's resolution: Ambition vs. contentment

I have decided on my New Year's resolution. Actually "decide" is too strong a word: I'm already doing it, so my resolve is to continue doing it.

What is it? My continuing goal is contentment.

You'd think a goal as simple and obvious as contentment would be universally applauded, but such is not necessarily the case. I came across an interesting blog post recently that discussed this very point.

It was called "How Your Contentment Is Killing Your Future." The writer (a Christian named Dale Partridge) wonders if our "healthy desire for contentment become an unhealthy desire for comfort." He notes he and his wife had moved past contentment into "stagnant, dormant, and latent."

This writer is a go-getter who became a millionaire by the time he was 30 (and guides other go-getters to follow his principles and become wealthy). As such, he puts great store in leadership, and using both leadership and the resulting wealth to minister to others.

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He writes: "You see, as leaders, we can often spend years working to reach the mountain tops of our achievements only to finally arrive, overstay our welcome, and die there in a state of comfort. … But what if God has something more for you? What if He's just waiting for you to ask, to dream, and to see? What if more life didn't have to mean more stuff? What if more purpose actually called for less comfort? Ultimately, my challenge to you is this: Is your life small because your vision was small? Has your desire for less lessened your life? Could your obsession for a simple existence leave you with a simple story?"

We all have different gifts in life, and there's nothing wrong with either leadership or wealth, as long as they're used to the glory of God.

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While I admire Mr. Partridge's success and go-getter attitude – we absolutely need go-getters in this world – my philosophy at this stage in my life leans more strongly toward "contentment." Of course, this is the difference between someone at the peak of life's productivity (30) and someone on the downhill slope (55).

But the subject of ambition versus contentment is an interesting one. A few years ago, I was asked (by someone I like and respect) where I saw myself in 10 years. What, he wanted to know, is our (my husband's and my) goal over the next decade? This question was asked because the gentleman is a go-getter, a business whiz, an operational genius.

I replied that we were very satisfied with our present conditions. Our daughters have grown into fine young ladies. Our marriage is strong. Our farm is developing well. My "ambition" is to continue following the path we're currently on, for the foreseeable future, as long as God permits.

But my questioner persisted. Surely we had some lofty goals we wanted to achieve. Didn't we want financial wealth or societal acclaim? Didn't we want to change the world in some way? As politely as I could, I said no.

This line of questioning happened years ago, and I've been mulling it over ever since. Until questioned, I never realized I had such an utter lack of ambition.

The truth is, we do have ambitions and goals, but they're just not in keeping with the things much of America values. We have ambitions of expanding the garden this spring and goals of installing a water tank in the next few months. We have ambitions of improving the barn's infrastructure and goals to someday put hardwood flooring in the house. We have ambitions to become as self-sufficient as possible on our homestead. We have goals (which we've achieved) of launching two well-rounded, sensible, moral young women into the world.

In short, we may lead a life that is "stagnant, dormant and latent" to the unpracticed eye, but the truth is, we're stable, content and happy. These, presumably, are the goals and ambitions of many millions of people – to be stable, content and happy.

"Ambition" is a relatively recent thing for the ordinary person. We've always had ambitious people, of course – history is littered with the corpses from the ambitions of tyrants and conquerors – but for the vast majority of regular people, ambition took back seat to mere survival. It's only in the last few decades that our abundance and affluence has allowed so many people the luxury of career ambitions.

Is this lack of ambition a bad thing? Did we teach our daughters to ask too little of life? Should our goals have been higher?

I remember one time I was sitting in the barn working on my laptop on a late June morning, finishing a magazine article that was due shortly. (In nice weather, I do a lot of work in the barn.) I was keeping an eye on a cow that was due to give birth at any moment. Chickens were scratching and clucking all around me. The wildflowers were in full bloom. Later that afternoon, I had plans to cook dinner, wash dishes and do a load of laundry.

And I realized, dear readers, this was about the extent of my ambition. This was where I saw myself in 10 years: right here. There will be different cows in the corral and different chickens scratching in the dirt. We may be splitting firewood or stacking hay instead of watching blooming wildflowers. We won't have our children playing around us, but maybe we'll have grandchildren.

In short, it is my dearest hope to continue this lifestyle we've achieved and come to love so well. There will always be manure to shovel and gardens to grow, eggs to gather and fruit to pick, calves being born and chicks hatching, friends to visit and family to cherish. And I find my ambitions becoming framed by the boundaries of our property.

But maybe I'm in good company. First Thessalonians 4:11-12 says to "make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."

That's become my motto.

The world needs leaders. The world needs go-getters. The world needs wealthy people. The world needs ambitious people. But it also needs those of us who don't harbor any of those goals and prefer to "lead a quiet life." As long as it's to the glory of God, it's all good.

This is my New Year's resolution. I hope yours, too, is to the glory of God.