Shadowing Practice: 7 LESSONS FROM MY 20S | THE TOMMY ENGLISH PODCAST | EPISODE 17 - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Hi, good morning everyone.
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It's a beautiful Sunday, isn't it?
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The last day of August 2025.
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And hello to you.
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Welcome back to the Tommy podcast where I believe a healthy life starts with a healthy mind.
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So if you are on a journey to improve your English skills, brighten your day, and even sleep better at night,
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you are in the right place.
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It's been a while since my last solo episode.
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The last few podcasts have featured some amazing guests, but today I wanted to do something special just me
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and you in this episode to celebrate a personal milestone my
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30 year birthday you see something special in this episode my speed is
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so much slower I use the slower pace so
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that everyone can watch everyone can understand what I am saying even you are a beginner level
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or you are in an intermediate level, this episode is for you.
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How you doing guys?
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Honestly, I've been pretty busy with my big renovation project.
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If you've been following me on social media, you may have heard that my house has just gone through two months of non-stop construction.
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It took up almost of my time.
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You know, during those two months, I wasn't focusing much on my business.
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I didn't really release any new podcast episodes, no new campaigns, no fresh programs,
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or even not my usual routines.
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My daily habits were all over the place because I spent nearly every day on site from 6am to 7pm.
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I was physically exhausted.
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I barely meditated.
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and my journal completely forgotten but
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if you asked me whether I regret it I would say not at all I learned
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so much about a field
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that I never imagined I would know anything about construction I
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met wonderful people who were always ready to lend a hand and maybe most importantly I got to reconnect with my family.
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I moved back to stay with my parents for two months and it brought us closer than ever.
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Now sitting here in my you know newly renovated space I feel amazing.
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It was all worth it really.
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The time, the energy, the chaos.
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I now have more room for my work,
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my life and especially for my little salmon who I'm I'm so so so excited to welcome into the world this October.
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So yes, I've gained a lot during this time.
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And if you're listening right now, and you're working on something deeply personal like your wedding, your first home, or your passion project,
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I just want to remind you that there's no such thing as a wasted day.
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And if you feel like you're not making any progress, you're still preparing, you're still growing.
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Be proud of that.
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Be present, be grateful.
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You may have heard this before.
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Good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience, and the worst days give you lessons.
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The best days in your life give you memories.
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So treasure each and every day.
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Welcome it with an open heart and a positive mind.
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You see, every day is beautiful.
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Alright, enough chatting, huh?
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Let's dive into the real topic of our today's episode.
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Today's episode is personal, but also practical.
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Because I'm about to share with you some of the most valuable lessons I've learned in my 20s.
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These lessons aren't from textbooks or university lectures.
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They are real.
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They come from falling, trying, failing, learning and growing.
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And I'm sharing them with you in the hope that you'll see yourself in them.
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Maybe you've lived through something similar.
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Or maybe you've read or heard about it.
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Either way, I truly believe this episode will give you a lot to reflect on.
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So if you're in your 20s right now, this episode is made for you grab a pen and a notebook
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if you can because these lessons might just shift your mindset, help you overcome challenges and even change the way you live your life.
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And hey, don't keep it to yourself.
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Share this episode with someone you love. Who knows?
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It might inspire them just like the way it will inspire you.
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So, are you ready to make your 20s the most powerful years of your life?
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Let's get into it.
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Starting with lesson number one.
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It is time to be independent financially and emotionally.
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Yeah, I know it sounds a bit tough when you are in your 20s, but you know what?
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It is time.
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For most of your life, you've been taken care of.
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From meals to your emotions from your housework to your everyday problems.
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You've lived in a comfort zone where someone was always there to help, someone was always there to lend you a hand.
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But now it is time to step out into the world.
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It is time to get your first job and start spending your own money.
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Not your parents?
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And let me tell you, it feels amazing.
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Really, I still remember getting my first job right after high school.
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I made myself a promise.
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Hey Tommy, you're gonna have your first month paycheck.
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And with your first month paycheck, you're going to buy yourself a watch.
