Wednesday 22 August 2012

More idioms about success and....Steve Jobs.




Let's focus on something pleasurable today - SUCCESS:)
In English you can describe success in many different ways, it can be:

        remarkable,                       outstanding,                   enormous,                            remendous,        overnight,                 marvelous,              howling
              roaring,                      resounding

or

   limited,                qualified             and               modest.







There are of course countless idioms expressing success or failure:


alive and kicking
(also be alive and well) to continue to be well, healthy or successful.
1. Don't worry about your grandfather; he is alive and kicking. 2. Classical music is still alive and kicking among youngsters

back the wrong horse

to support someone or something that later cannot be successful.
Don't back the wrong horse! You know he cannot win the elections.

count one's chickens before they hatch

To assume success too early, before it is certain.
It's too soon to cry victory. Don't count your chicken before they hatch!

dead loss

something described as a dead loss is absolutely unsuccessful or useless (a complete failure)
When it comes to math, my sisiter is a dead loss.

dog-eat-dog

said about a world where people do anything to be successful.
It's disheartening to know that we are living in a dog-eat-dog world.

every dog has its day

everyone has a time of success and satisfaction.
You may become successful in your business someday. Every dog has his day.

green-eyed monster

envy, jealousy, covetousness
1. "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on." William Shakespeare 2. His success aroused the green-eyed monster in his friend.

hit a home run

to be successful.
They hit a home run with their excellent performance in the new play.

home free

to be certain of being successful because you have finished the most difficult part.
Once you hand in the last part of your dissertation, you're home free.

I'll eat my hat

said to suggest that you will be surprised if something happens.
If his business becomes successful, I'll eat my hat.

in the bag

Certain or extremely likely to occur; assured about the success of something.
Don't worry about the final exam. It's in the bag.

put one's shoulder to the wheel

to start hard work; to begin to toil.
Just put your shoulder to the wheel. If you keep working hard, you’ll be successful one day!

the mother of all

an extreme example which is the biggest, most impressive, or most important of its kind.
Failure is the mother of all success.


There are also numerous synonyms for 'successful':

prosperous
thriving
flourishing
lucky
fortunate
triumphant
victorious
famous
wealthy
profitable
rewarding
lucrative
favourable


When you want to ask about the key of someone's success, you can say:

'What's your passport/pass/ticket/ to success?




And now, why Steve Jobs? Well, if the mother of success is failure, the father will be...? ;)
Apart from my innocent infatuation to him ;), I've found some of his rules of success really inspiring and universal. Just have a look:

1. Do what you love to do. (like: learn English!)

2. Be different. (Well...only if you want;)

3. Do your best. (Obviously!)

4. Start small, think big. ( The bigger the better.)

5. Ask for feedback. (To ask is no sin.)

6. Learn from failures. (What else can you do, right?)

7. Learn continually. (Yeah, we know.)


“Your time is limited. Don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drowned your own inner voice. And, most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.” Steve Jobs



Stay successful and...tuned ;)


source: google images;www.myenglishpages.com.










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