Shadowing Practice: Are you scared of change? - Motivational video [Feat Peter Dinklage] - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Ever tried, ever failed, no matter, try again, fail again, fail better.
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I had so many dreams of where I wanted to go, who I wanted to be, and what I wanted to do.
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You have your own story to tell.
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Theater companies I wanted to start with, classmates.
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Movies I wanted to be in, directors I wanted to work with, stories I needed to tell.
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I packed the life that I knew with socks
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and a toothbrush into my backpack
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and I slept on couch after couch after couch after couch
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at friends apartments in New York until I wore out their rent paying roommates welcome.
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I didn't want a day job.
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I was an actor.
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I was a writer.
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I had to get a day job.
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I dusted pianos at a piano store on Ludlow Street for five months.
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I worked on the property of a Shakespeare scholar for a year, pulling weeds and removing bees nests.
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I went on unemployment I was a human once, but not for long.
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I couldn't handle the guilt.
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Eventually I was able to pay rent for a spot on the floor of an apartment on the Lower East Side, but my roommate had a breakdown and disappeared.
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I helped hang paintings at galleries, paintings that inspire you to think, I could do that.
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And then, finally, after two years of job and couch surfing,
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I got a job. In application processing.
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As a data enterer at a place called Professional Examination Services.
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And I stayed for six years.
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Six years.
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From the age of 23 to 29.
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Well, they loved me there.
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I was funny.
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I smoked in the loading docks with the guys from the mailroom and we shared how hungover we all were.
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I called in sick almost every Friday because I was out late the night before.
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I hated that job and I clung to that job.
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Because of that job, I could afford my own place.
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My dream of running a theatre company with my friend and fellow Bennington graduate Ian Bell had died.
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I had only the one window.
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I myself could not look out the window.
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It was quite high.
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No acting agent.
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When I was 29, I told myself, the next acting job I get, no matter what it pays, I will, from now on,
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for better or worse, be a working actor. But something good happened.
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I got a low-paying theater job in a play called Imperfect Love, which led to a film called 13 Moons with the same writer,
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which led to other roles, which led to other roles.
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And I've worked as an actor ever since.
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I didn't know that would happen.
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At 29, walking away from data processing, I was terrified.
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10 years in a place without heat, 6 years at a job I felt stuck in.
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Maybe I was afraid of change. Are you?
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But this made me very hungry.
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Literally.
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I couldn't be lazy.
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I couldn't be.
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And so at 29, In a very long last, I was in the company of the actors and writers and directors I'd sought out that first year,
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that first day, after school.
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I was, I am, by their sides.
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Raise the rest of your life to meet you.
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Don't search for defining moments because they will never come.
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The moments that define you have already happened.
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And they will already happen again.
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And it passes so quickly.
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So please bring each other along with you.
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You just get a bit derailed.
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But soon something starts to happen.
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Trust me.
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A rhythm sets in.
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Just try not to wait until,
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like me, like me you're 29 before you find it and
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if you are that's fine too some of us never find it but you will I promise you you are already here
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You'll find your rhythm or continue the one you have already found.
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Don't wait until they tell you you are ready.
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Get in there.
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Sing.
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The world might say you are not allowed to yet.
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I waited a long time out in the world before I gave myself permission to fail.
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Please, don't even bother asking.
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Don't bother telling the world you are ready.
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Show it. Do it.
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What did Beckett say?
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Ever tried, ever failed, no matter,
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try again, fail again, fail better.
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Better.
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We burn very brightly.
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Please don't ever stop.
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The world is yours.
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Treat everyone kindly.
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and light up the night.
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Maybe I was afraid of change. Are you?
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Thank you.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice your English speaking skills by engaging with motivational content that emphasizes overcoming fear and embracing change. By listening to Peter Dinklage's inspiring journey, you'll improve your ability to articulate thoughts on personal growth and resilience. This exercise will not only enhance your vocabulary but also boost your confidence in expressing complex emotions in English. You will be using the shadowing technique, which involves mimicking the speaker's rhythm, tone, and pronunciation, to develop natural sounding English speech.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Try again, fail again, fail better: A call to resilience and persistence in the face of failure.
  • Dream: Aspirations or goals one wishes to achieve.
  • Couch surfing: Staying temporarily on friends' couches or spare beds instead of having a permanent residence.
  • Day job: A regular job that provides steady income, often unrelated to one's passions, such as acting or writing.
  • Permission to fail: Allowing oneself to make mistakes as part of the learning process.
  • Rhythm: A natural flow of progress; in this context, referring to finding a comfortable pace in life.
  • Light up the night: A metaphor for making a positive impact on others and shining in one's endeavors.

Practice Tips

To maximize your English speaking practice using the shadowing technique, follow these tips:

  • Start by listening to short segments of the video multiple times before attempting to repeat after the speaker. This will familiarize you with the content and the speaker’s unique cadence.
  • Practice shadow speaking by mimicking Peter Dinklage’s intonation and rhythm. Pay attention to how he emphasizes certain words and how his voice changes with emotion.
  • If the pacing feels fast, slow it down slightly using video playback settings. This can help you catch details and feel more comfortable as you practice.
  • Record yourself while shadowing to analyze your pronunciation and flow. This feedback is crucial for improvement in your English speaking practice.
  • Engage in discussions about the themes of the video—such as fear of change and resilience. This will deepen your understanding and help you articulate your thoughts in English.
  • Make it a habit to practice daily, even if just for a few minutes. Consistency will lead to noticeable improvements over time.

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.