Shadowing Practice: Eileen Gu formula: how to use neuroplasticity, visualization, self belief to achieve success (guide) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
82 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
- You can control what you think.
2
Like you can control how you think and therefore you can control who you are.
3
And especially as a young person, like I'm 22, so with neuroplasticity on my side, I can literally become exactly who I want to be.
4
How cool is that?
5
Like how empowering is that, right?
6
Arlene Gu once said, "You can control what you think.
7
You can control how you think." and therefore you can control who you are.
8
At first, that sounds like just another motivational quote.
9
But when you look at her life, it's actually the foundation of how she operates.
10
She's an Olympic gold medalist, one of the best freestyle skiers in the world, a model, and a student at Stanford University.
11
I'm trying to modify.
12
I'm trying to think how can I be better?
13
How can I approach my own brain the way
14
that I approach my craft of free skiing so that I can be better tomorrow than I was today?
15
Four mindset principles that have shaped Aileen Gu's success.
16
and how you can apply them to your own life.
17
Aileen Gu treats her mind like something she can train, just like her body.
18
This connects to the idea of neuroplasticity.
19
I'm an introspective young woman.
20
Like I spend a lot of time in my head and it's not a bad place to be.
21
I journal a lot.
22
I break down all of my thought processes.
23
I think I apply a very analytical lens.
24
to my own thinking and I kind of modify it
25
because it's so interesting you can control what you think like you can control how you think
26
and therefore you can control who you are
27
and especially as a young person like I'm 22
28
so with neuroplasticity on my side I can literally become exactly who I want to be how cool is
29
that like how empowering is that right neuroplasticity the brain's ability to change adapt
30
and form new neural pathways based on experience and repetition in simple terms Your brain is not fixed,
31
it changes, based on what you repeatedly think and do.
32
That means your habits, your thoughts, and even your self -image are not permanent.
33
Over time, repetition strengthens certain neural pathways and weakens others.
34
So the more you practice certain ways of thinking, the more automatic they become.
35
Gu has spoken about journaling and spending time analyzing your thoughts, which reflects this idea in practice.
36
The main idea is simple: you're not stuck with who you are right now.
37
Your brain is constantly being shaped by what you repeat.
38
Your thoughts shape who you are.
39
Eileen believes your thoughts don't just affect how you feel, they shape your identity.
40
As she puts it, you can control what you think, you can control how you think, and therefore you can control who you are.
41
One of the key lessons she learned came from her coach who explained that nervousness and excitement are physically the same response.
42
The only difference is how your brain labels it.
43
So instead of thinking, I'm nervous, she learned to think, I'm excited.
44
My high school cross -country coach,
45
Corin, told me about the theory of appraisal. when you're excited.
46
Your brain decides if it's a positive or a negative value.
47
When I used to feel really nervous, she would say: You're not nervous, you're just excited.
48
That's really translated to any high pressure situation I've ever been since then.
49
That small shift changes how she performs under pressure.
50
This connects to a bigger idea.
51
Identity is built through repetition.
52
If you repeatedly see yourself as someone who learns, adapts, and improves your behavior starts to match that identity.
53
Even your self -talk matters because the way you speak to yourself becomes the way you act.
54
Before Eileen performs a trick on the mountain, she has visualization as a psychological practice of performing movements.
55
The brain cannot tell the difference between a vividly imagined scene and a real one.
56
It is most effective when it engages your sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste.
57
It's because the brain cannot easily tell the difference between a vividly imagined scene and a real one.
58
run, but it's not just imagination, it's structured.
59
She mentally runs through the movement from different perspectives, focuses on how it will feel, and builds a full sensory experience.
60
The core part of her mindset is her willingness to take risks.
61
A big thing is I'm not afraid to try.
62
I take big risks, and...
63
For the last two Olympics, it's worked out.
64
But even if it hadn't, I think I left nothing on the table.
65
Like I know that looking back at this Olympics and the months that preceded it, There's quite literally nothing that I could have done more.
66
Like I did everything I could.
67
She said,
68
that the worst failure isn't falling short, it's not trying at all.
69
For her, progress only happens when she's willing to step into the unknown and trust her preparation.
