English idioms relating to ambition-determination-enthusiasm

At all costs	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."
Beard the lion in his den	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.
Have a bee in one's bonnet	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."
Beyond one's wildest dreams	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."
Blood, sweat and tears	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."
Have something on the brain	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!"
Buckle down	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."
Dig in your heels	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."
An eager beaver	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!"
Explore all avenues	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."
Fight tooth and nail	If you fight tooth and nail for something, you fight with all your energy. "The Transport Minister fought tooth and nail to have to have the proposed road safety law accepted."
Fly by the seat of your pants	If you fly by the seat of your pants, you do something without knowledge or experience, using only your instinct and 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."
Go the extra mile	If you go the extra mile, you do more than what is expected of you. "You can count on Tom; he's always willing to go the extra mile."
Go to great lengths	When trying to achieve something, if you 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."

Going places	To say that someone is going places means that they show talent and ability that will no doubt lead to a successful future. "Even at college it was obvious that Paul was going places."
Go into overdrive	If someone or something goes into overdrive, they begin to work very hard or start to perform intensely. "At the start of every new collection, my imagination goes into overdrive."
Keep your nose to the grindstone	A person who keeps their nose to the grindstone is someone who concentrates on working hard at his job.
Hang in there	This expression is used to encourage someone to persevere 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."
Have one's heart set on something	Someone who has their heart set on something wants it very much. "From an early age Tiger had his heart set on becoming a professional golfer."
Hell-bent on something	If you are hell-bent on doing something, you are recklessly determined to do it, even if it's dangerous or stupid. "Although he is still weak, he's hell-bent on playing the match."
Hitch one's wagon to a star	Someone who hitches their wagon to a star has great ambitions and is very determined to reach their goal. "At an early age she decided to hitch her wagon to a star and become rich and famous."
Kill two birds with one stone	If you kill two birds with one stone, you succeed in doing two things at the same time. "By studying on the train on the way home every week-end, Claire kills two birds with one stone."
A long row to hoe	This expression refers to a difficult task, assignment or undertaking that will take a long time. "Getting through medical school is going to be a long row to hoe."
Make hay while the sun shines	This expression is used as an encouragement to take advantage of a good situation which may not last. "Successful sportsmen are advised to make hay while the sun shines."
Make headway	If you make headway, you make progress in what you are trying to achieve. "Investigators have made little headway in their search for the causes of the catastrophe."
Mean business	If someone means business, they are serious about what they announce. "The boss says that in future any missing material will be reported to the police, and he looks as though he means business."
Paddle your own canoe	If you paddle your own canoe, you do what you want to do without help or interference from anyone. "He decided to paddle his own canoe and set up his own company."
Pester power	This expression refers to the power children exert over their parents by continually nagging or pestering them until they accept to buy advertised toys or fashionable products. "Pester power leads busy parents to buy more and more for their children."

Pull out all the stops	If you pull out all the stops, you do everything you can to make something successful. "We'll have to pull out all the stops to get the store ready for the opening day."
Punch above one's weight	If you punch above your weight, you try to perform at a level that is considered to be beyond your ability. "She submitted her idea for the 'invention of the year' award, knowing that she was punching above her weight."
Reach for the moon	If you reach for the moon, you are very ambitious and try to achieve something even if it's difficult.
Raise/lower your sights	If you raise or lower your sights, you raise or lower your expectations, or you are more or less ambitious.. "He had to lower his sights and accept a less well-paid job than what he had hoped for."
Sink one's teeth into something	If you sink your teeth into something, you do it with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. "When Julie got promoted, she immediately sank her teeth into her new job."
The sky's the limit	To say "the sky's the limit" means that there is no limit to the possibility of success or progress for someone or something. "How successful do you think the project will be? Who knows... the sky's the limit!"
Stand on your own two feet	If you stand on your own two feet, you are independent and need no help from anyone. "When young people leave home, they learn to stand on their own two feet."
Stand one's ground	If you stand your ground, you maintain your position and refuse to yield or give way. "He claimed innocence and stood his ground in spite of the repeated accusations."
Stick to one's guns	If you stick to your guns, you show determination when faced with opposition. "The government stuck to its guns in spite of the criticism."
Stop at nothing	stop at nothing Someone who would stop at nothing would do anything, even something illegal or immoral, in order to obtain what they want. "He'd stop at nothing if there was a possibility of making money."
Waiting in the wings	If someone is waiting in the wings, they are waiting for an opportunity to take action, especially to replace someone else in their job or position. "There are many young actors waiting in the wings, ready to show their talent."