Shadowing Practice: How Short Your Life REALLY Is - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
134 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
For the past month or so, I've been thinking a lot about life, and when people say that,
2
they usually mean what they want to do in life, whether that be their career, or relationships, or entertainment, or leisure.
3
But I've been thinking differently.
4
Of course, I've been thinking about those things, but I've also been thinking about how much of your life is really yours.
5
How much of your life is really being lived to its full potential?
6
Are you living, or are you just existing?
7
On average, you're going to get about 79 years on this big rock called Earth.
8
If you live in Monaco, it's closer to 90.
9
If you live in Chad, you'll be lucky to get 50.
10
Regardless, we don't get 79 years of freedom.
11
We have responsibilities and things that we can't ignore.
12
Most importantly, our bodies.
13
Assuming you sleep 8 hours a night on On average, about a third of your life, or 26 years, is going to be spent sleeping.
14
So right away we're down from 79 to 53.
15
But it doesn't stop there.
16
Chances are if you're watching this video, you're going to or have gone to school.
17
In the United States, you'll go for at least 12 years.
18
8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 36 weeks a year.
19
This amounts to 17 ,280 hours spent just inside the school building.
20
But wait, we also have to factor in homework and out -of -school activities, among other things.
21
So, this is more like 22 ,000 to 25 ,000 hours, or about 3 years of your life.
22
If you go to college or university afterwards, make it 5 years instead.
23
We're down to 48 years.
24
Well, all this schooling and money you spent getting a degree has to be put to some use, right?
25
Chances are you'll try and get a job in the field of whatever it is your degree is in.
26
It'll probably be a full -time job, so you'll be working 40 hour weeks pretty regularly, if not more than that.
27
Let's say you get two weeks of vacation per year.
28
The average person works for about 40 to 50 years of their life, so we'll just go with the average and say 45.
29
Over your entire life, you'll work on average about 90 ,000 hours, or about 10 years of your life.
30
We have 38 years left.
31
Wait, depending on where you live, your commute to work will vary.
32
You might drive yourself, you might walk, you might use an Uber or a taxi.
33
Regardless, your commute to and from work, on average, takes about one and a half hours a day.
34
Adding this up over your entire working career, it amounts to 17 ,520 hours, or about two years of your life.
35
36 years left.
36
All of this work and studying really builds up an appetite, so you should probably spend some time eating.
37
On an average day, we spend about 70 minutes just eating food to survive.
38
In your 79 years of life, you'll spend about 32 ,000 hours just eating, or about 4 years of your life, down to 32.
39
Well, after you're done eating, you have to clean up and maybe do some chores around the house.
40
On average, you spend about one hour a day doing tasks just around your house, cleaning up after you eat, washing dishes, doing laundry, showering,
41
and plenty of other stuff.
42
This amounts to nearly 29 ,000 hours over the course of your life, or about 3 years.
43
29 years left.
44
Eventually, all of that food and water has to leave your body somehow.
45
You'll spend about 3 months of your life just sitting on the toilet.
46
Yeah.
47
Of course, we also waste time, and we do it pretty well.
48
Over the course of our lifetimes, we'll spend about 115 ,000 hours on our phones, or about 13 years.
49
This, of course, is just your phone.
50
This doesn't include you watching TV, you playing games, among other things.
51
16 years left.
52
Assuming you can afford to retire at the average age of 62, you'll spend the rest of your life living the luxuries of retirement,
53
if you can still function properly.
54
Over 50 % of retired people over the age of 65 have some sort of disability, with 15 % of those people having three or more.
55
Chances are, if you are one of these people, you'll be in and out of medical care pretty often.
56
So those final 16 years of freedom you have, it's a coin flip.
57
That doesn't exactly entail freedom.
58
So overall, you have one year in your 79 -year life to really and truly do what you want to do.
59
But despite the age you might be,
60
young or old, you may be nearing the end of your time with some of the most important people in your life.
61
For example, while you're young and in school from the ages of 1 to 18,
62
you'll most likely be spending nearly every day in the presence of your parents.
63
After you finish your schooling, assuming your parents are in their mid -40s, we'll say they have about 30 years left in their life.
