BEP 221 – Idioms of Success and Failure 1

In this Business English Pod lesson, we’ll look at business English idioms related to success and failure.

Every business has its ups and downs. And so does every person. In other words, sometimes we succeed and sometimes we fail. Another common way of saying this in English is “You win some and you lose some.” Nobody wins all the time, even the great success stories that we read or hear about.

Think of a successful entrepreneur. Now, do you think that person achieved great success on their first try? In 99% of cases, the answer is no. Every successful businessperson learned through failure. Now have a look at your favorite business news site. You’ll see that almost every story can be put into either the category of success or failure. Businesses either grow or shrink but they don’t remain the same.

It’s clear that success and failure are important and common topics. And to talk about them, there are lots of great English idioms.

In this lesson, we’ll hear a conversation between Sam and Dylan, two former colleagues. They have just run into each other and are catching up on their recent experiences. In their conversation, you will notice many idioms related to success and failure.

Listening Questions

1. How is Sam’s work going?
2. How does Dylan feel about his recent investments?
3. What happened to the wireless company that Dylan was involved in?

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