Four high-achieving Grade 10 Scholars were selected to speak at our annual Founders’ Day on a particular value he or she feels every SBF Scholar should embody.  Below are Muzammil Jable's thoughts on how ambition relates to success. Muzammil attends SACS where he was third in his Grade at the end of 2011.

'An ambition is an eager, and sometimes an inordinate desire for preferment, honour, power, or the attainment of something important to you. Ambition is something that everyone, no matter their age or cultural background, has instinctively. Ambition can be a driving force for success, or in some cases a road to failure. Through ambition we discover ourselves and our God-given talents.

All of us Scholars are special in our own way. We weren’t chosen for this scholarship only because we are either smart, or came from disadvantaged backgrounds. We were selected for the passion and ambition within us to succeed beyond our circumstances. Every Scholar here will agree regarding how important ambition is when dealing with the pressures of high school. It is what keeps us motivated and helps to define who we are and the role we play in our school. It’s true that hard work helps you succeed at high school, but it is ambition that gives you reason to persevere in the first place.

Also keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Wherever you go, there are people who will doubt you and your ambitions. However, you should always believe in yourself and never lose sight of your dreams.  Spending time with people with a positive image and attitude can help one get motivated and realise their goals. Another point is, don’t be despondent if you don’t reach it the first time. I never won any prizes in grade 8. In grade 9 I won the English Speakers Prize. The one prize I really had my eyes on was the Maths Prize. And yes, I failed to achieve it twice, but this year, I got not only the Maths Prize but four other subject prizes. The point I’m trying to get across is that persistence can make everything possible, for persistence is an excellent demonstration of ambition. If you want something to happen, you must pick yourself up and try again. Remember, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” (Confucius).

The high schools which we attend are some of the finest institutions in South Africa. One should bear in mind that along with the privilege of being there one would have to deal with the impressive competitiveness of the students. Thus, it is vital that we have ambition to succeed if we would like to stand out and build our identity as SBF Scholars and citizens of a global community.

There is nothing that can stop us from achieving what we want in life. Our only obstacle is ourselves, and the extent of our ability to differentiate between a worthwhile and self destructive goal. If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it you can become it. Be true to yourself. Define what is really important to you and choose this as your goal and ambition.

I’ll end off with a quote by Napolon Hill: “Man alone has the power to transform his thoughts into physical reality; man alone can dream and make his dreams come true.”'