Success - The Road to Success

Master English idioms regarding the road to success, like "in the running" and "gain ground".

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Success
in the running
in the running [phrase]

having a chance to win or succeed, particularly in a competition or selection

Ex: The team is in the running to win the championship .
(within|in) striking distance
(within|in) striking distance [phrase]

used to refer to a state or situation in which something is very close to being achieved

Ex: The hiker knew the summit was within striking distance , so they pushed on to reach it before sunset .
to [gain] ground
to [gain] ground [phrase]

to achieve more success or popularity

Ex: After falling behind in the polls , the candidate 's new policies helped them gain ground with voters .
bucket list
bucket list [noun]

a list of experiences, achievements, or goals that a person wishes to accomplish or fulfill during their lifetime

Ex: Skydiving has always been on Mary 's bucket list , and she finally had the chance to experience it on her 50th birthday .
from scratch
from scratch [phrase]

from the point at which something began

Ex: I 'm currently working on building this website from scratch .
to [get] {sth} off the ground
to [get] {sth} off the ground [phrase]

to start a project, plan, or activity successfully

Ex: She helped get the marketing campaign off the ground with her ideas .
to [make] a go of {sth}
to [make] a go of {sth} [phrase]

to try to make something successful, often with a significant degree of effort or determination

Ex: Despite the challenges , they made a go of their marriage .
where the rubber [meet] the road
where the rubber [meet] the road [phrase]

the point in a process where theory, ideas, or plans are put into practice and tested for their effectiveness

Ex: We spent months developing the new product , but we did n't know if it would be successful until we hit the point where the rubber met the road .
so far so good
so far so good [phrase]

used to say that the progress has been satisfactory up until this point

Ex: I've been practicing my guitar every day, and so far so good, knock on wood - I feel like I'm improving.
flying start
flying start [noun]

the start of something in a very favorable or promising way

Ex: Melissa 's new book got off to a flying start , with high sales and positive reviews from readers and critics alike .
to [be] cooking with gas
to [be] cooking with gas [phrase]

to be doing very well or functioning effectively

Ex: By the end of the year, Jack's team will have achieved their goals - they're working hard and making good progress. They'll definitely be cooking with gas!
to [bubble] under the radar
to [bubble] under the radar [phrase]

to be close to achieving success or popularity, but not quite there yet

Ex: She is currently bubbling under the radar , gaining a small but dedicated following on social media .
halfway house
halfway house [noun]

the middle stage or point in a process of achieving a desired result

Ex: Emily 's fitness journey is at the halfway house point - she 's lost a significant amount of weight , but still has some work to do before she reaches her goal .
to [go] places
to [go] places [phrase]

to be making great progress

Ex: After graduating from college , he moved to New York City and started his own business - it was clear that he was going places .
on the up and up
on the up and up [phrase]

becoming increasingly successful with the passage of time

Ex: After a difficult start , things were finally on the up and up for the team , with a string of victories in their last few games .
half the battle
half the battle [phrase]

the most important part of something such as a project, task, etc.

Ex: If you can convince them to support your idea , half the battle is won .
to [make] headway
to [make] headway [phrase]

to advance and make great progress in one's career or life

Ex: By this time next year, we will have made significant headway on our goals, thanks to our steady progress and hard work.
on course
on course [phrase]

likely to achieve something as expected

Ex: With two wins in a row , our team is on course for the championship title .
on the way to {doing sth}
on the way to {doing sth} [phrase]

in the process of progressing toward a particular goal

Ex: Despite some setbacks, we're still on the way to achieving our long-term goals.
(on|along) the right lines
(on|along) the right lines [phrase]

in a manner that increases the chances of achieving success

Ex: Your analysis of the situation is on the right lines , and I think we 're moving in the right direction .
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