By this I mean something you achieved through considerable effort, physical or otherwise, and which you saw through to completion–with little or no assistance.
On February 26th, 1982, at a yard customer’s request (and with the neighbor’s permission), I uncovered the root structure of a grown apricot tree in the neighbor’s yard, moved the intact tree to the fence and pushed it over, and replanted it in my customer’s yard–in one day. The tree survived the transplant and was still very much alive the last time I was in the yard, a few years later.
Sure - it was 1985. Silicon Valley was under a hiring freeze - the only three IT companies interviewing at UCSB were Lawrence Livermore Labs, VLSI Technologies and HP. My Computer Science GPA was a full half-point below HP’s minimum requirement - I had…enjoyed college.
HP was holding its reception before the day of interviews. I walked in and found the guy who led their presentation that day, Frank Lucero. I walked up to him and said “look, you’re going to hire me; we can’t let my GPA be an issue” and by the end of the conversation, talked my way into a slot. I was one of 3 folks they hired from my school that year.
I still don’t know what possessed me to say that.
I manage to get out of bed in the morning, more days than not. That’s gotta count for something.
Well, nobody had to help you.
For the past 3 consecutive years I have set new world flight shooting records in archery. All 3 in different classes. I plan to continue this trend until I can’t pull the bow anymore.
My most meaningful achievement happened right in my own backyard while testing out a new bow design. I hit a speed barrier that has long been considered unreachable. It would require an official test to count but it served my purposes and I have no desire to register the speed. I would prefer some younger guy gets it. It was like a huge load was lifted off my shoulder and I was able to give myself permission to move on to something else.
After brain surgery, then an emergency follow up 2nd brain surgery, the whole re-learning to walk. Still can’t play guitar with a damn though.
Got my degree in Aerospace Engineering from a top-tier university, with highest honor (summa cum laude) on June 12, 1993. There was definitely some considerable effort involved with this.
I wrote and published a novel, and am wrapping up my second (better!) novel at this time. I’m proud of the first one and prouder of the second.
As a ten year old, I could eat more flautas at our favorite Mexican buffet than any two of my friends.
I walked without a cane today.
Nah, I had help with physical therapy, so I got nothing.
After spending maybe $100 at the arcade having fun playing Dance Dance Revolution, I won a contest for a PlayStation 2, DDRMAX game, and home game pad (worth about $300; the PS2 had been out a couple years already) through my skills earned by playing the arcade game.
It was my grandest achievement as a kid. Made me realize I wasn’t an abject failure at life.
I managed to convince my Maine Coon kitty that grooming her glorious fur was tolerable. All it took was about twenty pounds of kitty treats and a lot of patient coaxing. I’ve also painted and stenciled one of my daughter’s rooms solely by myself in a single weekend while my husband was on a business trip.
Wrote a foundational American Literature reference, very highly regarded in its niche not only for its formal focus but for being the nucleus of renewed studies on the subject. (Many cascading events followed it, some mine, some shared, some by “heirs.”)
Built a 1000-sf deck over complex terrain and existing structure, single-handed from first CAD drawings to carving the builder’s plaque.
Wrote the definitive reference to City of Heroes slash commands, emote codes and macros.
Did not kill the bitch when it would have been a good idea and improved many lives over the subsequent two decades, probably at the cost of my own. (That one’s still in the balance.)
I built my own garage (2400 sq ft , 14’ at the eaves) with damn little help. (and it shows)
I used to whip major ass in the local dart league.
That is a big ass garage, I envy you! I now have to roll all my tools out of a 6X12 workshed on to a 300 sq ft patio just to do any work.
Is there any way we can get a hint of what you helped revive interest in, AmLit topic-wise? Sounds fascinating.
HoneyBadgerDC - so, you build a bow and arrows and for that particular category of bow, you have shot an arrow the farthest distance? For 3 diff classes of bow? Cool! For a weapon/tool that is so old to humans, I would’ve assumed most records would be pretty much set, unless new tech was being introduced, e.g., carbon fiber bows, etc…
It’s pretty closely tied to my superhero identity, so I can’t mention it here. See PM.
I suspect my current, nearly-complete-for-too-long-now project will pretty much compromise my identity, but I like to imagine I’m just another unknown here. 
I was a freshman in architecture at Ohio State. Prior to the first day, we all had to take a test, which was heavy in math and sciences. They had already warned us that architecture freshmen had been taking this test since the beginning of the department, back in the 1800s, and nobody had ever gotten a perfect score. The following day, they informed me that I’d have to re-take the test. After the second test was graded, it came out that I had gotten a perfect score . . . the only student EVER to get a perfect score. I guess they wanted to make sure the first test wasn’t an accident.
Had an attic that was converted into two bedrooms plus bathroom in a home I owned a few years ago. Put in two pocket doors to close up the bedrooms - learned a bunch about studs/walls/electrical in that little endeavor.
Good for you, Lanzy! 
Knucklefunger, sounds like you’re doing just fine–but I’ll be damned if Icould play the guitar with my feet! Just kidding.
Lavender Blue, that sounds nice; I hope Her Feline Majesty appreciated your work.