The Curse of Ambition - By Jonel Zabrina Antin

Written By: Jonel Zabrina Antin

Category: Essay

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the essay "The Curse of Ambition," Jonel Zabrina Antin delves into the intricate dance between ambition and societal expectations. Featured in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, this work exposes the paradoxes of ambition in a competitive world. Antin invites readers to reflect on how the pressures to succeed can often overshadow the simple joys of life. Through a poignant narrative, the essay challenges us to reconsider what it truly means to be successful and content.

About the Work

Jonel Zabrina Antin's essay is a contemplative exploration of the burdens of ambition. With an introspective tone, the piece questions the societal norms that dictate what success should look like. Antin skillfully employs vivid imagery and thoughtful reflection to illustrate the dichotomy between societal expectations and personal fulfillment. The essay encourages readers to pause and appreciate the beauty of life's simple pleasures, advocating for a balanced approach to ambition and contentment.

The Curse of Ambition

Original Submission by Jonel Zabrina Antin

The Curse of Ambition

I want to do everything, so I do nothing. Does ambition accelerate us towards our goal or does the burden of it all weigh us down? In a growing, competitive world, we want to do so much that somehow, just the thought of it all ends up exhausting us. The problem isn’t a lack of ambition; it’s the excess of it. We as a society have unanimously agreed that one of the first things that we ask young children when we see them is what they want to become when they grow up. While the question alone is not a problem, the mindset behind it is. We ask children this question with an answer in mind. Most commonly being, doctors, engineers and etc.

We ask these questions but we don’t expect an answer, we expect there to be only a few possible choices that they must choose. And when they don’t fit in our cage of what a child should dream, we try to change their mindset. “Oh, you want to study x? A bright child like you should study y.” We expect kids to know exactly what they want to do when they grow up, but when they want to be someone we don’t accept in our society with an overly saturated workforce, we shame them for it. And if they don’t know what to do?, “It’s pointless to study without having an ambition; make up your mind and work towards it.” This leads to kids forcing themselves to fit into the norms of society before they have made up their own minds. More often than not, this looks like athletic kids or kids with artistic abilities thinking that studying science and doing a 9-5 desk job when they grow up is what makes them “successful” and not pursuing their interests. Ambitions are only respected when they fit the narrow perspective of the people asking the questions.Obviously a child who says that they want to become a doctor is smarter than the child that says that they want to become an artist, right?

Ambition has a habit of changing the finish lines. This means that no achievement is good enough, because there’s always more to achieve. Nothing you do will ever be enough because there’s just so much more that you can do and are capable of. Life is not about doing everything; it’s about doing something. When two roads diverge in a yellow wood, you can’t travel both, and when your goalpost keeps changing every time you try to score, realising that only one can be taken would be a suffocating thought to overcome. How do you do it anyway? You stop for a moment. You look around and see that there’s more to life than collecting certificates and medals. Living life is allowing yourself to not be perfect. It’s allowing yourself to get a second cup of coffee when you’re tired, despite being told not to drink a lot of it. It’s taking a walk and feeling the gentle breeze caress you. It’s waking up to the sun seeping through the windows and kissing your skin. Somewhere along the road, we decided to neglect the beauty of life and blame ourselves for not doing enough; for not being able to fulfil dreams that were forced upon us. We don’t realise it but some of the heaviest burdens we feel are caused by the weight of carrying our ambition. We spend so much of our time trying to be the best versions of ourselves while forgetting that maybe, we already are the best versions of ourselves. So, let’s stop trying so hard to find a purpose in life and let’s just live a little.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is an esteemed platform celebrating diverse voices in poetry and creative writing. This competition invites participants from around the globe to share their unique perspectives and literary talents. It serves as a vibrant arena for writers to explore themes close to their hearts and connect with a global audience, fostering a rich exchange of ideas through the written word.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Jonel Zabrina Antin for sharing "The Curse of Ambition" with us. This essay is a valuable contribution to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, offering profound insights into the interplay between personal aspirations and societal pressures. We are grateful for the opportunity to feature such thoughtful work and look forward to seeing more from Jonel in the future.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.