Shadowing Practice: 8 steps to get your sh** together - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Here are eight steps to get your shit together.
2
Step one, tell no one.
3
The urge to tell everybody you know, especially the people closest to you, about this big change you're gonna make is often overwhelming.
4
Because it feels really good to announce to everybody that you're gonna start going to the gym every single day, or that you're gonna read a book a week for a whole year, or whatever the hell you wanna do.
5
Whatever it is, it's exciting to tell people.
6
You know, you're thinking to yourself, man, it would be really cool to be this person.
7
You start imagining it as if it's real, right?
8
You imagine the more jacked version of yourself, the more well -read version of yourself, the person whose house is always clean.
9
You start to get infatuated with this future projection.
10
So you let your friends know, you let your family know.
11
But I would urge you to resist the urge to do this, not because it's useless, but because it's genuinely destructive.
12
Because think about it, what's the best possible thing that they could say as a response to you in that situation.
13
You say to them, I'm going to start going to the gym every single day.
14
You would want them to say something like, oh wow, that's great.
15
Good for you.
16
I can't wait to see the results.
17
But if that is the response, what will that do to you?
18
It'll make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
19
You just gained a bunch of praise, even though you did absolutely nothing.
20
You've been generously rewarded for inaction.
21
And if the response is completely different.
22
You know, if it's a very negative response, if they call you out on your bullshit and they say, eh, good luck sticking to that, you might take offense to that.
23
You might say to yourself, damn, maybe I don't have what it takes.
24
Or you'll be the kind of person who says, F you, I'll show you, and then you end up being very consistent for a short while out of spite.
25
This is a very immature reason to start doing something that you already know you want to do, right?
26
Who are you doing this for?
27
To prove the haters wrong?
28
Nobody hates you.
29
And if people somehow do hate you, why would you do anything for them, right?
30
Why would you say like, oh, these people hate me, so I'm going to act and live my life differently.
31
That gives them all the power.
32
You see what I'm getting at here?
33
It's pretty much lose -lose all across the board
34
if you get in the habit of just talking about this person you're going to be.
35
So if you're very excited, and rightfully so, about a big change you're gonna make, keep that to yourself.
36
Use that energy and that excitement to actually do the thing
37
and let the results of your consistency be something that's discovered rather than announced.
38
Step number two, start before you're ready.
39
The feeling of readiness is something that will almost never come.
40
You don't need new shoes, you don't need the perfect system, you don't need to remember anything that that one health guru said on
41
that YouTube short that you watched the other day and you can't find it.
42
Forget about it.
43
You need less information, not more information.
44
Transformation is something that happens through action.
45
So prove to yourself that you can act regardless of the weather, regardless of your levels of motivation, or the amount of sleep that you got last night.
46
All of these things are helpful, but they're not requirements.
47
You can do the thing anyways.
48
You've always been able to.
49
Do it now and figure out the details along the way.
50
Step number three, don't hide.
51
So a lot of people, when they want to transform their life, get very infatuated with this idea of going away up a mountain somewhere,
52
isolating themselves away from society, self -improving in a bubble,
53
and then coming back as this unrecognizable, superior version of themself.
54
And everyone claps.
55
It's very obvious to see how this is a extremely insecure mindset, right?
56
It rides pretty heavily on people having some sort of reaction to you or something.
57
Like, oh wow.
58
But again, you have to ask yourself, who are you doing this for?
59
Is this not your life?
60
Who do you want to be?
61
That's the great thing about life.
62
You get to be who you want to be.
63
So don't isolate yourself and only participate in society when you're this improved version of yourself.
64
You're okay now.
65
Spend time with the people that you care about.
66
Go do the things that you want to do today.
67
Improve what you want to improve on the back end, right?
68
That's healthy.
69
But don't somehow twist this whole self -improvement thing with self -hatred.
70
Do it because it's good for you, and it feels good to feel good.
71
Step four, stay on track.
72
Life is like a train, and it's leading you somewhere.
73
And there's no way to stop the train, right?
74
You can't stop time.
75
You will always end up at a different destination.
76
There's no such thing as staying in the same place, because time won't allow for it.