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So I applied to work as a waiter at the coffee shop.
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They paid me 11,000 Viet Nam Dong per hour.
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I worked 6 hours a day and I earned 1.4 million Viet Nam Dong for that month.
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And yes, I kept my promise.
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I bought myself my very first Casio watch.
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And to this day, it is still my favorite.
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And you know why?
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Because I earned it.
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It wasn't about the brand or the price.
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It was about the feeling, the pride of buying something with my own effort, with my own money, and that feeling changed me.
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So no matter how financially stable your family is, learn to stand on your own feet.
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Because the money from your family isn't really yours.
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It won't be your confidence the way earning your own will.
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This stage of your life is sensitive.
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You're no longer in the safety net of your loved ones.
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Maybe you're living away from home.
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Or maybe you're starting a job.
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Maybe you're facing tough moments without anyone to fix things for you.
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This is when you start learning emotional independence.
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You must learn to care for your own mental and emotional health.
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You have to learn how to be happy on your own.
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Because let's be real, people won't always be there.
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No one is coming to save you every time you fall.
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So why not be that person?
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The one who picks yourself back up every time.
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Be the one who says, I've got this.
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So when you can feel joy without needing someone else to give it to you, when your happiness no longer depends on other people.
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That is when you become whole.
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And no one can take that away from you.
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So that's lesson number one.
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Be independent, financially, emotionally.
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Yes it's hard, but trust me, it's worth it.
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Lesson number two.
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Choose your circle wisely.
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You may have heard this quote before.
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Tell me who your friends are, I'll tell you who you are.
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Now think about this, if a flower doesn't bloom, do you blame the flower?
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Or do you check the environment, the soil, the sunlight, the water, or the temperature?
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It is the same with us.
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You are a product of your environment.
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In fact, you become the average of the 5 people you spend most of your time with.
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Let's imagine this, you are a positive and kind-hearted person,
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but you spend most of your time with the people who constantly complain, smoke or swear.
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At first, you might feel like, ah, the art won out.
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But over time, you start to adapt.
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You want to feel accepted, you want to fit in.
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So little by little, you change.
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You pick up their habits, you lower your standards, and you start being you.
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But now imagine the opposite.
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Let's say you are someone who struggles with procrastination, but suddenly you're surrounded by ambitious people,
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people who set goals, take action, stay disciplined, and always strive to be better than who they were yesterday.
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Guess what?
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The energy rubs off on you.
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You start to think differently, you level up.
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That's the power of your circle.
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So here's the truth.
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settle.
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If your current situation, if your current environment doesn't help you grow, leave.
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If you're surrounded by the people who make you feel small, unmotivated, or disconnected from your true self, it's time to make a change.
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And yes, I know it's not easy, not at all.
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It takes courage to walk away from familiar people.
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It is hard to say no to the group, especially if they've been a part of your life for a long time.
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But sometimes the bravest thing that you can do is to choose yourself.
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Don't try to fit into an environment that isn't meant for you.
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Find a one where you feel inspired, challenged and free to be yourself.
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Because when you are in the right environment, you don't have to force growth.
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It happens naturally.
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So that's lesson number two, choose your circle wisely.
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Lesson number three, fail as much as you need to, but just make sure to learn each time.
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Let me tell you something, the roads we walk today were not always there.
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They were created by the people who dared to take risks, people who failed adjusted and kept moving forward.
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And now others follow those paths because they lead to a better destination.
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So if you always stay in your comfort zone afraid to try something new, then nothing will ever change.
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You've probably heard this one before, if you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done.
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But here's the truth, trying new things comes with risk.
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failure and sometimes even with discouragement and depression.
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But the people who win, the people who grow, are the ones who get back up every time they fall.
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You've gotta accept it, you are going to lose sometimes, you are going to make mistakes, but that's not a bad thing, that's life, right?
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Don't expect the road to always be smooth.
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see challenges as opportunities, failures as lessons, because here's the truth most people overlook, you learn nothing from winning,
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well you learn everything from losing.