70
Instead of avoiding failure, she uses it
71
as a part of the process because if you never try you don't fail but you also don't grow
72
What makes Aileen Gu's mindset so powerful is that none of it depends on talent.
73
It starts with the belief that your mind can change.
74
She trains her thoughts like she trains her body.
75
She reframes pressure.
76
She visualizes success before it happens.
77
And she's willing to take risks even when the outcome isn't guaranteed.
78
So who you become isn't fixed by your circumstances.
79
It's shaped by what you repeat every day.
80
think you can control how you think and therefore you can control who you are.
81
So the real question is simple: if your mind can change, Who are you going to become?
82
- I'm gonna do it.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B1160
27 sentences
Mindset: The Power of 'Not Yet'
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B216
32 sentences
So much to learn from Eileen Gu ❤️👏 #Olympics #WinterOlympics
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B26
17 sentences
A Psychologist's Secret About Your Brain (You'll Wish You Knew Sooner)
British AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
62 sentences
Angela Lee Duckworth The key to success Grit
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B26
151 sentences
How I became DISGUSTINGLY DISCIPLINED and got my dream life (you can too)
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B25
347 sentences
Why You Keep Falling Off Your Goals (5 Neuroscience Backed Reasons)
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
191 sentences
If having too many goals stresses you out, WATCH THIS
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B24
189 sentences
Law of Attraction.
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B28
96 sentences
This Is How Geniuses Train Their Mind — IQ Is Not Fixed
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B23
12 sentences
This Is How To Stay Motivated!
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B29
158 sentences
#1 HYPNOTHERAPIST: Reclaim the Confidence You Were Born With in 9 Minutes
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B212
137 sentences
The mindset shift that changed my 20s.
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
How Eileen Gu's Mindset Can Boost Your English Learning
The video explores Eileen Gu's success formula, blending neuroplasticity, visualization, and self-belief. For English learners, her approach offers valuable insights—just as she trains her mind to excel in skiing, you can train your brain to master a new language. Let's break down key takeaways and how to apply them to your practice.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication (From the Dialogue)
- "You can control what you think" – A powerful affirmation to reframe negative thoughts, useful in conversations about goals or self-improvement.
- "Neuroplasticity on my side" – A scientific term to explain brain adaptability; great for discussing learning strategies.
- "Analytical lens" – Describes a critical thinking approach, perfect for talking about problem-solving or self-reflection.
- "High pressure situation" – Common phrase for stressful moments, ideal for sharing experiences in work or school.
- "Small shift" – Refers to minor changes with big impact, useful when explaining personal growth or language tips.
Step-by-Step Shadowing Guide for This Video
The video’s conversational tone and mix of casual and formal language make it ideal for shadowing—an technique where you mimic speech in real time. Here’s how to practice:
- Listen and Repeat Short Clips: Pause the video every 5-10 seconds. Use a shadowing app to record yourself repeating phrases like "nervousness and excitement are physically the same response." Focus on matching intonation and rhythm.
- Analyze Thought Patterns: Gu’s speech is reflective, with phrases like "I journal a lot, I break down all of my thought processes." Shadow these to practice complex sentence structures. Pay attention to how she connects ideas with "and" and "because."
- Emphasize Key Vocabulary: Words like "neuroplasticity" and "appraisal" are technical but essential. Repeat them slowly, stressing the correct syllables. Use shadow speech to build muscle memory for challenging terms.
- Simulate High-Pressure Scenarios: The video discusses performing under stress. Practice shadowing during short, timed sessions (e.g., 2 minutes) to mimic real-life conversation pressure. This builds fluency and confidence.
- Review and Adjust: Compare your recordings to the video. Note where your pace or pronunciation differs, then repeat those sections. Over time, this repetition strengthens neural pathways—just like Gu’s journaling—making English feel more natural.
Learning English with YouTube and the shadowing technique isn’t just about mimicking words—it’s about training your brain to think in the language. By applying Gu’s principles of neuroplasticity and intentional practice, you’ll not only improve your speaking but also build the self-belief to use English confidently in any situation.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is not fixed · being shaped · is built |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have shaped · has spoken · I've ever been |
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.