77
All you can do is pay attention to where the train is currently going.
78
What's the trajectory?
79
And do you need to change course?
80
Will you end up in your desired destination?
81
Doing something positive every single day is like making sure you don't veer off course.
82
Keep in mind to what the ultimate destination is.
83
Where are you going?
84
and where do you want to go?
85
Making substantial progress in your life is a lot easier when you realize that it was never about climbing a huge mountain.
86
You never needed to make a huge journey up Mount Everest in order to change something.
87
It was always about simple decisions, decisions that you make every single day.
88
It's just about bringing consciousness to those decisions and then doing the better thing instead of the worst thing.
89
So to bring this back to like going to the gym, it's probably the easiest example.
90
Becoming a healthy person, to achieve, you know, a physique that you want.
91
It's never been about going to the gym super hard one day, getting super motivated, you know, watching all the necessary clips on YouTube,
92
getting super jacked up, and then going to the gym really hard.
93
All it is is a decision you're already familiar with.
94
When you get that urge, when you get
95
that sort of conflict in your mind about should I go to the gym right now or should I not?
96
And you say, ah, you know, I'll go tomorrow.
97
That's all it is.
98
That is all it is.
99
It's finding a way to just say, yeah, what the hell, I'll go to the gym today.
100
That's it.
101
Just doing the better thing instead of the worst thing is the answer to everything.
102
We would like to think
103
that the answer to all of our life's problems is some other conflict that we're not already familiar with.
104
It can't be that little thing.
105
That's all it is, unfortunately.
106
Before we dive into our next tip, I just want to give a big thank you to AG1 for sponsoring this video.
107
As you guys probably know at this point, AG1 is my favorite supplement, and that's because there's no competing with its nutritional profile.
108
It's packed with over 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food sourced ingredients.
109
In every single scoop, AG1 makes it extremely convenient
110
and easy to give your body everything it needs to stay focused and energized throughout the day.
111
I'm personally a huge fan of the travel packs, especially if I'm on the road, if I'm in a different country.
112
It's just a really convenient way to give myself nutritional support.
113
So if you're interested in joining me in this extremely simple health optimization habit, which I've been partaking in for years,
114
then if you click my link in the description below or scan the QR code you're seeing on the screen right now, you'll also get a year's supply of their vitamin D3 and K2 complex,
115
as well as five AG1 travel packs with your first purchase.
116
Once again, use my link in the description below
117
or scan the QR code and thanks again to AG1 for sponsoring this video.
118
Step number five, grease the grooves.
119
I cannot stress enough the importance of taking advantage of environmental
120
cues to make it as easy as possible to stay on the path.
121
Everybody is aware that if their Xbox is visible, they're more likely to play it, that if junk food is in the house, they're more likely to eat it.
122
Our environment shapes our mindset and our behaviors more than we probably realize.
123
But we can take advantage of this fact and set traps of growth.
124
It's extremely easy to take your vitamins every single day
125
if they are sitting out on display where you tend to drink water.
126
That is basically the only reason why I ever take vitamins, ever.
127
Another little hack that gets me into the gym, I'm addicted to caffeine.
128
So what I've done recently is instead of quitting caffeine, because that would be ridiculous, what am I, insane?
129
I take advantage of my caffeine addiction.
130
I use it as a strength.
131
I usually have three cups of coffee in a day, Two in the morning, so one when I first wake up, another one like right after.
132
And then there's this period of time where I want that third cup of coffee sometime after lunch, so around 2 p .m.
133
So what I've done is I don't let myself have that third cup of coffee.
134
Instead, it has to be pre -workout.
135
My emotions, my little monkey brain wants a pick -me -up.
136
It requires a pick -me -up.
137
I say to myself, you can have a pick -me -up, a scoop of pre -workout.
138
When I have the pre -workout, I find myself automatically setting off a chain reaction, putting on my gym shoes, and heading to the gym.
139
Work with what you got.
140
Survey your life and all the little weird tendencies that you have
141
and all of your behavioral insanities and use it to your advantage.
142
Hack your environment and your behavior and your current lifestyle to work for you.
