Is it possible for an ambitious person to live simply?”
Ambition can cause a person to go overboard, which seems to be directly opposite from living simply. After all, if “living simply” requires a huge amount of effort to make sure your water well is working and your solar panels are keeping you off the grid, then it’s really not simple living, is it? Simple living is not just giving up certain technologies or making shopping for food nearly impossible because of the demands of one’s diet. Instead, it is, in my opinion, relying less on material things–both money and stuff–and focusing on important aspects of life such as our relationship with God and with each other. It’s living in a smaller house than what you could have had, not a hut in the Himalayas. It’s driving a smaller, more gas efficient car or when possible, using public transportation. But what it is not is constructing a life that is high maintenance and material-oriented in its anti-materialism. Sources: If it is your ambition…