64
The real world starts to set in.
65
Your job, your possible relationships, your important things to do in life take priority.
66
Eventually, if you leave your hometown, you'll only be seeing your parents around holidays and special occasions, maybe 10 days a year.
67
So, 300 days left with the people who brought you into the world, whereas before you would see them almost every single day.
68
You have already spent 95 % of the time
69
that you will ever spend with your parents in the first 18 years of your life.
70
And now, you only have the remaining 5 % for the rest of your life.
71
At the end of the day, there's only one thing that matters, and that's your own happiness.
72
What many people don't realize is that they do
73
so many things in life just to try and succeed as opposed to fulfilling a purpose.
74
They work a job they hate for 40 years just to make
75
that extra $30 ,000 a year so they can afford a car that they only drive to work.
76
It's temporary happiness, not genuine happiness.
77
People go to school to become a doctor because their mom or their dad or somebody else told them to, not because they actually want to.
78
I really hope that every single person watching this video gets insanely rich
79
and famous so that they can finally realize that this isn't the point of life.
80
The point is to be happy with what you're doing while you're doing it.
81
Alright, sure, the 45 working years or however long you're working is going to be hard to get past.
82
But what if you don't hate waking up every day to go to work?
83
What if your work is your happiness?
84
You see, life isn't a straight path.
85
You can't map it out perfectly one -to -one.
86
It just doesn't work like that.
87
We spend every day planning on what we're going to do the next, instead of just taking in the day for what it actually is.
88
Sure, we have to eat.
89
Duh.
90
But what if we spend that time eating with friends or family, or just people who make your life better?
91
Your commute to work might be long and tedious sometimes,
92
but what if you spend that time listening to podcasts or carpooling with co -workers and friends?
93
The 13 years we waste on our phones might seem useless, but what if we use that time to build the business you've always wanted to,
94
or build the brand you've always wanted, or make a YouTube channel to talk to people about the random ideas you get?
95
You'll bring so much value to people that you never even thought was possible.
96
Let's say you take care of yourself and regularly work out and eat decently well.
97
Your chances of being healthy later in life is much more likely,
98
and you'll have much more free time to master the things that you really want, whether that be a skill or just relationships with others.
99
No matter what you or I or any person on this planet does, time doesn't stop for anyone.
100
Time is the one thing you cannot get back.
101
If you lose a lot of money, it's fine.
102
You can get more.
103
If your friend decides to turn their back on you.
104
It's fine, there's millions of people out there in the same situation.
105
But time, you can't get it back.
106
Once it's gone, it's gone.
107
How many days have you spent doing the same mundane tasks that you hate?
108
And more importantly, when is it going to end?
109
Life is about choices, every choice you've ever made has led you to this exact moment, watching this video.
110
And given that you only have one life, at least in this universe, why not make your own decisions?
111
So many people live life predicated on somebody else's opinion, which is dumb.
112
People have so many barriers in life, but they aren't really about money, they aren't about time.
113
They aren't about how you look, it's about opinions.
114
Other people's opinions.
115
Probably about 90 % of people are unhappy because they value someone else's opinion more than their own.
116
When you're old and unable to do the things that you could have when you're younger, you'll regret.
117
And regret hurts more than any breakup, failure, or anything else ever could.
118
Life doesn't have to suck, you don't have to regret everything.
119
That FOMO, or fear of missing out, is a poison.
120
Instead of living trying to mimic people you see on Instagram or YouTube or social media, just live based on your own terms.
121
Instead of just observing and living passively, really start to think about what you do with your time.
122
Does that mean call your boss and tell him you quit?
123
No. Does that mean drop out of school tomorrow?
124
No. All it means is to truly decide what you want in life and put yourself in the right direction.
125
It's not going to happen overnight, that's not the point.
126
There would be no journey, then.
127
As cliche as it sounds, your 79 year journey here is very short.
128
Sure, it's technically the longest thing you'll ever do.
129
But the universe is 13 .8 billion years old.
130
If the universe's history was condensed down into 24 hours, the world as we know it, with cars and airplanes and civilization as we know it,
131
would only come into existence in the very last second.
