task b - success, ambition and individuality

intro

Success often comes with expectations about who we must become in order to achieve it. While ambition requires change, discipline and self-improvement, it doesn’t necessarily require abandoning one’s values and personality. The real question isn’t whether success changes us but what parts of us deserve to survive ambition.

P1

Success creates pressure to fit a mould. Competitive environments often treat certain personalities as a requirement for success: confidence, toughness and ruthlessness. During the 2024 Formula One campaign, despite regularly finding himself at the front battling Max Verstappen, Norris was criticised for being too nice, emotional and not ruthless enough. This revealed how easily improvements becomes confused with imitation as success starts looking like a personality trait rather than an achievement. Nevertheless, authenticity cannot excuse weakness or failure to improve.

P2

Growth does not equate to self-erasure. During 2025, Norris was still subject to criticism for being too emotional and self-critical and faced immense pressure and expectations. Despite this, he was able to grow and improve before being crowned champion in the season finale at Abu Dhabi, beating his title rival narrowly by two points. This demonstrated how success inevitably requires change as mistakes turn into lessons, weakness confronted and pressures better managed. However, growth should refine who we are not replace us as becoming better does not necessarily equate to becoming different.

P3

However, ambition should have limits. While ambition should serve to change complacency, bad habits and inability to accept criticisms, it should not necessarily change values, sensitivity and how you treat others. Achievement loses something if it requires becoming someone you no longer respect. Success therefore has 2 criteria: reaching goals and recognising yourself once achieved.

conc

To conclude, success without change is almost certainly impossible, but change without self-knowledge risks becoming self-erasure. The question isn’t whether ambition changes us, but what deserves to remain unchanged. Reaching the top is one success, still recognising yourself once there is another.