Shadowing Practice: Epictetus' Secret to Breaking Bad Habits - Learn English Speaking with Video
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We live in an age of instant gratification.
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Easy pleasures are all around us, and they constantly beg for our attention.
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We can indulge in social media, online shopping, streaming, gambling, and mature content without even leaving the couch.
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Various substances and junk food are widely available, at least in the West.
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And so, many of us develop bad habits.
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Some are rather innocent others can seriously undermine our well -being.
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And many struggle to get rid of these bad habits, and may try for years only to relapse over and over again.
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The Stoics understood this problem well.
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They saw excessive desire as a passion, an irrational disturbance that, if we follow it, could get us into trouble.
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Epictetus spoke extensively about how to deal with passions including the temptations that so often lead us astray.
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In particular, he offered a piece of advice that many of us overlook when trying to break a bad habit.
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This video explores a simple way to break bad habits, based on the wisdom of Epictetus.
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His advice has helped me personally, especially in overcoming past habitual binge drinking and other unhealthy pleasures.
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The passion the Stoics called epithumia is a desire or longing for some anticipated pleasure.
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Something we hope to experience in the future.
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It's the urge that sends us to the fridge for an unhealthy snack, or to the browser for a visit to the hub.
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The more we give in to this urge, the stronger it tends to return later, as the habit becomes increasingly ingrained,
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which is a mechanism that is well supported by modern psychology.
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Hence, we build habits by repetition, which also applies to bad habits.
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So, the key to breaking a habit is not to give in to it, refraining over and over again,
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which weakens it every time we succeed.
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The problem, however, is that it's easier said than done.
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When we experience a strong desire, resisting it can be difficult.
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It clouds our judgment and disturbs our rational thinking.
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We forget about tomorrow and the long -term consequences of our actions because we want the promised pleasure so badly.
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The regret, the guilt, and how we'll feel afterward are pushed aside.
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All we seem to have eyes for is that promised pleasure, what the Stoics called hedone.
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But once we have given in to desire and experienced hedone, which is often much shorter and less satisfying than we imagined,
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we remember why we have told ourselves so many times not to do it.
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We're now dealing with the consequences, and we're taking an oath to abstain.
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But later, Here, we find ourselves repeating the action, as the temptation seems too strong to resist.
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It's frustrating, it's disheartening, and we may feel it's a hopeless case.
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But luckily, Epictetus has some advice for us.
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If you are struck by the appearance of any promised pleasure, guard yourself against against being hurried away by it,
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but let the affair wait your leisure and procure yourself some delay," said Epictetus.
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Here we see a good example of what we might call stoic mindfulness.
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Similar to Buddhist mindfulness, it requires us to pay close attention to what is happening within us.
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In this case, it's the appearance of a promised pleasure and our reaction to it.
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Instead of acting upon it or suppressing it, Epictetus asks us to pause for a moment.
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Rather than letting ourselves be carried away by the desire for that pleasure, we take a step back and watch it.
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This can be difficult, of course, especially when the desire is strong.
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When the monster is still small and weak, it's much easier to defeat it, so to speak.
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Once a desire gathers momentum, resisting it becomes much harder.
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In my experience, it's important to notice the desire as soon as it arises, and it often creeps in very subtly.
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And that's why mindfulness is so valuable.
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It helps us become aware of these impulses before they take control.
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So that's the first step.
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Now Epictetus wants us to look into the future.
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More specifically, he wants us to imagine two possible outcomes, one based on pain and regret, the other.. on joy and self -respect.
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Let's begin with the first.
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Then bring to your mind both points of time, that in which you will enjoy the pleasure and that in
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which you will repent and reproach yourself after you have enjoyed it.
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End quote.
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Now, this part of the advice is pretty straightforward, and I'm sure you have tried it before.
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We remind ourselves that even though we'll experience the pleasure, we'll also have to face the consequences afterward.
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In other words, we look beyond the goody and consider the pain that may follow if we take it.
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For many, that's enough.
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When I think of the horrible hangovers I get after binge drinking, the depressive moods that could linger for days,
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it's usually enough now to keep me from the booze when I'm tempted.
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But it wasn't always that way, and it still isn't sometimes, to be honest.
