Ambition vs Introspection

One thing people often miss is that they don't know why they love a particular thing or what makes it meaningful to them. If you can figure out what about your passion makes you passionate about it (at a higher, more abstract level than just enjoying the activity itself), then the world opens and you will be able to find a viable career path that scratches that same itch, so to speak.

I have always loved writing. In an ideal world, would I be a bestselling novelist or screenwriter making up random crap for a living? Yes.

But ultimately, what I find meaningful about writing is (1) bridging ideas in new ways and (2) connecting with people (via interviews). By knowing that, I was able to position myself in the job market to land a role that feels meaningful because of its overlap with my passion while also being a totally viable career choice.

In other words: I'd wager that introspection is just as vital to career development as ambition is.