But his real ambition was to be a soldier.
His real ambition, later confessed, was to pursue more training in painting.
"I had real ambition to run against Carter," he said.
His real ambition had been to set himself up as a bookie.
And if she does have real presidential ambitions, Palin will need to start rebuilding the support of her home state.
But his real ambition for political office had been rebuffed at all three levels of government.
However, Olive's real ambitions did not lie in the direction of writing.
Marie's real ambition, it seems, is to be a science writer.
But London isn't the place for men with real ambition.
His real ambition was clearly to replace them and seize power for himself!