Pratica di Shadowing: Epictetus' Secret to Breaking Bad Habits - Impara a parlare inglese con i video

Scegli una modalità di pratica

Ogni modalità apre una sala di pratica a schermo intero.

100 frasi
Se le frasi sono troppo corte o troppo lunghe, clicca su Edit per modificarle.
1
We live in an age of instant gratification.
2
Easy pleasures are all around us, and they constantly beg for our attention.
3
We can indulge in social media, online shopping, streaming, gambling, and mature content without even leaving the couch.
4
Various substances and junk food are widely available, at least in the West.
5
And so, many of us develop bad habits.
6
Some are rather innocent others can seriously undermine our well -being.
7
And many struggle to get rid of these bad habits, and may try for years only to relapse over and over again.
8
The Stoics understood this problem well.
9
They saw excessive desire as a passion, an irrational disturbance that, if we follow it, could get us into trouble.
10
Epictetus spoke extensively about how to deal with passions including the temptations that so often lead us astray.
11
In particular, he offered a piece of advice that many of us overlook when trying to break a bad habit.
12
This video explores a simple way to break bad habits, based on the wisdom of Epictetus.
13
His advice has helped me personally, especially in overcoming past habitual binge drinking and other unhealthy pleasures.
14
The passion the Stoics called epithumia is a desire or longing for some anticipated pleasure.
15
Something we hope to experience in the future.
16
It's the urge that sends us to the fridge for an unhealthy snack, or to the browser for a visit to the hub.
17
The more we give in to this urge, the stronger it tends to return later, as the habit becomes increasingly ingrained,
18
which is a mechanism that is well supported by modern psychology.
19
Hence, we build habits by repetition, which also applies to bad habits.
20
So, the key to breaking a habit is not to give in to it, refraining over and over again,
21
which weakens it every time we succeed.
22
The problem, however, is that it's easier said than done.
23
When we experience a strong desire, resisting it can be difficult.
24
It clouds our judgment and disturbs our rational thinking.
25
We forget about tomorrow and the long -term consequences of our actions because we want the promised pleasure so badly.
26
The regret, the guilt, and how we'll feel afterward are pushed aside.
27
All we seem to have eyes for is that promised pleasure, what the Stoics called hedone.
28
But once we have given in to desire and experienced hedone, which is often much shorter and less satisfying than we imagined,
29
we remember why we have told ourselves so many times not to do it.
30
We're now dealing with the consequences, and we're taking an oath to abstain.
31
But later, Here, we find ourselves repeating the action, as the temptation seems too strong to resist.
32
It's frustrating, it's disheartening, and we may feel it's a hopeless case.
33
But luckily, Epictetus has some advice for us.
34
If you are struck by the appearance of any promised pleasure, guard yourself against against being hurried away by it,
35
but let the affair wait your leisure and procure yourself some delay," said Epictetus.
36
Here we see a good example of what we might call stoic mindfulness.
37
Similar to Buddhist mindfulness, it requires us to pay close attention to what is happening within us.
38
In this case, it's the appearance of a promised pleasure and our reaction to it.
39
Instead of acting upon it or suppressing it, Epictetus asks us to pause for a moment.
40
Rather than letting ourselves be carried away by the desire for that pleasure, we take a step back and watch it.
41
This can be difficult, of course, especially when the desire is strong.
42
When the monster is still small and weak, it's much easier to defeat it, so to speak.
43
Once a desire gathers momentum, resisting it becomes much harder.
44
In my experience, it's important to notice the desire as soon as it arises, and it often creeps in very subtly.
45
And that's why mindfulness is so valuable.
46
It helps us become aware of these impulses before they take control.
47
So that's the first step.
48
Now Epictetus wants us to look into the future.
49
More specifically, he wants us to imagine two possible outcomes, one based on pain and regret, the other.. on joy and self -respect.
50
Let's begin with the first.
51
Then bring to your mind both points of time, that in which you will enjoy the pleasure and that in
52
which you will repent and reproach yourself after you have enjoyed it.
53
End quote.
54
Now, this part of the advice is pretty straightforward, and I'm sure you have tried it before.
55
We remind ourselves that even though we'll experience the pleasure, we'll also have to face the consequences afterward.
56
In other words, we look beyond the goody and consider the pain that may follow if we take it.
57
For many, that's enough.
58
When I think of the horrible hangovers I get after binge drinking, the depressive moods that could linger for days,
59
it's usually enough now to keep me from the booze when I'm tempted.
60
But it wasn't always that way, and it still isn't sometimes, to be honest.
61
In many cases, this approach just isn't enough.
62
Desire has a way of distorting our judgement.
63
We begin to bargain.
64
We tell ourselves that the consequences won't be so bad and that pleasure is totally worth the price.
65
And perhaps sometimes it is.
66
But often, we're simply being misled by the power of passion.
67
Now, as I mentioned before, Epictetus also wants us to visualize a positive outcome, saying, and set before you,
68
in opposition to these, how you will be glad and applaud yourself if you abstain.
69
Let's see what he's getting at with this.
70
Imagine we're still in waiting mode.
71
We're still on pause, observing the habit we're trying to break, feeling our desire for a specific pleasure.
72
Let's suppose fear didn't work.
73
What about positive reinforcement?
74
What if we traded an immediate, short -lived pleasure for a more durable and constructive one?
75
In today's world, pleasure usually means adding something.
76
An experience, a purchase, a meal, a drink, another episode, another scroll through TikTok.
77
We celebrate consumption, but we rarely consider the pleasure of not consuming, the pleasure of missing out.
78
One of these pleasures, Epictetus makes clear, is the satisfaction that comes from not giving in.
79
Whether the pleasure is a night of binge drinking, a session of overeating junk food, or spending the night on the hub,
80
or perhaps the hamster, we can give ourselves a round of applause for having resisted it.
81
Now, if that sounds a bit lame or unsatisfactory, here's what Epictetus said next.
82
And even though it should appear to you a seasonable gratification,
83
take heed that its enticing and agreeable and attractive force may not subdue you.
84
But set an opposition to this, how much better it is to be conscious of having gained so great a victory.
85
End quote.
86
By not giving in, we gained a victory.
87
We overcame, and we allow ourselves to feel great about it.
88
This may seem like a small thing, but it's a gift that keeps on giving.
89
We can return to this joy at any time of day.
90
We can keep reminding ourselves of how we have overcome temptation and feel satisfied every time.
91
Moreover, we have become stronger, while the habit has become weaker.
92
So, it's a victory with serious consequences.
93
And the more often we attain this pleasure, the more powerful we become.
94
Over time, we build a greater sense of accomplishment, self -respect, and confidence.
95
We begin to feel better about ourselves.
96
We look in the mirror and like what we see.
97
I mean, if that isn't a pleasure worth pursuing, what is?
98
The challenge, however, is seeing through the illusion of the promised pleasure and trusting the process.
99
We must remind ourselves that the satisfaction of victory indeed arrives after the desire has passed,
100
and that it's far more enjoyable and rewarding than what we're missing out on.

