Skip the humble 'It's nothing': Why owning your ambition and hard work like Timothy Chalamet could be the key to success

Oh it’s nothing.

But it is? You wrote a book? Spent years researching and writing it?

Cue shy blush and awkward shrug. “Yeah, I mean….”

I had a conversation like this a few months ago with an ex-colleague who had just published a book. She had poured years of intense research into it, spending several countless sleepless nights, and when she finally held the book in her hands, she was relieved, yes, but also hesitant to admit the scale of her effort. She was proud, but afraid to show it.

And then, there was Timothée Chalamet at the Screen Actor's Guild Awards, saying exactly what many of us think but are too afraid to say. He said, as he accepted the award for his portrayal of Bob Dylan, "I know the classiest thing would be to downplay the effort that went into this role, and how much this means to me. But the truth is, this was five-and-a-half years of my life. I poured everything I had into portraying this incomparable artist. I know we’re in a subjective business, but the truth is, I’m really in pursuit of greatness. I know people don’t usually talk like that, but I want to be one of the greats. I want to be up there."

He just put into words a hope that we all hold close to our hearts, but don’t articulate, for fear of sounding too bold, or arrogant. In our journey of achieving milestones, we tend to downplay the intensity of our dedication. It’s nothing, we say. It isn’t much.  The truth is, people worked relentlessly for it—blood, sweat, and tears. Yet, somewhere along the way, though, we’ve been conditioned to believe that admitting this effort is wrong.

How much ambition is too much ambition? Why does striving for the top feel uncomfortable?

Why you need to acknowledge years of hard work

You worked hard for where you are. Admit it, as Dubai-based Linda Harris, a corporate wellness mentor says. “It’s part of the journey, isn’t it? You made sacrifices, spent time working on being better. You need to celebrate your progress and admit that you’ve worked hard.”

The truth is, when you really want to be your best, you give yourself that space and permission to dream bigger and work harder without the fear of judgment. “I think people get so caught up in worrying about being conceited, that they just play it low-key,” says Harris, adding that there’s a rather negative tinge surround ambition. “People associate ambition with greed, it’s almost as if you’re looked down upon for wanting to be the best. But if that’s what you are worried about, ask yourself the question: What’s wrong with wanting to be the best version of yourself?”

As long as your ambition doesn’t harm others or sacrifice relationships, striving to be the best is a goal we should all have. It’s about owning your story, unapologetically.

Owning the narrative

When you articulate that you want to be the best, it helps others too. “It allows for a space where working towards greatness is celebrated, not discouraged,” explains Dubai-based Hafsha Khan, a clinical psychologist. “The fear of appearing too ambitious fades away when we realise that by owning our goals, we also inspire others to own theirs,” she says.

So, when you accept your hard work, you own your narrative. “It’s about giving credit where it’s due, even when no one else is watching,” says Khan. “It’s not a sign of vanity, but rather a reflection of self-respect.”

 And by wanting to be the best, you are reminding yourself that you are capable of achieving extraordinary things, if only you continue to push yourself, but in a healthy manner without destructive burnouts in tow.

The path to being the best, whatever that looks like for you, is messy, full of potholes, and uncomfortable. But maybe that’s where the magic lies. “If you’ve endured hard work and suffering to get where you are, embrace it,” says Khan. “Don’t brush it away.”

So why shy away from the truth? Accept your effort. Be unapologetic. Be bold about wanting to be the best. It’s not just a personal affirmation—it’s a call to others to do the same.