Accomplishment and achievement are two words that we frequently hear and use to describe our successes and milestones in our personal and professional lives. When we successfully finish or complete a task, we feel proud and want to share our achievements or accomplishments with others. Whether we pass an exam or demonstrate skills to reach a goal, we often discuss accomplishments and achievements simultaneously. However, these two words are not synonymous, and there are subtle distinctions between accomplishment and achievement that will become clear after reading this article.
Accomplishment
When a worker or employee completes a prestigious or challenging project with skill, it is referred to as an accomplishment. For example, a man might consider cleaning the house an accomplishment and feel proud of his completed task, whereas this may be nothing more than daily chores for a housewife. In general, an accomplishment is a feeling of satisfaction and pride that one may feel when they perform a job or task that may be considered hard or difficult. It often becomes challenging for a person when filling out a job application form when they are asked to write about their achievements in one section while also being required to mention their accomplishments. For an ordinary person, being able to build a home for their family might be an accomplishment they can take pride in. No job or task is too big or small to be termed an accomplishment. If Mahatma Gandhi brought the British to their knees making them treat Indians with dignity and equality first in South Africa and then in India, his efforts would qualify as accomplishments and not achievements.
Achievement
Passing an exam or obtaining a degree is an achievement. This is why a resume is full of academic and career achievements to impress a prospective employer. You set goals for yourself in life, whether educational or professional, and reaching or achieving these goals is considered an achievement. People take pride in listing their achievements whenever they have an audience or an opportunity to speak at a platform. This is true of an engineer boasting about their efforts in increasing the revenues of a company or a minister drawing attention to her efforts in increasing the participation of people in the activities of the church.
Key Takeaways
- Achievements are goals or landmarks that have been reached, while accomplishments are simple and tough tasks that a person has completed.
- Building a house may be a dream for a person, and when it is finally built, they are said to have accomplished their long-standing desire or dream.
- Achievements are goals that are clearly spelled out, like completing college or winning a race at the Olympics, while accomplishments in a resume pertain to completing complex or difficult projects.
