08 Goals, Decisions, Changes & Success

achieve your goals

đạt được mục tiêu

to succeed in doing the things you intended to do

• A clear plan helps me achieve my goals. • I feel proud when I achieve a difficult goal.

make a decision

đưa ra quyết định

to choose what to do after considering the possibilities

• I need time to make important decisions. • My parents let me make my own decisions.

have second thoughts

do dự, cân nhắc lại điều đã quyết định

to begin doubting a decision or plan you previously accepted

• I had second thoughts about moving. • She accepted the offer but then had second thoughts.

consider all the options

cân nhắc tất cả phương án

to think about every available choice before deciding

• I considered all the options before choosing. • We should consider all the options first.

the opportunity of a lifetime

cơ hội vô cùng quý và hiếm trong đời

an exceptionally valuable chance that may never happen again

• Studying abroad felt like the opportunity of a lifetime. • That invitation was the opportunity of a lifetime.

change your mind

đổi ý

to change a previous opinion, intention or decision

• I wanted to study law but changed my mind. • I sometimes change my mind after hearing other views.

break a habit

bỏ một thói quen

to stop doing something that you have done regularly

• It's hard to break an old habit. • I'm trying to break the habit of checking my phone constantly.

a remarkable achievement

thành tựu đáng nể

something impressive that someone has succeeded in doing

• Finishing the race was a remarkable achievement. • Completing her degree at seventy was a remarkable achievement.

sound judgement

khả năng phán đoán hợp lý, đáng tin cậy

the ability to make sensible, reliable decisions

• My father usually shows sound judgement. • Choosing a career requires sound judgement.

a wise decision

quyết định sáng suốt

a choice that shows good sense and judgement

• Taking that course was a wise decision. • I think staying close to my family was a wise decision.

a tough choice

lựa chọn khó khăn

a decision between alternatives that is difficult to make

• Choosing between those jobs was a tough choice. • It was a tough choice, but I'm happy with the result.

take someone's advice

nghe và làm theo lời khuyên của ai

to act according to someone's recommendation

• I took my teacher's advice. • I'm glad I took my mother's advice about the course.

a burning desire

mong muốn mãnh liệt

a very strong wish to do or have something

• She has a burning desire to become a doctor. • I had a burning desire to explore the world.

make adjustments

thực hiện các điều chỉnh

to make small changes so that something works or fits better

• I made a few adjustments to my routine. • We had to make adjustments to the plan.

adopt a new approach

áp dụng cách tiếp cận mới

to start using a different way of dealing with something

• I adopted a new approach to learning vocabulary. • Our team needs to adopt a new approach.

make a breakthrough

đạt bước tiến đột phá

to make an important advance after a period of difficulty

• I finally made a breakthrough with my pronunciation. • The team made a breakthrough after weeks of work.

go badly wrong

diễn biến rất tệ, sai nghiêm trọng

to develop or happen in a seriously unsuccessful way

• Our travel plans went badly wrong. • I learned a lot when my first project went badly wrong.

lose your nerve

mất can đảm vào lúc cần hành động

to lose the courage needed to do something

• I nearly lost my nerve before the speech. • He lost his nerve just before the jump.

think something over

cân nhắc kỹ trước khi quyết định

to consider something carefully before making a decision

• I need some time to think the offer over. • I thought it over before saying yes.

weigh something up

cân nhắc các yếu tố, ưu nhược điểm

to consider the different advantages, disadvantages or factors involved

• I weighed up the advantages and disadvantages. • We should weigh up the costs before deciding.

think something through

suy xét kỹ các bước và hệ quả

to consider all the important details and consequences of something

• I hadn't thought the plan through properly. • It's worth thinking it through before making a commitment.

go through with something

thực hiện đến cùng điều đã định, dù khó hoặc không dễ chịu

to carry out something you planned despite difficulty or reluctance

• I was nervous, but I went through with the interview. • She decided to go through with the move.

face up to something

chấp nhận và đối diện với điều khó khăn

to accept and deal with an unpleasant fact or problem

• I had to face up to my mistakes. • It's important to face up to problems instead of ignoring them.

work towards something

nỗ lực dần để đạt mục tiêu

to make efforts to reach a particular goal

• I'm working towards a higher speaking score. • Having a clear goal gives me something to work towards.

keep at something

kiên trì tiếp tục làm việc khó

to continue making an effort with something difficult

• Learning an instrument takes time, so you have to keep at it. • I kept at the task until I'd finished.

allow for something

tính đến một yếu tố khi lập kế hoạch

to include something in your plans or calculations

• We should allow for traffic when planning the journey. • I always allow for extra time at the airport.

sleep on something

để đến hôm sau mới quyết định, dành thời gian suy nghĩ thêm

to delay a decision until the next day so you have more time to consider it

• I decided to sleep on the offer. • It's a big decision, so I'd like to sleep on it.