Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

“Success and Failure” ESL Discussion Questions

I. Defining Success and Failure
1. What does success mean to you?
2. How do you define failure?
3. Can success and failure be subjective?
4. Are there universal criteria for success?
5. Can a person be successful without money?

II. Personal Success and Failure
6. What is your biggest success so far?
7. Can you share a story of personal failure?
8. How did you overcome a major failure?
9. What motivates you to succeed?
10. How do you set goals for yourself?

III. Learning from Success and Failure
11. What can we learn from our successes?
12. What lessons can failure teach us?
13. How do you handle criticism?
14. Can failure be a positive experience?
15. How do you deal with setbacks?

IV. Role Models
16. Who is your role model for success?
17. What traits make a person successful?
18. Can someone be successful without being famous?
19. Do you have a role model who overcame failure?
20. Are celebrities always successful?

V. Balancing Success and Failure
21. How do you balance work and personal life?
22. Can too much success be harmful?
23. Is failure necessary for growth?
24. How do you maintain a positive attitude?
25. How do you handle stress related to success?

VI. Cultural Perspectives
26. How does your culture view success?
27. How does your culture perceive failure?
28. Are there differences in success expectations?
29. Do cultural factors influence success?
30. How does family play a role in success?

VII. Success in Education
31. What makes a successful student?
32. How important are grades for success?
33. Can failure in school lead to success?
34. How do extracurricular activities contribute to success?
35. Are there alternative paths to educational success?

VIII. Success in Careers
36. What makes a successful career?
37. How do you measure career success?
38. Can you be successful without a degree?
39. What factors contribute to job satisfaction?
40. How do you handle job-related failure?

IX. Teamwork and Collaboration
41. How do teams achieve success?
42. What role does communication play in success?
43. How can teamwork lead to failure?
44. How can teams recover from failure?
45. What makes a successful leader?

X. Social Media and Success
46. How does social media impact success?
47. Can social media contribute to failure?
48. How do you define online success?
49. Can online fame be harmful?
50. How does social media affect self-esteem?

XI. Success and Ethics
51. Can success be achieved unethically?
52. How important is honesty in success?
53. Can unethical behavior lead to failure?
54. How do you balance ambition and ethics?
55. What role does integrity play in success?

XII. Success and Happiness
56. Do you think success leads to happiness?
57. Can failure lead to happiness?
58. How do you define a successful life?
59. What role does luck play in success?
60. Is finding balance key to a successful life?