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In many cases, this approach just isn't enough.
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Desire has a way of distorting our judgement.
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We begin to bargain.
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We tell ourselves that the consequences won't be so bad and that pleasure is totally worth the price.
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And perhaps sometimes it is.
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But often, we're simply being misled by the power of passion.
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Now, as I mentioned before, Epictetus also wants us to visualize a positive outcome, saying, and set before you,
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in opposition to these, how you will be glad and applaud yourself if you abstain.
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Let's see what he's getting at with this.
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Imagine we're still in waiting mode.
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We're still on pause, observing the habit we're trying to break, feeling our desire for a specific pleasure.
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Let's suppose fear didn't work.
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What about positive reinforcement?
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What if we traded an immediate, short -lived pleasure for a more durable and constructive one?
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In today's world, pleasure usually means adding something.
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An experience, a purchase, a meal, a drink, another episode, another scroll through TikTok.
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We celebrate consumption, but we rarely consider the pleasure of not consuming, the pleasure of missing out.
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One of these pleasures, Epictetus makes clear, is the satisfaction that comes from not giving in.
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Whether the pleasure is a night of binge drinking, a session of overeating junk food, or spending the night on the hub,
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or perhaps the hamster, we can give ourselves a round of applause for having resisted it.
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Now, if that sounds a bit lame or unsatisfactory, here's what Epictetus said next.
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And even though it should appear to you a seasonable gratification,
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take heed that its enticing and agreeable and attractive force may not subdue you.
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But set an opposition to this, how much better it is to be conscious of having gained so great a victory.
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End quote.
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By not giving in, we gained a victory.
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We overcame, and we allow ourselves to feel great about it.
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This may seem like a small thing, but it's a gift that keeps on giving.
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We can return to this joy at any time of day.
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We can keep reminding ourselves of how we have overcome temptation and feel satisfied every time.
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Moreover, we have become stronger, while the habit has become weaker.
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So, it's a victory with serious consequences.
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And the more often we attain this pleasure, the more powerful we become.
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Over time, we build a greater sense of accomplishment, self -respect, and confidence.
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We begin to feel better about ourselves.
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We look in the mirror and like what we see.
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I mean, if that isn't a pleasure worth pursuing, what is?
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The challenge, however, is seeing through the illusion of the promised pleasure and trusting the process.
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We must remind ourselves that the satisfaction of victory indeed arrives after the desire has passed,
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and that it's far more enjoyable and rewarding than what we're missing out on.
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Woordenschat en spreektips bij deze les
Deze spreekles is gebaseerd op de video “Epictetus' Secret to Breaking Bad Habits”. Deze woorden komen het vaakst terug: pleasure, desire, habit, ourselves, Epictetus. Deze video bevat 24 zinnen en 1337 woorden om na te spreken. Het gesproken deel duurt 9:50. De spreker praat in een gelijkmatig tempo van ongeveer 136 woorden per minuut, prettig om te shadowen. 82% van de woorden hoort bij de 3.000 meest gebruikte Engelse woorden; de rest kun je beter vooraf bekijken.
Belangrijke woorden in deze video
15 woorden uit de video die het leren waard zijn, met uitspraak en betekenis:
| Woord | Uitspraak | Betekenis |
|---|---|---|
| habit zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈhæb.ɪt/ | gewoonte |
| consequence zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈkɑn.sɪ.kwəns/ | gevolg, consequentie |
| passion zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈpæʃən/ | passie, hartstocht |
| resist werkwoord | /ɹɪˈzɪst/ | weerstaan, zich verzetten |
| remind werkwoord | /ɹəˈmaɪnd/ | herinneren |
| overcome werkwoord | /ˌəʊ.vəˈkʌm/ | overwinnen |
| temptation zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˌtɛmpˈteɪʃən/ | verlokking |
| binge zelfstandig naamwoord | /bɪnd͡ʒ/ | zuippartij, binge |
| afterwards bijwoord | /ˈæf.tɚ.wɚdz/ | nadien, achteraf |
| regret werkwoord | /ɹɪˈɡɹɛt/ | betreuren, spijten |
| judgment zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈd͡ʒʌd͡ʒ.mənt/ | oordeel |
| satisfaction zelfstandig naamwoord | /sætɪsˈfækʃən/ | voldoening, bevrediging |
| urge werkwoord | /ɜːd͡ʒ/ | duwen, aanzetten |
| junk zelfstandig naamwoord | /d͡ʒʌŋk/ | rommel, rotzooi |
| pause zelfstandig naamwoord | /pɔːz/ | pauze |
Phrasal verbs die je zult horen
| Woord | Betekenis |
|---|---|
| see through werkwoord | doorheen zien |
Zinnen om te herhalen
Korte, volledige zinnen uit de video die je in alledaagse gesprekken kunt gebruiken:
- 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?
