AIM HIGH, STAY GROUNDED

by Dr Abhishek Gilara

We are constantly encouraged to aim higher—set bigger goals, dream beyond our limits, and push ourselves to reach the stars. And rightly so. Ambition is the fuel of growth. It is the fire that moves us forward, the compass that points us toward the people and places we aspire to reach.

But there’s a part of this message that often goes unspoken: while your eyes should look up, your feet must remain firmly grounded.

The Power of Looking Up

Most of us are well-practiced in the art of ambition. We know how to look forward, identify those ahead of us, and set milestones. We follow leaders, chase dreams, and stretch ourselves beyond comfort zones. It’s a muscle we’ve trained well in the age of hustle, vision boards, and “10x” mindsets.

But…

The Wisdom of Staying Grounded

What we don’t talk about enough is the discipline of grounding—the practice of looking down, behind, and within.

To stay grounded is to remember where you began. It’s to shift your gaze from only the mountaintop ahead to the valley you’ve already climbed out of. Look at the people who dream of standing where you are right now. Think about the challenges you’ve overcome, the lessons you’ve learnt, and the blessings that carried you here.

That reflection gives birth to gratitude. And gratitude humbles you—not to shrink your dreams, but to expand your heart.

Like a Tree With Deep Roots

When you learn to live with both ambition and humility, you grow like a tree—one that reaches for the sky while staying rooted in the earth.

A tree that forgets its roots will be the first to fall in a storm.A building that climbs upward without a solid foundation will someday crumble.

It’s not about choosing one or the other—it’s about holding both.

The Dual Lens of Growth

So the next time someone tells you, “Aim high”, Add a quiet reminder to yourself: “And stay grounded.”

Because the ones who rise the highest and endure the longest are those who remember both where they’re going and where they’ve come from.

They’re not just chasing greatness. They’re building it—brick by brick, root by root.