If I had to choose just one factor that determines whether a person will achieve a breakthrough in absolutely any endeavor - it would be ambition.

Not intelligence, and certainly not innate talent. All of that is secondary and can be developed. But you can't force a person to move forward if they don't internally want more and consciously go where the odds of success are below 30%. And do it without complaining about circumstances and difficulties, accepting uncertainty as part of the path.

There are no people with a low bar who've achieved a breakthrough. I don't know a single one. All those who create products, drive progress, and lead strong teams - they're people who always want more.

And here's what we end up with. For some, the ceiling of their dreams is stability and the absence of problems. For others, the reward is the scale of the challenges and navigating chaos. That's exactly why people with the same starting point end up in completely different places ten years later. And it's clearly not because one of them had more talent. Ambition, guys. That's what it always comes down to.