Scarica l'app

Tutto ciò che serve per parlare fluentemente

Pronuncia con IAVoto per ogni frase
Pratica IPAPadroneggia ogni suono
VocabolarioCostruisci il tuo lessico
Gioco di vocabolarioImpara giocando

Stesso Canale

FOR YOU

Video consigliato

Vocabolario e note di pronuncia per questa lezione

Questa lezione di conversazione si basa sul video “Epictetus' Secret to Breaking Bad Habits”. Le parole che ritornano più spesso: pleasure, desire, habit, ourselves, Epictetus. Questo video contiene 24 frasi e 1337 parole da ripetere con lo shadowing. Il parlato dura 9:50. Chi parla mantiene un ritmo costante di circa 136 parole al minuto, comodo per lo shadowing. Il 82% delle parole rientra nelle 3.000 più comuni dell’inglese; conviene studiare le altre prima di iniziare.

Vocaboli chiave di questo video

15 parole del video che vale la pena imparare, con pronuncia e significato:

ParolaPronunciaSignificato
habit sostantivo/ˈhæb.ɪt/abitudine, consuetudine
consequence sostantivo/ˈkɑn.sɪ.kwəns/conseguenza
passion sostantivo/ˈpæʃən/passione
resist verbo/ɹɪˈzɪst/resistere, trattenere
remind verbo/ɹəˈmaɪnd/ricordare
overcome verbo/ˌəʊ.vəˈkʌm/superare, sconfiggere
temptation sostantivo/ˌtɛmpˈteɪʃən/tentazione
binge sostantivo/bɪnd͡ʒ/bisboccia, sregolatezza
afterwards avverbio/ˈæf.tɚ.wɚdz/dopo, poi
regret verbo/ɹɪˈɡɹɛt/rimpiangere, rammaricarsi
outcome sostantivo/ˈaʊtkʌm/risultato
judgment sostantivo/ˈd͡ʒʌd͡ʒ.mənt/giudizio
satisfaction sostantivo/sætɪsˈfækʃən/soddisfazione
urge verbo/ɜːd͡ʒ/incoraggiare, fare pressione
junk sostantivo/d͡ʒʌŋk/paccottaglia, ciarpame

