rest on one's laurels
Stop after succeeding
To rest on one's laurels is to stop striving after achieving success, relying on past accomplishments rather than pursuing new ones.
The phrase often carries a warning: Don't rest on your laurels—the competition is catching up.
Laurel wreaths crowned victors in ancient Greece, so resting on them suggests treating former glory as sufficient.
- coastingMoving without active effort
- taking it easyDeliberately slowing down
- sitting prettyIn favorable circumstances
- comfort zonePsychological ease boundary
- accomplishmentSuccessful completion of aim
idleness · laziness · inertia · apathy · peaked · stagnation · glory days · golden years · former glory · mediocrity · procrastination · success · has-been · fallen star · complacency · neglect · plateau · passivity
rest on one's laurelsstay hungry
Maintain ambition's edge
keep pushing · reach for the stars · push the envelope · raise the bar
rest on one's laurelsput in the work
Apply consistent effort
double down · keep at it · press on · burn the midnight oil · roll up one's sleeves
rest on one's laurelsraise the bar
Increase performance threshold
evolve · stay sharp · level up
resting, rested, rests, laurel, laurels, laureate, laurel wreath