It's important to have people in your life who will applaud your

The words of Kamala Harris — "It's important to have people in your life who will applaud your ambition." — shine with the clarity of timeless truth. For ambition is a flame, delicate yet powerful. If nurtured, it can light the way to greatness; if stifled, it may sputter and fade into regret. Harris reminds us that no flame burns alone for long. It requires air, it requires shelter, and it requires the encouragement of those who believe in the dreamer. Without such people, even the strongest ambition can be drowned by doubt, scorn, or loneliness. With them, ambition grows mighty enough to withstand the storms of the world.

The origin of this thought rests in Harris’s own path, forged in a field often hostile to women, to people of color, and to those who dared to dream boldly. She knew that ambition, while essential, is often misunderstood. Too often it is labeled arrogance or greed, especially when carried by those whom society has tried to silence. Her words acknowledge that ambition requires not only inner resolve, but also outer affirmation — the applause of family, friends, mentors, and allies who say, “Yes, your dream is worthy. Yes, you can achieve it.”

History provides us many examples of this truth. Consider the life of Thomas Edison, who faced failure upon failure in his experiments. He might have given up had he been surrounded only by critics. But he drew strength from those who believed in his vision of the electric light, who applauded his ambition even in the midst of failure. Their encouragement gave him the endurance to persist until his invention lit the world. Without such support, the spark of his ambition may never have ignited the future.

Or reflect on Harriet Tubman, who dared to dream of freedom not only for herself but for her people. Her ambition was more than survival; it was liberation. Had she been surrounded only by voices of fear, she might have abandoned her mission. Instead, she was sustained by the trust and admiration of those she rescued, their applause not in clapping hands but in grateful hearts. Their faith in her ambition became her fuel as she led dozens through the darkness of slavery into the dawn of freedom.

The meaning of Harris’s words is also protective: beware of those who resent or diminish your ambition. There are always voices ready to scorn the dreamer, to call ambition excessive, dangerous, or foolish. If you surround yourself with such voices, you will begin to believe them, and your flame will grow dim. But when you keep close those who celebrate your ambition, their encouragement becomes a shield against cynicism. Their applause is not empty noise; it is the echo of your own courage reflected back to you.

The lesson is clear: choose your companions wisely. Seek out those who uplift, not those who belittle. Stand with people who rejoice when you rise, not those who secretly hope you stumble. In their support, you will find the strength to continue when your path grows steep. In their faith, you will be reminded to have faith in yourself. And when you achieve your ambition, their applause will not only honor you but will be a testament to their role in your journey.

What, then, should you do in practice? Nurture circles of encouragement. Build relationships with those who believe in growth, in striving, in dreaming. Offer applause to others, for by celebrating their ambition, you help their flame endure. And above all, do not fear ambition — cherish it, as one of the highest gifts of the human spirit, capable of lifting not only yourself but also those who follow in your footsteps.

Thus let this teaching endure: ambition is sacred, but it thrives best in the company of those who applaud it. Surround yourself with such souls, and become one yourself for others. For in a world too quick to mock or dismiss the dreamer, the sound of genuine applause is not merely encouragement — it is life-giving power, the breath that keeps the fire burning bright.