Human life is full of longing for material things. People often use the words ambition and aspiration to describe feelings or emotions relating to rank, fame, power, money, and other markers of success in life. Both ambition and aspiration influence our actions and behavior towards others, which is why these two words are frequently used interchangeably. However, there are some differences between ambition and aspiration.
Key Takeaways
- Ambition is a strong desire to achieve a goal in life, while aspiration is a strong desire, longing, aim, or an ambition in life.
- Ambitions have a negative connotation due to historical examples of ambitious people choosing the wrong path to achieve their goals, while aspirations are considered nobler thoughts or desires.
- Ambition fuels motivation and hard work to achieve a goal, while aspiration is a hope that requires a burning ambition to turn it into a reality.
Ambition is a strong desire to achieve a specific goal in life. People are not born with ambitions; they develop them as they grow and interact with others, often trying to emulate the success of others. They make their idols and strive to become like them by having ambitions. Everyone wants to be successful, wealthy, and powerful, but if a person only thinks about their goals and does nothing to achieve them, those goals remain elusive dreams. A person with ambition works hard to chase their dreams and turn them into reality.
Aspiration, according to the dictionary, is defined as a strong desire, longing, aim, or ambition in life. It is also understood as the craving or yearning that goes inside an individual for something they badly desire. If a person aspires for something or a goal, it means they hope to accomplish it one day in their life. Aspirations are considered ideals and noble thoughts that a person has for themselves. For example, if a person has literary aspirations, it means they want to make it big in the world of fiction.
The main difference between ambition and aspiration is that ambition has a negative connotation due to historical examples of ambitious people choosing the wrong path to achieve their goals, while aspirations are considered nobler thoughts or desires. Additionally, ambition drives a person to work hard to fulfill their goals as it fuels their motivation, while aspiration remains a hope and without a burning ambition, it is difficult to turn it into a reality. In summary, aspiration is what a person hopes to do in life, but it is ambition that drives them to work hard to achieve that goal.