143
Make it as easy as possible to do what's good for you and what you want to do.
144
And as difficult and strenuous and kind of inconvenient as possible, do what's bad for you and leave a comment saying joey i like your mustache
145
or roast me step number six do it your way i
146
don't know what you're going through i don't know the reasons why you would want to get your together
147
but nothing is more powerful than your own reasons for doing
148
this ask yourself how do you want to live this life who is the person
149
that you want to be and in what ways do you tend to fail achieving
150
that how can you course correct the answers to these personal questions are by far the biggest motivator
151
that will help you stay on track.
152
Figure out a way that works for you.
153
Figure out a way that complements your little insanities that you have.
154
Find a way to work with your weird procrastination habits, your strange intrusive thoughts.
155
your freakish brain that you might have. Who cares?
156
You know what you're like, you know how you tend to fail, so work with yourself and do it your way.
157
You don't need an aha moment, you just need to see the truth.
158
Become conscious.
159
Which leads directly into step number seven, which is pay attention.
160
Once you've been on the path for a while, pay attention to how you feel.
161
Notice how much better it feels to live in a reality
162
where you've consistently been who you want to be doing what's
163
good for you more often more frequently literally feels better right
164
here right now this feeling is why it's worth it it feels better to be alive knowing
165
that you're on the righteous path rather than on the path
166
to destruction like the trains I was talking about it feels good knowing
167
that you are on the right track your existence feels better.
168
So pay attention to that feeling.
169
When you realize just how much better you feel now,
170
it'll become obvious that white knuckle tactics and little tips and tricks and mental hacks to stay on track become completely obsolete.
171
You don't need that stuff anymore because it's so obviously better that you wouldn't want to go back.
172
People who conquer addictions for their whole life really understand this feeling.
173
It's not like they're sitting there free from the shackles of their addiction feeling deprived
174
and super pent up and angry that they can't go back, right?
175
They realize that it feels better to be free.
176
They don't need to do that anymore.
177
So that's the type of truth I'm talking about.
178
When you've been on the righteous path for a while,
179
then the benefits of transcending mediocrity are no longer this distant hypothetical that you have to think about and conjure.
180
The benefits become inarguable.
181
They become your overwhelming reality that you enjoy in the present moment that's
182
when you know that things have clicked step eight rejoice take time to reflect
183
and be grateful that you're on the righteous path now this might sound like a waste of time
184
or very woo woo but it is very important
185
because what a lot of people tend to do they're starting to actually live the life
186
that they want to live and they start feeling really good and And then this little voice creeps in, a voice of regret, of bitterness for not starting earlier,
187
you know, for all this wasted time, you know, I wasted so much time.
188
I'm so old now.
189
Why didn't I start doing this when I was way younger?
190
Stay on top of this little voice.
191
It is absolutely useless and destructive
192
because the truth is there could have been a million reasons why you didn't start exactly when you did, but you're on the path now, right?
193
You are in the best possible reality that you can be in in this moment.
194
All of the failed mindsets and white knuckle tactics that you had to try out led you to this moment, the moment that worked.
195
So rejoice and be grateful that you got here, because not everybody does.
196
It feels good to feel good.
197
Be at peace.
