[WARMER] “IF AT FIRST YOU DO NOT SUCCEED…” WHAT IS SUCCESS FOR YOU?

A very simple icebreaker (or warmer). It may also be used as a pocket activity.

First, show your students some quotes about success (or failure) and ask them to think about what the ones who said each quote meant by it.

“I can't give you a sure-fire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure: try to please everybody all the time.” ― Herbert Bayard Swope

“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” ― Albert Einstein

“The worst part of success is trying to find someone who is happy for you.” ― Bette Midler

“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” ― Winston S. Churchill

“Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness.”― Steve Maraboli

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” ― Oliver Goldsmith

“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” ― Theodore Roosevelt

“Success is most often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable.” ― Coco Chanel

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” ― Robert F. Kennedy

After that, start a discussion about 'what success is' based on their own opinions, beliefs, or ideas.

Then ask them to talk about the stories of success they may know (or ever heard about). 


Can you think of anyone you know or a famous person who has been successful in very difficult circumstances? 

It will depend on their language level, but you may also ask them to write down their own quotes about success and then ask them to show their quotes to the class and talk about their own.

I hope you have enjoyed this one! See you around!

Cheers!

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