I phrasal verb che sentirai

ParolaSignificato
miss out verboperdere
see through verbointravedere, vedere attraverso

Frasi da ripetere

Frasi brevi e complete del video che puoi riutilizzare nella conversazione di tutti i giorni:

  • We’re now dealing with the consequences.
  • Imagine we’re still in waiting mode.
  • I mean… if that  isn’t a pleasure worth pursuing, what is?

La grammatica di questo video

Le strutture che chi parla usa di più, con le parole esatte del video:

StrutturaNel video
Present perfect have/has + participio passato — un’azione passata che conta ancora adessohas helped · have given · have told
Forma passiva be + participio passato — conta ciò che accade, non chi lo faare pushed · are struck · be carried

Pronuncia a cui fare attenzione

Chi parla usa 22 contrazioni e forme ridotte, come we're, isn't, we'll. Pronunciale nella forma breve, così come le senti.

  • I suoni “th”: unhealthy /ʌnˈhɛl.θi/, gather /ˈɡæðɚ/, oath /ˈoʊθ/
  • I suoni “sh” e “zh”: passion /ˈpæʃən/, temptation /ˌtɛmpˈteɪʃən/, satisfaction /sætɪsˈfækʃən/, consumption /kənˈsʌmp.ʃən/, conscious /ˈkɑn.ʃəs/
  • Parole lunghe — attenzione all’accento: satisfaction /sætɪsˈfækʃən/, psychology /saɪˈkɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/, mechanism /ˈmɛk.ə.nɪ.zəm/, momentum /ˌmə(ʊ)ˈmɛntəm/, extensively /ɪkˈstɛn.sɪv.li/

I suoni difficili per chi parla italiano:

  • /h/ — va soffiata, non è muta: habit /ˈhæb.ɪt/, unhealthy /ʌnˈhɛl.θi/, horrible /ˈhɔɹ.ɪ.bəl/, hurry /ˈhʌ.ɹi/, hopeless /ˈhoʊplɪs/
  • Consonante finale — senza aggiungere una vocale dopo: habit /ˈhæb.ɪt/, consequence /ˈkɑn.sɪ.kwəns/, resist /ɹɪˈzɪst/, remind /ɹəˈmaɪnd/, binge /bɪnd͡ʒ/
  • /æ/ — più aperta della “e”: habit /ˈhæb.ɪt/, passion /ˈpæʃən/, afterwards /ˈæf.tɚ.wɚdz/, satisfaction /sætɪsˈfækʃən/, satisfy /ˈsætɪsfaɪ/

Come esercitarsi con questo video

  1. Ascolta tutto il video una volta senza parlare e annota le parole che non conosci.
  2. Fai shadowing frase per frase a velocità normale, ripetendo ognuna finché il tuo ritmo coincide con quello di chi parla.
  3. Registrati e confronta con l’originale, facendo attenzione a parole come habit, consequence, passion.

Cos'è la tecnica dello Shadowing?

Shadowing è una tecnica di apprendimento delle lingue supportata da studi scientifici, originariamente sviluppata per la formazione dei traduttori professionisti e resa popolare dal poliglotta Dr. Alexander Arguelles. Il metodo è semplice ma potente: ascolti un audio in inglese di madrelingua e lo ripeti immediatamente ad alta voce — come un'ombra che segue il parlante con un ritardo di solo 1–2 secondi. A differenza dell'ascolto passivo o degli esercizi di grammatica, lo shadowing costringe il tuo cervello e i muscoli della bocca a elaborare e riprodurre simultaneamente i modelli di discorso reale. La ricerca dimostra che migliora significativamente la precisione della pronuncia, l'intonazione, il ritmo, il discorso connesso, la comprensione dell'ascolto e la fluidità del parlato — rendendolo uno dei metodi più efficaci per la preparazione alla prova di speaking dell'IELTS e per la comunicazione reale in inglese.

Tecnica dello shadowing: leggi la guida completa passo dopo passo →