English idioms relating to
AMBITION - DETERMINATION
 
 
 At all costs  
  
 
 
 
 Avowed intent
 
  
 
 Beard the lion in his den  
 
 
 Have a bee in one's
  
bonnet
  
 
 Beyond one's wildest  
dreams   
 
 
 
 Blood, sweat and tears
 
 
  
 Have something on the
 
brain
 
 
 
 Buckle down
 
 
  
 
 Dig in your heels
 
 
  
 
 An eager beaver
  
 
 
 
 Explore all avenues
 
 
If you are determined to obtain or achieve something at all
costs, you want it regardless of the expense, effort or sacrifice
involved.
"The journalist was determined at all costs to get a report from
the war zone."
When someone makes a public declaration of their objective
or goal, this is their avowed intent.
"The avowed intent of the new Government is to reduce
unemployment."
If you visit someone important in the place where they work,
because you are determined to challenge him/her or obtain
something, you beard the lion in his den.
A person who has a bee in their bonnet has an idea
which constantly occupies their thoughts.
"She's got a bee in her bonnet about moving to New York."
If something is beyond your wildest dreams, it is better
than you imagined or hoped for.
"The research team received a grant from the government
that was beyond their wildest dreams."
A project or action which involves blood, sweat and tears
requires a lot of effort and hard work.
 
"His success wasn't due to luck; it was blood, sweat and
tears all the way."
If you have something on the brain, you think or talk
about it constantly.
"Stop talking about golf.  You've got golf on the brain!"
If you buckle down, you apply yourself with determination to
hard work and give it your full attention.
"If you want to pass your exams, you'll have buckle down and
do some serious work."
If you dig in your heels, you refuse to do something,
especially if someone is trying to convince you to do so.
"My grandfather dug in his heels and refused to move to an
apartment."
The term eager beaver refers to a person who is hard-
working and enthusiastic, sometimes considered overzealous.
"The new accountant works all the time - first to arrive and
last to leave  - a real eager beaver!"
If you explore all avenues, you try out every possibility in
order to obtain a result or find a solution.
"We can't say it's impossible until we've explored all
avenues."
    If you fight tooth and nail for something, you fight with all
  your energy.
 Fight tooth and nail 
  "The Transport Minister fought tooth and nail to have to have
  the proposed road safety law accepted."

  If you fly by the seat of your pants, you do something

 Fly by the seat of your   without knowledge or experience, using only your instinct and
pants   hoping that you will succeed.
  "Without any formal training, he decided to fly by the seat of
  his pants and try his luck in New York."

  If you go the extra mile, you do more than what is expected

  of you.
 Go the extra mile
  "You can count on Tom; he's always willing to go the extra  
  mile."

  When trying to achieve something, if you go to great lengths,  

 Go to great lengths   you do everything that is possible in order to succeed.
  "The two parties went to great lengths to reach an agreement."

 
  To say that someone is going places means that they show
 Going places   talent and ability that will no doubt lead to a successful future.
  "Even at college it was obvious that Paul was going places."

  If someone or something goes into overdrive, they begin to

  work very hard or start to perform intensely.
 Go into overdrive
  "At the start of every new collection, my imagination goes into
  overdrive."

 Keep your nose to the   A person who keeps their nose to the grindstone is
 grindstone   someone who concentrates on working hard at his job.

  This expression is used to encourage someone to persevere

 Hang in there   and not give up in spite of the difficult circumstances.  
  "I know the atmosphere is very tense, but just hang in
  there and eventually things will calm down."
  Someone who has their heart set on something wants it
 Have one's heart set on   very much.
 something   "From an early age Tiger had his heart set on becoming a
  professional golfer."

  If you are hell-bent on doing something, you are recklessly

 Hell-bent on something   determined to do it, even if it's dangerous or stupid.
 "Although he is still weak, he's hell-bent on playing the match."

  Someone who hitches their wagon to a star has great

 Hitch one's wagon to a   ambitions and is very determined to reach their goal.
star   "At an early age she decided to hitch her wagon to a star
  and become rich and famous."
   If you kill two birds with one stone, you succeed in doing
 Kill two birds with one   two things at the same time.
stone   "By studying on the train on the way home every week-end,
  Claire kills two birds with one stone."
  This expression refers to a difficult task, assignment or
  undertaking that will take a long time.
 A long row to hoe
  "Getting through medical school is going to be a long row
  to hoe."
  This expression is used as an encouragement to take
 Make hay while the sun   advantage of a good situation which may not last.
shines   "Successful sportsmen are advised to make hay while
  the sun shines."
  If you make headway, you make progress in what you
 Make headway   are trying to achieve.
  "Investigators have made little headway in their search for
  the causes of the catastrophe."
  If someone means business, they are serious about what
  they announce.
 Mean business   "The boss says that in future any missing material will be
  reported to the police, and he looks as though he means
  business."

  If you paddle your own canoe, you do what you want to

  do without help or interference from anyone.
 Paddle your own canoe
  "He decided to paddle his own canoe and set up his own
  company."

  This expression refers to the power children exert over their

  parents by continually nagging or pestering them until they
 Pester power   accept to buy advertised toys or fashionable products.
  "Pester power leads busy parents to buy more and more
  for their children."
 
   If you pull out all the stops, you do everything you can to
  make something successful.
 Pull out all the stops
  "We'll have to pull out all the stops to get the store ready
  for the opening day."
  If you punch above your weight, you try to perform at a level
  that is considered to be beyond your ability.
 Punch above one's weight
  "She submitted her idea for the 'invention of the year' award,  
  knowing that she was punching above her weight."
  If you reach for the moon, you are very ambitious and try
  to achieve something even if it's difficult.
 
 Reach for the moon
  "His parents were hardworking people who encouraged their
   children to reach for the moon."
   If you raise or lower your sights, you raise or lower your
  expectations, or you are more or less ambitious..
 Raise/lower your sights
  "He had to lower his sights and accept a less well-paid job
  than what he had hoped for."
   If you sink your teeth into something, you do it with a lot
 Sink one's teeth into   of energy and enthusiasm.
something   "When Julie got promoted, she immediately sank her teeth
  into her new job."
  To say "the sky's the limit" means that there is no limit
  to the possibility of success or progress for someone or
 The sky's the limit    something.
  "How successful do you think the project will be? 
   Who knows... the sky's the limit!"
  If you stand on your own two feet, you are independent
 Stand on your own two   and need no help from anyone.
feet   "When young people leave home, they learn to stand on
  their own two feet."
  If you stand your ground, you maintain your position and
  refuse to yield or give way.
 Stand one's ground
  "He claimed innocence and stood his ground in spite of the
  repeated accusations."

  If you stick to your guns, you show determination when

 Stick to one's guns   faced with opposition.  
  "The government stuck to its guns in spite of the criticism."
 stop at nothing
Someone who would stop at nothing would do anything, even
 Stop at nothing something illegal or immoral, in order to obtain what they want.
"He'd stop at nothing if there was a possibility of making money."
  If someone is waiting in the wings, they are waiting for an
  opportunity to take action, especially to replace someone
 Waiting in the wings   else in their job or position.
  "There are many young actors waiting in the wings, ready
  to show their talent."