Achievement vs. Completion — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 15, 2024
Achievement refers to accomplishing a significant goal or milestone, often involving notable skill or effort; completion is the act of finishing a task or process, regardless of its significance or difficulty.
Difference Between Achievement and Completion
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Key Differences
Achievement involves reaching a notable goal that typically requires significant skill, effort, or innovation. On the other hand, completion simply refers to the act of finishing a task, which may not necessarily require special skills or significant effort.
Achievement is often associated with a sense of accomplishment and recognition, such as receiving awards or public acknowledgment. Whereas completion is focused more on meeting requirements or fulfilling obligations without necessarily gaining external recognition.
Achievements can be subjective and vary greatly depending on personal or societal values—what is considered an achievement in one context might not be in another. In contrast, completion is more objective and straightforward, generally acknowledged when a set task or requirement has been met.
Achievements often lead to progress in one's career or personal development, contributing to a sense of personal growth and satisfaction. On the other hand, completion, while satisfying, might not have a significant impact on personal or professional advancement.
While achievements are celebrated and can inspire others, the completion of a task is usually a more personal satisfaction or relief, and it may not inspire the same level of admiration or motivation in others.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Accomplishing a significant goal
Finishing a task or process
Requirements
Skill, effort, innovation
Meeting set criteria
Recognition
Often includes public acknowledgment or awards
Primarily personal satisfaction
Impact
Can lead to career or personal growth
Usually limited to task-related satisfaction
Perception
Subjective and varies by context
Objective and clear-cut
Compare with Definitions
Achievement
The action of accomplishing something notable, often requiring skill or effort.
Winning a national science award is a significant achievement.
Completion
Necessary for progression but not necessarily a marker of significant achievement.
Completion of basic training is required for all new recruits.
Achievement
Recognized as a significant success or record in one’s field or personal life.
Her achievement in breaking the sales record was celebrated company-wide.
Completion
The act of finishing a task or fulfilling a requirement.
Completion of the course requires passing all the exams.
Achievement
Inspires others and is a point of pride.
Her achievements in human rights advocacy have inspired many to join the cause.
Completion
Focused on meeting set criteria or deadlines.
The completion of her thesis was met with relief after years of research.
Achievement
Often associated with overcoming challenges or innovations.
The scientist’s achievement in renewable energy greatly contributed to sustainability efforts.
Completion
Primarily associated with personal or immediate group satisfaction.
The team celebrated the completion of the development phase.
Achievement
May result in awards, titles, or public recognition.
His achievements in literature earned him a prestigious literary prize.
Completion
Marks the end of a process without indicating the quality of the outcome.
He noted the completion of the project on time.
Achievement
A thing done successfully with effort, skill, or courage
To reach this stage is a great achievement
Completion
The act of completing or the state of being completed.
Achievement
The process or fact of achieving something
The achievement of professional recognition
A sense of achievement
Assessing ability in terms of academic achievement
Completion
(Football) A forward pass that is caught in bounds by a receiver.
Achievement
A representation of a coat of arms with all the adjuncts to which a bearer of arms is entitled.
Completion
The act or state of being or making something complete; conclusion, accomplishment.
Achievement
The process of achieving something
She devoted her life to the achievement of voting rights for women.
Completion
(legal) The conclusion of an act of conveyancing concerning the sale of a property.
Achievement
Something that has been achieved, especially by means of skill or perseverance
The discovery of antibiotics is one of the great achievements of modern medicine.
Completion
(American football) A forward pass that is successfully caught by the intended receiver.
Achievement
The act of achieving or performing; a successful performance; accomplishment.
Completion
(mathematics) The act of making a metric space complete by adding points.
Achievement
A great or heroic deed or feat; something accomplished by valor or boldness.
Completion
(mathematics) The space resulting from such an act.
Achievement
(heraldry) An escutcheon or ensign armorial; a full display or depiction of all the heraldic components to which the bearer of a coat of arms is entitled; a funeral shield: the hatchment.
Completion
(computing) autocomplete
Tab completion
Achievement
(video games) An award for completing a particular task or meeting an objective in a video game.
Finishing the game does not give you a 100% score until you have unlocked all of the achievements.
Completion
The act or process of making complete; the getting through to the end; as, the completion of an undertaking, an education, a service.
The completion of some repairs.
Achievement
The lexical aspect (aktionsart) of verbs or predicates that change in an instant.
Completion
State of being complete; fulfillment; accomplishment; realization.
Predictions receiving their completion in Christ.
Achievement
(sociology) The successful completion of a socially defined goal or task, highlighting individual or group accomplishment.
Completion
(American football) a successful forward pass in football
Achievement
The act of achieving or performing; an obtaining by exertion; successful performance; accomplishment; as, the achievement of his object.
Completion
A concluding action
Achievement
A great or heroic deed; something accomplished by valor, boldness, or praiseworthy exertion; a feat.
[The exploits] of the ancient saints . . . do far surpass the most famous achievements of pagan heroes.
The highest achievements of the human intellect.
Achievement
An escutcheon or ensign armorial; now generally applied to the funeral shield commonly called hatchment.
Achievement
The action of accomplishing something
Common Curiosities
Can the completion of a minor task ever be an achievement?
Yes, for someone overcoming major challenges, completing even minor tasks can be an achievement.
What is the difference between achievement and completion?
Achievement focuses on notable accomplishments requiring significant skill, while completion is about finishing a task or fulfilling a requirement.
Can completion be considered an achievement?
While completion can be an achievement if it involves significant effort or skill, not all completions are achievements.
Is completion always necessary for achievement?
Often, completion of certain steps is necessary to reach an achievement, but one can complete many tasks without achieving something notably recognized.
What motivates people more, achievement or completion?
This varies by individual; some are motivated by achieving significant milestones, while others find motivation in consistently completing tasks.
What role does completion play in workplace settings?
In workplace settings, completion is crucial for maintaining workflow and meeting organizational goals.
How do societies recognize achievements compared to completions?
Societies often recognize achievements with awards and public acknowledgments, whereas completions might only be noted or required for further progression.
Why is achievement considered subjective?
What qualifies as an achievement can vary widely based on personal, cultural, or professional standards, making it subjective.
How do achievements impact personal development?
Achievements can significantly impact personal development by boosting confidence, skills, and satisfaction.
How should one celebrate completion and achievement?
Celebrations for completions might be low-key or personal, while achievements might warrant larger, more public celebrations.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
