124: 8 Secrets of Success

Questions about the Video File:

1. How did he come up with the idea of finding the secrets to success?
2. What was his solution to find the answer to the girl’s question?
3. How can passion lead to success?
4. What does Rupert Murdoch suggest as his secret of success?
5. What things do you need to push yourself through?

General Questions:

1. Who’s the most successful person you know? What does he owe his success to?
2. Considering the subject of success do you have a role model? Who is he/she? In what ways do you try to copy him/her?
3. To what extent do you consider yourself successful? What do you owe your success to?
4. What are the factors that have prevented you from being successful? To what extent do you consider them out of your control?
5. Are you passionate about what you do? If not, what are you passionate about? What has stopped you from doing it?
6. How hardworking are you?
7. When was the last time you pushed yourself? What motivated you to do so?
8. Do you have anyone in your life that pushes you towards success? Who’s that? How does he/she do it? Are you ok with that? Have you ever thanked them?
9. Do you agree that if you do something for love, money comes?

Related Quotes:

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Winston Churchill

“However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.” Stephen Hawking

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” Pele
“A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success.” Joyce Brothers

Related Idioms and Expressions:

1. Practice makes perfect: if you need to master something you have to practice a lot

• Whenever she was disappointed from playing the piano, her mother said practice makes perfect.

1. Rome was not built in a day: big improvements or successes are not achieved in a short period of time

Related Words and Phrases:

Make something of something: (ph.v) to give something a particular significance

• What do you want to make of your life?

Lead to (ph.v) cause something to happen or exist

• A healthy diet should lead to a more active lifestyle.

Pass on (ph.v) to transfer information you have heard from someone to other people

• We need to pass on our childhood stories to our kids.

Workaholic (adj): if you are workaholic you are addicted to work.

• Jacob is a real workaholic, he works 10 hours in the office and 3 hours at home, he has time for nothing else.

Workafrolic (adj) if you are workafrolic you work hard because you love what you do.

• Most successful people are workafrolic, they do what they are passionate about.

Self-doubt (n): lacking confidence in yourself

• Considering the strength of self-doubt in her, she would not get promoted to a managing position. To be a manager one needs to be confident.

Privilege (n) an advantage that a certain group of people enjoy especially because of their position

• Free education is a right not a privilege.

Curious (adj) eager to know and learn new things

• Children are really curious, they bombard you with tens of questions every day.

Persist (v) continue doing something

• Persist on what you are doing and soon you’ll see the good result.

Related Collocations:

Something of value (adj) something valuable  

• Give her something of value for her birthday.

Push yourself (n) make an effort and force yourself to improve

• Push yourself and you’ll certainly succeed.