Difference Between Ambition and Goal

Ambition vs Goal
 

Ambition and Goal are two words that are often taken to be alike as far as their meanings are concerned when, as a matter of fact, there is some difference between the two. They are not one and the same. Some people may not agree with this because people are used to using ambition and goal as synonyms. However, why they cannot be used as words with the same meanings, the definition of each word, and how they are used in the English language are discussed in this article. So, read and understand the difference between ambition and goal.

What does Ambition mean?

Ambition means the determination to achieve success or distinction in life. In another way, we can say that ambition is determination itself. Ambition is a noun. Ambitious is the adjective of ambition. Ambitiously is the adverb of ambition.

Ambition involves action. ‘To secure first rank in the university examinations’ is the ambition of a hardworking student. This ambition is characterized by the verb called ‘to secure’. Hence, an ambition involves direct action. The student has to work hard to secure first rank in the university examinations.

Ambition pertains to a particular or a chosen field. The word ambition is derived from the Latin ‘ambitio’. Here are some examples for the use of the word ambition.

His ambition was to become a doctor.

He achieved his ambition of becoming the batch top by studying hard.

In both of these sentences, the word ambition shows a determination some person holds to achieve success in life.

What does Goal mean?

On the other hand, goal refers to the object of a person’s ambition or effort. In other words, a goal does not involve action but it indicates a destination or a place as aim.

In short, it can be said that goal is an aim or the target or the object of determination. The words ‘first rank’ and ‘batch top’ are the goals of the hardworking students. Consider this sentence. ‘To secure first rank in the university examinations’, we called it an ambition. ‘First rank’ is the aim or the destination which the student is eyeing for. Look at the two examples given below:

Fame is his goal.

Paris is our goal.

In both of the sentences, the word goal indicates an aim or a destination. In the first sentence, it indicates the aim of the person whereas, in the second sentence, the word goal indicates the destination of the people.

Moreover, when it comes to sports, goal can also carry the following meaning as the Oxford English dictionary presents. Goal is ‘(in football, rugby, hockey, and some other games) a pair of posts linked by a crossbar and typically with a net between, forming a space into or over which the ball has to be sent in order to score.’

We won the football match by two goals.

Here, the word goal means the score in a football game that is collected by shooting a ball into the place as described in the definition.

Also, goal is a noun just like destination. However, there are no adjectival or adverbial forms of the word goal.

What is the difference between Ambition and Goal?

• Ambition means the determination to achieve success or distinction in life. On the other hand, goal refers to the object of a person’s ambition or effort. This is the main difference between ambition and goal.

• Goal is an aim or the target or the object of determination. On the other hand, ambition is determination itself.

• Ambition involves action whereas goal does not involve action but it indicates a destination or a place as aim.

• Both the words, ambition and goal, are nouns. The adjectival and adverbial forms of the word ambition are ambitious and ambitiously respectively, but there are no adjectival or adverbial forms of the word goal.

Images Courtesy: Doctor via Wikicommons (Public Domain)