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I've failed so many times in my life.
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I still remember my first interview to become an English teacher.
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It was terrible.
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I didn't know how to present myself in the demo section, I was not confident, and of Of course, I didn't get a job.
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But I learned.
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And the next time, I did better.
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Now years later, I'm the one interviewing others.
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And talking about my first business, it failed too.
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But I took everything I learned from that failure and used it to build my current business.
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Even my TikTok campaigns, not all of them worked.
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Some completely flopped.
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But from those failures, I discovered what works best for me.
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And now, you know my current campaign has gone viral,
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Daily English Speaking Challenge, all because I wasn't afraid to try and I wasn't afraid to fall.
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That's the point.
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Failure is a part of the process.
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You have to be willing to take risks.
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Because what matters most isn't being perfect.
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It's figuring out what works best for you.
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So that's lesson number 3.
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Fail as much as you need to, but just make sure you learn from each time.
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Let's move to lesson number four.
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You'll never feel a hundred percent ready but start anyway.
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You've probably heard people say I'm waiting for the right time.
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I'll start when everything is perfect.
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I will start when I am ready.
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But let me tell you the the truth.
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Starting is the perfect condition.
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If you keep waiting for the right moment, the perfect energy, the ideal setup,
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the magical motivation, you'll end up waiting forever.
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That kind of thinking is just a beautiful excuse your mind creates to delay what's important to you.
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So here's the better way to look at it.
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Stop chasing perfection and start chasing progress.
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Just aim to be a little better every single day.
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Even just like 1% better every day.
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You may have heard a Japanese concept called Kaizen.
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It's one of my favorites.
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It's all about making small continuous improvements over time.
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Instead of trying to make a big leap, break your goal down into small and manageable steps and take them one by one.
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Let me give you one more example, speaking in English.
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This is what I see in almost every English learner.
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They wait.
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They wait until they feel ready, until they feel fluent, until they feel perfect.
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But the truth is, that day never comes.
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You don't improve your speaking by thinking about it.
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You don't improve, you're speaking by reading, by listening.
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You improve by actually speaking out.
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That's why I started my daily English speaking challenge on social media.
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I encourage people to make short one minute video every day talking about anything in their life.
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It doesn't have to be special.
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It doesn't have to be well prepared.
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And it definitely doesn't have to be perfect.
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But it does have to be consistent.
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After a few days, thousands of people joined, and you know what?
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Many of them messaged me saying their English had improved.
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They sounded more confident, they felt braver,
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and they feel so much more comfortable speaking English in front of the camera using English.
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But the credit?
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It's not mine, it is theirs.
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Is there courage to start when they didn't feel ready?
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Is there consistency that made the difference?
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So here's what I want you to remember.
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You will never feel 100% ready.
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Your first video, your first podcast, your first presentation will be bad.
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It won't be perfect, but you can't make your 100th without your first.
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And that's exactly where growth begins.
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If you haven't heard of my daily English speaking challenge yet, you can check it out on my TikTok or Facebook and join me.
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Let's grow together one step at a time.
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Here's another example, this podcast.
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When I first started this podcast campaign, it felt impossible.
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I thought to myself, this is way too hard, I can't do this.
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It seemed like such a big challenge, but then I just did it.
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This is episode number 17.
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I recorded the very first episode even though it wasn't perfect.
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And now, here I am.
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Episode number 17, talking to you with so much more confidence than when I began.
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That's how growth works.
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So take action, start, even when it's messy, even when you're unsure.
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That's how everything begins.
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That's how I approach almost everything, even the big projects that work at first, it always feels impossible.
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Overwhelming.
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So my brain starts to procrastinate, but I've learned to break things down.
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I write the tasks out, one by one and tackle them piece by piece with a clear plan.
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And that is when I feel ready.
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That's when I feel confident.
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Here's the truth.
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Clarity, motivation, and confidence, while you're doing the work, not before you start.
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You almost never feel like doing anything before you do it.
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But once you get into it, the energy builds, the momentum builds.
