Achievement or Accomplishment?

Lots of us accomplish things every day. You know, those of us with the to-do lists with our never-ending progressions of check marks!

Go to the grocery store? Check.

Get the laundry done? Check.

Finish that blog post? Check.

Sure we are getting stuff done. But are we really achieving anything?

There’s a big difference between achievement and accomplishment, and I think it boils down to one word: intentionality.

To “accomplish” means to bring something to a conclusion.

But to “achieve” means bringing about an intended result.

It’s like the old story of the stonemasons. A stranger walks by a construction site and comes upon a stonemason. When the stranger asks what the mason is doing, he replies, “I’m laying stones.”

The next day the stranger strolls by again and sees a different mason at work. When the stranger asks him what he’s doing, the mason replies, “I’m building a wall.”

On the third day, the man sees yet another mason at work and again asks what the mason is doing. With joy in his voice, the worker replies, “I’m building a cathedral!”

It is a corny story, but there’s more than one lesson in it.

First, each mason accomplished something. Day by day, stone by stone, the project progressed because of their efforts.

Second, it illustrates the power of perspective:

• for the first mason, the assignment was a menial task,
• for the second, it was a manageable project,
• for the third, it was a marvelous goal.

 

The most memorable people in our lives aren’t just remembered because they simply did things. They are remembered because those things made a difference!

Take a few minutes to reflect on what you have accomplished so far in your life, and then look at what your intentional focus in life has enabled you to achieve.

 

What intention do you want to set for yourself from today on?

What meaning do you plan to give to your purpose?

What legacy do you want to be remembered for?