Shadowing Practice: How Long It Takes To Change Your Life? | Nwal Hadaki | TEDxSafirSchool - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Reviewer.
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Have you ever thought to yourself before going to sleep, tomorrow is the day I'll change,
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tomorrow is the day I'll get up early in the morning, have a healthy breakfast, for a morning jog,
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breathe fresh air, tomorrow is the day I want to change to who I really want to be,
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the best version of myself.
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While change doesn't come easy,
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you have to incorporate certain habits in your life that will eventually lead to you becoming the best version of yourself.
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You'll also have to eliminate certain habits that are hindering your path.
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Well, how long will it take you to form a new habit or get rid of an old one?
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Most people will tell you it takes exactly 21 days for a person to form a habit
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or get rid of an old one.
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I remember once in high school one of my teachers told
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me it takes exactly 21 days for me to form a new habit
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and i thought this is my chance to become a bed maker i thought that for the next 21 days
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instead of getting up every day and yelling mom please don't forget to make my bed today
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I thought I'd do it myself.
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Day by day, early in the morning,
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6 a.m., even on days I was running late, I got up every morning and I made my bed.
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And I hated every second of it.
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And by day 22, I opened my eyes, and the first thing I did was say,
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Mom, please don't forget to make my bed today.
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I quit.
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And of course, that was expected.
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And I thought, okay, maybe I'm just going to be a little bit worse at life than bed makers.
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Whatever.
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However, I do not exaggerate if I say that this 21-day theory is the most famous myth in the world of self-development.
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Let's dive a little into our theory to understand where the number 21 came from
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and the reasons for its spread in self-developmental books and courses.
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Dr. Maxwell Maltz was a plastic surgeon in the 1950s when he began noticing a strange pattern among his patients.
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For example, in a nose job,
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he saw that the patient took exactly 21 days to get used to start seeing his or her new nose.
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He also noticed that if a patient had an arm or leg amputated, the patient would acknowledge the feeling of their new limb for
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exactly 21 days before starting to get used to their new condition.
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Dr. Maltz published his theory in a book that went very famous in that era and sold over
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30 million copies and here the conflict started brewing and people
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and it made sense why people were starting to believe his
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theory why number one the number 21 is considered a source a short period of time
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and that's also considered a source of temptation which means something you can do
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number two the number 21 is also long enough to be believable a difficult challenge but not
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impossible i mean who wouldn't love to change their whole life
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within just 21 days wouldn't Wouldn't you love to start waking
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up early in the morning every day wouldn't you love to
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start cooking healthy recipes wouldn't you love to start drinking weird smoothies
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and all within less than one month we'd go for it in a heartbeat
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so is it true can we really change our lives within 21 days I know that sounds very exciting,
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but there are actually a few factors you'd have to consider
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to be able to estimate the time it'll take you to form a new habit
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or get rid of an old toxic one.
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Number one is the complexity of your goal.
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If I decide to start eating fruit daily, which is considered a simple habit,
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I'd probably take less time than if I want to acquire a complex athletic skill, like a tennis serve.
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Number two, behavior consistency affects the speed of acquisition.
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Me repeating a certain behavior for three minutes a day is
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different than my friend repeating the same behavior for 30 minutes a day.
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So we want to clear things up.
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How long will it take us to form a new habit or get rid of an old one?
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And is there a reliable study that we can depend on?
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Answer is yes.
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There is a famous study by the psychologist Philip Lally titled, How Are Habits Formed?
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The study followed 96 people over a period of 12 weeks.
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Each person chose a new 12-week habit to work on,
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such as drinking three cups of water before lunch or running for 15 minutes after dinner.
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After 12 weeks, the data was analyzed to determine the time needed to move
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from the old habit to start subconsciously carrying out the new one.
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And after 12 weeks, we found
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that it took approximately two to eight months in order for the task to become a habit,
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and 66 days to be exact.
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The difference in time it took to form a habit was largely due to the task itself, the person, and their circumstances,
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as some were able to form the habit within 18 days, while others took 254 days.
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So according to psychologist Lally, if you want to know the time required to form a new habit or get rid of an old one,
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the truth is that you may need two to eight months and not just 21 days.
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Guys, whether it's two months, three months, a year, two years, it doesn't actually matter how long it takes.
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As much as it matters that you have to begin with today.
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And once you begin, make sure to maintain your new habit.
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Make it part of your schedule.
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Set reminders.
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Create a supportive environment.
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and most importantly, you don't have to be perfect.
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Making a mistake once or twice has no lasting effects on your behavior.
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Actually, that'll give you time not to rush yourself into things.
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You have to give yourself time and not just rush yourself into becoming a better virgin.
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If I want to become a better person, I'll have to commit to the system and embrace the process.
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That way, I'll commit to making timely improvements rather than rushing myself too hard into things.
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Change is not always easy and it's not always simple.
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But with enough dedication, any habit can be reshaped.
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So if you really want it, becoming the best version of yourself, get up today and start working on it.
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I promise you'll get there.
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Thank you.
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Context & Background
The lecture delivered by Nwal Hadaki at TEDxSafirSchool emphasizes the challenges of habit formation and personal change. Through recounting personal experiences and referencing established research, Hadaki addresses the common misconception that significant changes can be achieved within a mere 21 days. Instead, she presents a compelling argument backed by psychological studies that reveal the complexity of behavior changes, which often take between two to eight months. This insightful discussion not only inspires individuals to strive for self-improvement but also encourages a deeper understanding of the processes involved in habit formation.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- “Tomorrow is the day I’ll change” - A powerful declaration that sets the intention for personal growth.
- “The best version of myself” - A motivational phrase that encourages ongoing self-improvement.
- “Hindering your path” - A reminder to identify and eliminate negative habits.
- “It takes exactly 21 days” - A common myth regarding habit formation that many people believe.
- “Behavior consistency” - A term that highlights the importance of regular practice in achieving goals.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To effectively use this video for improving your English speaking skills, follow this structured shadowing guide:
- Watch the Video with Subtitles: Start by watching Nwal Hadaki's lecture with English subtitles. This will help you familiarize yourself with the context and flow of the speech.
- Identify Key Phrases: Pay close attention to the phrases listed above. Write them down and practice their pronunciation. These phrases are frequently used in daily English communication and will enhance your IELTS speaking practice.
- Shadow the Speaker: Listen to a short segment (30 seconds) and repeat exactly what Nwal says, mimicking her intonation, pronunciation, and rhythm. This method of shadowspeak will significantly improve your English pronunciation.
- Integrate into Conversation: Use the key phrases in your daily discussions. Try to incorporate them into your routine conversations to build confidence and fluency in English speaking practice.
- Review and Reflect: After practicing, review your recordings. Note areas for improvement in pronunciation and phrasing, and continue the cycle of practice.
By consistently shadowing and actively engaging with the content, you will develop a deeper understanding of English speech patterns and improve your overall communication skills.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
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