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So don't wait to feel ready.
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Just do it.
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And let the motivation follow.
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That's lesson number four.
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You'll never feel 100% ready.
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But start anyway.
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Let's move to lesson number 5.
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Comparison is a thief of joy.
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You're not behind, you're just on your own timeline.
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Let's be honest, social media has its benefits.
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We can learn new things, we can connect with other people, we can even get inspired or motivated to do something.
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But there's one big problem, and that's the part that I really hate.
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Most people mistake social media for reality.
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But it's not.
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No one shows you the full story.
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They only post the highlights, the best parts of their life.
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The success, the fun, the perfect smiles.
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What you don't see?
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Their struggle, their self-doubt, the pain behind the scenes.
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So when you scroll and compare your life, your real life, to someone else's highlight reel, you start blaming yourself.
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feel small behind and not good enough and you're stuck.
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Let me tell you this, don't let other people rush you with their timeline.
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Everyone gets to the top of the mountain in their own way.
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Some might get there earlier, some later, but you will get there in your own time and on your own path.
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There's no fixed route to success.
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There's no universal timeline.
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There's no such thing as being behind in life.
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So life is not a race.
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You're not in competition with anyone else.
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The only person that you need to beat is the you from yesterday.
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So be you, be authentic and most Most importantly, enjoy the journey.
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Social media is a double-edged sword.
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So be mindful, be aware.
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Use it for growth, not for guilt.
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I used to compare myself a lot too.
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But then I realized that I'll never know the full story behind someone else's success.
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So it's unfair to compare myself to them.
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Now I use it as fuel, to work harder, to grow and to become better, not to feel small.
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So that's lesson number 5.
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Comparison is a thief of joy.
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You're not behind.
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You are just on your own timeline.
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This is lesson number 6.
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Develop the ability to be disliked.
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This might just be one of the most important lessons in life.
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You've got to learn to be okay with being disliked.
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You've got to be okay with being misunderstood and yes, even judged.
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That doesn't mean that you are doing anything wrong.
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Sometimes people criticize you not because you've hurt them, but because you remind them of something that they don't have.
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confidence, your courage, your growth, and that triggers their insecurity.
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So when people throw shade at you, it often comes from a place of jealousy or hatred or even pain.
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That's their problem, not yours.
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Your name will be spoken in rooms you've never entered.
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You'll be discussed by the people you've never met, and that's alright, life.
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I've had people say negative things about me, my work, my ideas and even my accent.
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Some people dog behind my back and honestly, I'm fine with that now.
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I feel like, ah, that's a normal thing to have in life.
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Because here's the truth.
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If you are a people pleaser, you're just like a dog chasing its own tail.
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And no matter how fast you run, how hard you try, you're never going to catch it.
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You can't please everyone, and you're not supposed to.
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So stop seeking validation from everyone else.
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Seek validation from yourself.
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If you believe in what you're doing, if your attention is all good,
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if you're not hurting anyone else and if you are aligned with your values, then keep going.
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Don't let the negative voices hold you back.
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Don't water yourself down to make others comfortable.
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Don't give up on being your authentic self.
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Be you, unapologetically, because not everyone will understand you.
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That's alright, you weren't born to be liked by everyone.
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You were born to live your truth.
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So that's lesson number 6.
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Develop the ability to be disliked.
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It's not a weakness, it's a strength.
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So this is the last lesson I've learned in my 20s.
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Lesson number 7.
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Plan your life.
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Let me paint you a picture.
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Imagine you are about to go on a trip.
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You're packing your suitcase.
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But if you're not really thinking about it, you just throw You fold things into your suitcase randomly,
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your shirts, your socks, your paints, your shoes, whatever.
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No folding, no order.
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What happens?
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You run out of space, and it's like a mess.
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You can't find what you need, you're stressed, you end up forgetting something important.
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You feel familiar?
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But now, I want you to imagine you take your time.
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You fold clothes, you organize everything packed with attention, and suddenly, you are able to fit more.