198
Because as Seneca once said, the secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old
199
but by building the new and liking this video because
200
when you actually hit the like button the video genuinely does do
201
so much better you could see it with the last video the last video was a banger
202
if you haven't watched it go watch it but
203
so many of you hit the like button
204
because i said to hit the like button
205
and it got way more reviews than the previous couple of videos
206
so it does make a huge difference and i really appreciate it other than
207
that thanks for watching we'll catch you in the next video
208
if your anus was this big it would be a black hole
📺 Same Channel
B22
It's boring, but this is how you focus on anything for 10+ hours
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B24
Why you're always tired
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
C15
Every stage of self improvement explained
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B23
How the way you watch movies affects your life
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B239
You were never supposed to think this much
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B23 habits that boost mental clarity
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B27 ideas that will make you unstoppable
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
✨ Recommend Video
B21
380 sentences
You Know What You Should Do… So Why Aren't You Doing It
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
161 sentences
How to become who you want to be
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
258 sentences
you're six months away from the life you want (if you want it bad enough)
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B227
57 sentences
Psychology of People Who Dream Big But Do Nothing (How to Fix It)
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
199 sentences
David Goggins Motivation
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
23 sentences
How To Actually Generate Motivation
American AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
372 sentences
i read a self-help book every day for a WEEK -- now i'm more confused than ever
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
23 sentences
How You Feel and What You Do Don't Need to Correlate
American AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
240 sentences
𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐭, 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B2329 sentences
Give Me 26 Minutes... I'll Save You 20+ Years Of Your Life | Jay Shetty
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
146 sentences
how to actually become disciplined in 9 minutes
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
406 sentences
10 Habits That Rebuild Self-Trust (Habit #10 Changed Everything)
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 208 sentences and 2600 words to shadow. The speech runs for 13:38. The speaker talks fast, about 191 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 88% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| urge verb | /ɜːd͡ʒ/ | To press; to push; to drive; to impel; to force onward. |
| vitamin noun | /ˈvɪt.ə.mɪn/ | Any of a specific group of organic compounds essential in small quantities for healthy human growth, metabolism, development, and body function. They are found… |
| destination noun | /dɛstɪˈneɪʃən/ | The place set for the end of a journey or to which something is sent; place or point aimed at. |
| habit noun | /ˈhæb.ɪt/ | An action performed on a regular basis. |
| addiction noun | /əˈdɪkˌʃən/ | A state that is characterized by compulsive drug use or compulsive engagement in rewarding behavior, despite negative consequences. |
| workout noun | /ˈwɝk.aʊ̯t/ | An exercise session; a period of physical exercise. |
| mindset noun | /ˈmaɪn(d)ˌsɛt/ | A way of thinking; an attitude or opinion, especially a habitual one. |
| righteous adjective | /ˈɹaɪt͡ʃəs/ | Free from sin or guilt. |
| caffeine noun | /ˈkæfiːn/ | An alkaloid, C₈H₁₀N₄O₂, found naturally in tea and coffee plants, which acts as a mild stimulant on the central nervous system. |
| regardless adverb | /ɹɪˈɡɑɹd.lɪs/ | Without attention to warnings or indications of bad consequences. |
| grateful adjective | /ˈɡɹeɪtf(ə)l/ | Of a person or their actions, feelings, etc.: expressing gratitude or appreciation; appreciative, thankful. |
| shoe noun | /ˈʃu/ | A protective covering for the foot, with a bottom part composed of thick leather or plastic sole and often a thicker heel, and a softer upper part made of… |
| tactics noun | /ˈtæktɪks/ | The military science that deals with achieving the objectives set by strategy. |
| convenient adjective | /kənˈviː.niənt/ | Serving to reduce a difficulty, or accessible with minimum difficulty; expedient. |
| genuinely adverb | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.ɪn.li/ | In a genuine manner; truthfully, truly. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| figure out verb | To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce. | |
| go back verb | To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time. | |
| come back verb | To return to a place. | |
| end up verb | To bring to a conclusion. | |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. | |
| set off verb | To leave; to set out; to begin a journey or trip. | |
| try out verb | To test (something) to see how it works or whether it is suitable. | |
| wake up verb | /ˌweɪk ˈʌp/ | To stop sleeping; to awake. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 78 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, don't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: hypothetical /ˌhaɪpəˈθɛtɪkəl/, themself /ðɛmˈsɛlf/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: destination /dɛstɪˈneɪʃən/, addiction /əˈdɪkˌʃən/, shoe /ˈʃu/, nutritional /njuːˈtɹɪʃ.ə.nəl/, destruction /dɪsˈtɹʌkʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: destination /dɛstɪˈneɪʃən/, genuinely /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.ɪn.li/, insanity /ɪnˈsænɪti/, nutritional /njuːˈtɹɪʃ.ə.nəl/, ridiculous /ɹɪˈdɪk.jə.ləs/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like urge, vitamin, destination.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | if that is the response, what will that |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | You've been · You've always been · I've done |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | person who says · seven, which is · People who conquer |
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.