Shadowing Practice: For those feeling behind in life - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Somewhere between childhood and now, we learned how to measure our lives in milestones.
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First day of school, last day of school, first job, first promotion, marriage, house, kids, you know the list.
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And it can feel really overwhelming when we're not ticking those boxes when we're supposed to.
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It can feel like everyone is moving forward and we're just falling behind.
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Recently, I've been thinking a lot about how we define success
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and what that looks like now versus what I thought it would look like a couple years ago.
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And it made me realize that this is something I should probably revisit every so often because as life changes,
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the way we measure it sort of has to change too.
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So there's that anyways i'm having family over tomorrow
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and i'm pretty excited it's our first big family gathering in a
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while i have a couple of things
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that i need to get done today before that happens um it's a
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that is a plan that is the plan for today i try so hard to grow
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like a flower out of concrete And I,
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I try so hard for you to know that I go for you,
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my love
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This train of thought first happened
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when I was thinking of ways I had measured progress throughout my life When I was a kid, I did sports.
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I would measure it by medals or moving up in lessons But after graduating, I stepped away from competing,
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and I was at a sudden loss as to why I felt the way that I did.
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And at the time, I didn't realize that I had lost the main indicator of my measure of progress, and subsequently, success.
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It got me thinking, maybe all of us have these markers we lean on without even noticing.
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And when they disappear, it can feel like the ground has shifted beneath us.
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But realizing this allowed me to look at things differently, and reevaluate what progress and success look like now, in relevance to my life currently.
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If you keep measuring your current life with a definition you picked up at 16 or 21, it's going to feel like you're falling behind, even when you're not.
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So when things start to feel off, it's easy to assume something's wrong, without realizing the definition you're using might just be outdated.
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Oftentimes we feel behind because we're not where we think we should be at this point in time.
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But what we don't see is that where we're at now is preparing us for what's ahead.
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making your own way in the world is exciting you know what you want and you're going for it
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but when everyone around you seems to be following a clear -cut path it's really hard not to wonder
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if you're the one doing something wrong
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I remember in the early years of pursuing YouTube I was always wondering why it just wasn't happening for me yet.
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It was frustrating and to add to my already growing doubt, I had friends that were already moving on with the next chapter of their life.
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It felt like everyone knew their path
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and I was still trying to find my way
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but there was something in me that wanted to stay the course and so I pursued the path and looking back now,
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everything I learned along the way was so necessary and contributed in some form to what I do today, even if it felt like a detour at the time.
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The more I think about it, the more I think that 8 billion people can't be on the same path, right?
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Like how would that work?
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We're all different, we can't all like the same things, or hit the same milestones at the same time.
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Some get married young, some never want to at all, others become nomads and call the world home, some are happy building a quiet life as hometown heroes.
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You're allowed to choose your own adventure.
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Not just once, but over and over and over again.
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I find that we often feel behind because we have this idea of how something should have been.
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But seldom does it happen like that.
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And I think that's where a lot of the doubt comes from.
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Not knowing whether we're stuck, or just standing at the edge of a new idea of what success looks like.
Why Practice Speaking with This Video?
This video is a goldmine for English learners—its warm, conversational tone makes it perfect for practicing real-life speaking. The speaker shares personal stories and reflections, creating a natural context for topics like life goals and self-doubt. Practicing with it helps you build fluency in expressing emotions and opinions, which is key for IELTS speaking practice and everyday conversations. Plus, the relaxed pace is ideal for shadowspeak (repeating phrases aloud as you listen), a technique that trains your mouth and brain to work together. Whether you’re learning English with videos or prepping for an exam, this dialogue will make you feel like you’re chatting with a friend—no stiff textbook phrases here!
Grammar & Expressions in Context
The video is full of useful structures to master. Notice how the speaker uses “It can feel like…” to describe emotions (“It can feel like everyone is moving forward”). This is great for IELTS speaking practice when explaining feelings. Another gem is “the more… the more…” (“The more I think about it, the more I think…”), which adds depth to comparisons. Also, “allowed to” is used to encourage (“You’re allowed to choose your own adventure”)—a polite way to talk about permissions. Finally, “even if” softens contrasts (“even if it felt like a detour”), a must for fluent speech. These phrases aren’t just grammar—they’re tools to sound natural.Common Pronunciation Traps
Improve English pronunciation by tackling tricky words here. “Milestones” has a silent “e” and stress on the first syllable—don’t say “mile-STONES.” “Subsequently” is a tongue-twister; break it into “sub-se-quent-ly” to avoid rushing. The speaker also uses casual contractions like “it’s” and “I’ve”—listen closely to how they link words (“I’ve been thinking” becomes “I’vebin thinking”). These are perfect for the shadowing technique: repeat the phrases slowly, matching the rhythm. With practice, you’ll sound more like a native, whether you’re using these for shadowing technique drills or real conversations. Ready to start? Hit play, pause, and repeat—you’ve got this! Every shadowing session brings you closer to confident, clear English.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.