Grammatica in deze video
De structuren die de spreker het meest gebruikt, met de exacte woorden uit de video:
| Structuur | In de video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + voltooid deelwoord — iets uit het verleden dat nu nog telt | has helped · have given · have told |
| Lijdende vorm be + voltooid deelwoord — het gaat om wat er gebeurt, niet om wie het doet | are pushed · are struck · be carried |
Uitspraak om op te letten
De spreker gebruikt 22 samentrekkingen en verkorte vormen, zoals we're, isn't, we'll. Spreek ze kort uit, zoals je ze hoort.
- De “th”-klanken: unhealthy /ʌnˈhɛl.θi/, gather /ˈɡæðɚ/, oath /ˈoʊθ/
- De klanken “sh” en “zh”: passion /ˈpæʃən/, temptation /ˌtɛmpˈteɪʃən/, satisfaction /sætɪsˈfækʃən/, consumption /kənˈsʌmp.ʃən/, conscious /ˈkɑn.ʃəs/
- Lange woorden — let op de klemtoon: satisfaction /sætɪsˈfækʃən/, psychology /saɪˈkɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/, mechanism /ˈmɛk.ə.nɪ.zəm/, momentum /ˌmə(ʊ)ˈmɛntəm/, extensively /ɪkˈstɛn.sɪv.li/
Klanken die Nederlandstaligen lastig vinden:
- Stemhebbende eindmedeklinker — /b/, /d/, /g/, /z/, /v/ niet verscherpen: remind /ɹəˈmaɪnd/, binge /bɪnd͡ʒ/, afterwards /ˈæf.tɚ.wɚdz/, urge /ɜːd͡ʒ/, pause /pɔːz/
- /æ/ — opener dan de Nederlandse “e”: habit /ˈhæb.ɪt/, passion /ˈpæʃən/, afterwards /ˈæf.tɚ.wɚdz/, satisfaction /sætɪsˈfækʃən/, satisfy /ˈsætɪsfaɪ/
- /g/ — een harde plofklank, geen Nederlandse “g”: regret /ɹɪˈɡɹɛt/, gather /ˈɡæðɚ/, guilt /ɡɪlt/, gambling /ˈɡæm.bl̩.ɪŋ/, bargain /ˈbɑːɹɡən/
Zo oefen je met deze video
- Luister de hele video één keer zonder te spreken en noteer de woorden die je niet kent.
- Spreek zin voor zin na op normale snelheid en herhaal elke zin tot je ritme gelijk is aan dat van de spreker.
- Neem jezelf op en vergelijk met het origineel; let daarbij op woorden als habit, consequence, passion.
Wat is de Shadowing-techniek?
Shadowing is een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde taalleermethode die oorspronkelijk is ontwikkeld voor professionele tolkentraining en gepopulariseerd door polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. De methode is eenvoudig maar krachtig: je luistert naar native Engelse audio en herhaalt het onmiddellijk hardop — als een schaduw die de spreker volgt met slechts 1–2 seconden vertraging. In tegenstelling tot passief luisteren of grammaticadrills, dwingt shadowing je hersenen en mondspieren om echte spraakpatronen tegelijkertijd te verwerken en te reproduceren. Onderzoek toont aan dat het de uitspraaknauwkeurigheid, intonatie, ritme, verbonden spraak, luisterbegrip en spreekvaardigheid aanzienlijk verbetert — waardoor het een van de meest effectieve methoden is voor IELTS Speaking-voorbereiding en echte Engelse communicatie.