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Words and Their StoriesLearning Expressions with VOA
Processed with VS1Describe what success means to you, the work behind it, and the risks of tying it to someone else’s path.
VOA source audio
Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcriptThe episode looks at success as personal and often gradual. It explains “dress for success,” “overnight success,” “the road to success,” “the sweet smell of success,” “have the world at your feet,” and “a victim of your own success.” The story emphasizes planning and the less-visible work behind a result.
Cultural note: Ideas about success differ across people and cultures; some phrases imply money, status, or competition. The source’s phrase about clothing is a saying, not a rule for every industry, and “overnight success” often overlooks years of effort.
Keep exploringSuccess can mean different things to different people. Practise describing your own measure and the small steps that support it.
Phrase guide · 6 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Name an aim and the steps that make it manageable.
Meaning
Wear clothing intended to help create a professional or confident impression.
Tone & use
A common saying, but expectations vary across workplaces and cultures; clothing alone does not guarantee success.
Example
“For the interview, he chose clean, comfortable clothes that matched the organization’s usual style.”
Meaning
The process or path of actions that may lead to an achievement.
Tone & use
Often followed by details about effort, luck, setbacks, or support; success is not guaranteed by one path.
Example
“For her, the road to success included community college, mentoring, and several career changes.”
Talk about the effort behind an achievement.
Meaning
Someone who becomes successful very quickly, at least in public view.
Tone & use
Often used ironically because visible success may follow years of practice or work.
Example
“The artist looked like an overnight success, but she had been painting for a decade.”
Meaning
A skill or quality at which someone is especially good.
Tone & use
Often used with “not my strong suit” to talk modestly about a weaker skill.
Example
“Planning is her strong suit, so she helped the group break the event into steps.”
Describe rewards, pressure, and consequences.
Meaning
Have many opportunities or a strong chance to achieve ambitions.
Tone & use
Often an optimistic or admiring description; it can overlook barriers or pressure someone to be ambitious.
Example
“After graduation, he felt he had the world at his feet, though he still needed time to choose a direction.”
Meaning
Experiencing problems that result from the success you achieved.
Tone & use
Used when demand, attention, or responsibilities become difficult to manage because something worked well.
Example
“The small bakery became a victim of its own success when the line grew too long for its tiny kitchen.”
Knowledge check
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
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