Key Difference: A goal is a desired result that a person wishes to achieve. It is a target that a person wants to reach. Ambition is actually the desire or what drives a person. It is a will that a person has that enables him to go on and continue to achieve better and greater things in life.

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Goal and ambition are two different words that are often mistaken as one. They are often confused by many people. However, they are also related to each other. The goal is actually a point where a person wants to reach, while ambition is the drive that will get the person there. See: Vision Vs. Goal

A goal is a desired result that a person wishes to achieve. It is a target that a person wants to reach. It is an end-point of where a person sees himself after a certain period of time. Goals can be short term or long term. Short term goals are goals that are placed after a small amount of time, while long term goals require a life-altering decision. A person can also set personal goals as well as professional goals. Personal goals include a vision for personal things such as marriage, child, home, etc.; professional goals are related to the professional aspect of life such as job, career and so on. See: Goal Vs. Objective 

Dictionary.com defines ‘goal’ as:

• The result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end.

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Example: Mark had made it a goal to finish the 100km race.

Ambition is actually the desire or what drives a person. It is a will that a person has that enables him to go on and continue to achieve better and greater things in life. Ambition can be termed as a force or strong willpower. It is also the force that keeps a person going even after a minor setback or failure. Similar to goals, ambitions can be short term and long term. Short term ambitions are a drive to accomplish short-term goals, while long term ambitions push people to accomplish long term goals.

Dictionary.com defines ‘ambition’ as:

• An earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment.
• The object, state, or result desired or sought after
• A desire for work or activity; energy.
• To seek after earnestly; aspire to.

Example: His ambition to help people drove him to become a doctor.

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