1.
a. An eager or strong desire to achieve something, such as fame or power.
b. The object or goal desired
2. Desire for exertion or activity; energy
Aside from having a rather kickass phonetic spelling, ambition is key in achieving a higher level of 'flow'. To specify, ambition is essentially the drive to improve and succeed in any act. This is one of the two factors of which I have decided create the wheel of mental state (found in Wikipedia's Apathy entree, as to be expected from a fellow apathetic). In my first post I divided the entire population between either the sections of Apathy and Flow, while in reality there are three sections, each with subsections to support it. These three primary sections are: Apathy, Flow, and Anxiety. To recap, Apathy is when a low skill level is met with a low challenge level and Flow is when a high skill level is met with a high challenge level. Anxiety is when a low skill level is met with a high challenge level, resulting in failure for the most part leading to stress (anxiety) as an
accompaniment. In short, Apathy = Failure, Anxiety = Try-hard&Failure, Flow = My Goal. However it is clear that not everyone can fit into these sections perfectly, which is why other sections, which I deem less important and categorize as subsections, are introduced: Worry, Boredom, Relaxation, Control, and Arousal (not like that).
Worry, a subsection to Anxiety (clearly) is when a low skill level is met with a medium challenge level - essentially the same as Anxiety as, ultimately, the required skills for success are unreached. Boredom and Relaxation are when a low challenge level is met with a medium and high skill level, respectively, and these are categorized under Apathy. These will be touched up on later. The remainder, Control and Arousal, are categorized under Flow, Control signifying a high skill level met with a medium challenge level and Arousal being when a medium skill level is met with a high challenge level. Interesting...
Arousal kind of gave me a pang of consciousness whilst writing that last sentence. Not because of how it is modernly perceived, but because of its meaning, and how it relates really to simply 'getting interested'. Thats the problem with us apathetic. Even is we have to skills not to be apathetic, such as if we fit into Boredom or Relaxation categories, we are still rather apathetic. Having the brainpower isn't quite enough to emerge from that quicksand of apathy. Without proper ambition, its actually almost useless. And even if you believe your challenging yourself with say 'Honors' classes, its useless unless you strive to perform every task to the degree where you actually learn from in. In a way, Anxiety and Arousal play a huge part in becoming Flow. Anxiety causes panic, which seems bad, but really helps the average student excel; even in high level challenge scenarios. In tandem with Anxiety, Arousal will create a thirst of knowledge, which is truly uncommon but treasured even more than the panic caused by Anxiety. The problem with the Apathy, Boredom, and Relaxation lies in the lack of said qualities. I, for example, am rather indifferent on all matters, aside from those at which I can competitively wtfpwn others without much labor. There goes my Arousal. Also, my ego is rather inflated (with little reason, I know), which leads me to believe I'll do well on tests and projects when in reality I don't know the material or haven't studied well enough, pushing me behind those with true Flow.
Anyways thats enough for now. You know the world is fucked up when confident people are inferior to those who worry. Whatever. Next segment, who knows what. I still have to harness Anxiety and Arousal once school begins.
