A question on Life

I think 'getting ahead' means reaching our dreams - our potential. It is not 'overtaking' others', it is just having more drive, determination and vision.

There could be an infinite amount of goals that can be considered forward progress for anyone wanting to get ahead. The only real requirement for something to be a personal milestone is that it’s something you’re aiming for that’s in some way better than what you already have. Our goals differ depending on what stage in life we are in. Example, when we were in College, our goal would be to finish school, get a good job and be able to buy our own house and a car. As we grow older, and if we have achieved the earlier goals we have, and we happen to have the money to make use of, then we think of helping other people and be able to make a difference. For me, that is my long-term goal- to be become God's instrument in helping people in need most especially the abandoned kids and elders.

I suppose that the meaning of 'getting ahead' all depends on the person who says it. A reasonable person would simply mean they want to improve their circumstances. Maybe going to university to 'get ahead' means to know more and improve their chances of getting a job. I agree that the expression does sound like a competitive attitude but if we think along those lines then we can describe getting ahead as running faster than the rest, which is more emphatic of fitness and ability rather than leaving others behind. When athletes race they are thinking of the reaching their goal, and that may mean simply running faster than they did at their last attempt. It is good to be ambitious but it doesn't have to mean being selfish towards others. The other questions you ask are not related to any particular situation so they are a little difficult to answer.