Are ambition and motivation the same thing?

Motivation is our internal ‘why’; it’s the reason or reasons that we have for acting in a certain way. Motivation is what is underneath our important goals and decisions. We may have the goal of finishing school or owning a home, but our motivation is what gives us the ‘why’ behind those goals.

Ambition is the desire to achieve a goal. Motivation informs ambition in this way. We may want to attend college to obtain a degree, but without motivation, without our ‘why’, we aren’t likely to feel as passionate as we need to in order to put in the hard work a goal requires of us.

Both of these concepts can be helpful in goal setting. Wanting something just because others do, or because you think you’re supposed to may create a sense of ambition, but without motivation, those ambitions will falter. Without motivation, goals we have set may remain in the distance.

Setting goals is a very personal process. Achievable goals are tied to our underlying motivation, which prompts the drive for ambition. Without a strong ‘why’, the work toward a goal may seem tedious, or stressful, and we may even give up. Setting goals and creating a plan to work toward them should involve considering your motivation.

Check your goals or create them using the SMART goal system. Smart goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Specific goals have clear and specific endpoints, so get as precise as you can with your goal’s endpoint. Measurable goals help ensure that you can monitor your progress. Measurable goals also include smaller goals or build toward the bigger goal.

If finishing college is your endpoint, knowing what degree you want, and even how you want to employ that degree makes it specific. Knowing that at the end of each class you’re one step closer or setting a goal of taking a specific number of classes to meet your deadline is important. Attainable goals should be ambitious – in fact, setting ambitious goals is a positive thing, but they should be doable and reasonable so that your motivation isn’t taxed by trying to get to a goal that isn’t reasonable. Relevant goals are related to or compliment other goals you have, your own talents, and benefit you and other interests you have. Time frames for goals mean that you have points in time you want to meet your step-up goals and your endpoint goal.

Working with a therapist can be helpful as you map out goals, identify your motivations, channel your ambition, and determine what you want to work towards.