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And everything makes sense.
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Your life is like that suitcase.
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If you don't plan it, you're just throwing in random stuff and hoping it all works out.
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But when you plan your life with thought, with care, you create space for purpose, you create room for growth.
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Now people may say, oh come on, you're young, just live freely.
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You don't have to force yourself into any rules, do what you love, forget structure.
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And sure, I get it, freedom matters.
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But let's be honest, freedom without direction is just drifting.
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And life, life isn't a practice test.
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You gotta remember that, you only get this one shot.
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So don't waste it just going with the flow.
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Have a direction.
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So personally, I take time to reflect at the end of every day, week, month, and even year.
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I sit down, I look back, I ask myself, what worked, what didn't, what can I do better?
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Then I write down my goals, my big rocks, and I break them down into smaller steps.
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That's how I stay on track, and that's how I celebrate my growth.
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And honestly, that's why I rarely miss important things in life.
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And I also have a lot of time enjoying my life.
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Here's something important I've learned.
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Respect yourself.
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If you say you're going to do something, do it.
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No excuses.
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Show up for yourself like the way that you would show up for your best friend.
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Don't write your goals down and leave them in a dusty notebook.
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Nope.
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Look at them.
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Work toward them.
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Honor them.
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And yeah, plans can change, that's alright, but your purpose, your why, that should stay strong.
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So if you are already planning your life, keep going.
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But if you haven't started yet, now is the time.
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Because lesson number 7 is simple but powerful.
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Plan your life, don't just exist, live with attention.
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And that's it.
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Those are 7 lessons I've learned from my 20s.
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I truly hope you found them helpful.
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Maybe you've been through some of them already, and this was a moment of reflection.
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Or maybe you haven't faced them yet.
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And if that's the case, I hope these lessons become tours you can carry with you on your journey.
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Remember, your 20s are one of the most beautiful, exciting, and powerful chapters of your life.
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Make the most of them.
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in yourself even when others don't.
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Do what you love and never be afraid to try new things even if they scare you.
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So thank you so much for spending your time with me.
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And if you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit that subscribe button,
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share it with your friends and follow me on whatever platform you are listening on.
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Take care, keep growing and I will see you in the next one.
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Good night and goodbye.
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Why This Video Is Great for English Speaking Practice
Learning English with videos like this one offers a unique blend of authenticity and accessibility. The speaker uses a slow, clear pace—perfect for beginners and intermediates—while sharing personal stories that feel relatable. This mix of natural conversation and intentional clarity makes it ideal for building both comprehension and speaking skills, whether you’re prepping for IELTS speaking practice or just want to sound more fluent. The dialogue avoids complex jargon, focusing on everyday phrases that you can immediately apply, which is key for real-world communication.
Breaking Down Natural Speech Patterns
Let’s look at a few lines that showcase natural English. First, "If you feel like you're not making any progress, you're still preparing, you're still growing." The repetition of "you're still" creates a rhythmic flow, a common technique in spoken English to emphasize a point. Next, "Good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience..." This parallel structure (good days/bad days, happiness/experience) is easy to follow and memorable, making it great for shadowing practice. Finally, "I was physically exhausted. I barely meditated, and my journal completely forgotten." The short, connected sentences mimic how people speak casually—no need for complex clauses. These examples show that natural speech is about clarity and rhythm, not complexity.
A Simple Shadowing Routine to Try
To practice with this video, try a repeat-and-record loop using a shadowing app or even just your phone. Start by playing a 5-second clip, pausing, and repeating it aloud, focusing on matching the speaker’s tone and pace. Then, record yourself and compare it to the original. Notice how the speaker stresses words like "proud" or "grateful"—copying that emphasis will make your speech sound more natural. For IELTS speaking practice, focus on the conversational structure: how the speaker transitions from small talk to the main topic. Tools like Shadow Speak or Shadowspeak can help you slow down the audio if needed. Do this daily for 10 minutes, and you’ll start to internalize the flow of natural English, making your own speech feel more confident and fluent.
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.