132
Block out any and all negativity in your life, and once you can truly realize that the only opinion that matters is your own,
133
life can get pretty clear.
134
And the noises inside your head get pretty quiet.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
C11
Why Nihilism is Taking Over Modern Society
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C12
Quantum Consciousness Theory
University StudentsWorking Adults
C12
Why Being Single is Better Than You Think
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C11
Every Level of Consciousness
University StudentsWorking Adults
C12
The Psychology of People Who Never Feel Good Enough
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C11
Stoicism: Become Undefeatable
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C16
Money: Humanity's Biggest Illusion
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B214
The Psychology of People Who Don't Post Their Photos on Social Media
TeensDaily ConversationUniversity Students
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
C1260 sentences
Life Is Short (How to Spend It Wisely)
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B22
201 sentences
Every Level of Engineering in 15 Minutes
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C12
582 sentences
You've (Likely) Been Playing The Game Of Life Wrong
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C12
530 sentences
Human Immortality 4K | Can Science Defeat Aging?
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C16
252 sentences
You Escaped the Rat Race & Nobody Even Noticed (The 18-Month Plan)
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C13
212 sentences
What Did Ancient Humans Do all Day Before Jobs Existed?
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B2112 sentences
This Video Will Save You 9+ Years Of Your Life In 6 Minutes
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B22
209 sentences
Give me 12 minutes, I'll open your eyes to how to actually become rich using AI
Business EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
659 sentences
Improve your english just by listening | 30 minutes | English podcast
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C18
77 sentences
The True Meaning Of Life (Animated Cinematic)
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
50 sentences
Quit before it ruins you...
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
246 sentences
80 Year Olds Share Advice for Younger Self
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “How Short Your Life REALLY Is”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: hour, spend, average. This video has 62 sentences and 1750 words to shadow. The speech runs for 10:06. The speaker talks at a natural 173 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 92% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow. 12 of its 62 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| happiness noun | /ˈhæpinɪs/ | The emotion of being happy; joy; elation. |
| regret verb | /ɹɪˈɡɹɛt/ | To feel sorry about (a thing that has or has not happened), afterthink: to wish that a thing had not happened, that something else had happened instead. |
| commute verb | /kəˈmjuːt/ | To exchange substantially; to abate but not abolish completely, a penalty, obligation, or payment in return for a great, single thing or an aggregate; to cash… |
| realise verb | Non-Oxford British standard spelling of realize. | |
| importantly adverb | /ɪmˈpɔɹ.tənt.li/ | Used to mark a statement as having importance. |
| retire verb | /ɹəˈtaɪɹ/ | To stop working on a permanent basis, usually because of old age or illness. |
| ignore verb | /ɪɡˈnɔː/ | To deliberately not listen or pay attention to. |
| temporary adjective | /ˈtɛmp(əˌɹ)ɛɹi/ | Not permanent; existing only for a period or periods of time. |
| wash verb | /wɑʃ/ | To clean with water. |
| alright | /ɔlˈɹaɪt/ | Used to indicate acknowledgement or acceptance; OK. |
| skill noun | /skɪl/ | A capacity to do something well; a technique, an ability, usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abilities that are regarded as innate. |
| suck verb | /sʌk/ | To use the mouth and lips to pull in (a liquid, especially milk from the breast). |
| priority noun | /pɹaɪˈɒɹɪti/ | An item's relative importance. |
| vacation noun | /veɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ | An extended trip or journey away from home for rest or pleasure. |
| lifetime noun | /ˈlaɪf.taɪm/ | The duration of the life of someone or something. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| clean up verb | To make an area or a thing clean; to pick up a mess; to tidy. | |
| build up verb | To erect; to construct. | |
| get back verb | Return to where one came from. | |
| get past verb | To continue around a blockage; to get around (something); to surpass something that is in the way. | |
| miss out verb | To miss an experience or lose an opportunity, etc. that should not be missed. | |
| wake up verb | /ˌweɪk ˈʌp/ | To stop sleeping; to awake. |
| work out verb | /ˌwɝk ˈaʊt/ | To calculate. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What if your work is your happiness?
- You see life isn't a straight path.
- You can't map it out perfectly one-to-one.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | I've been thinking |
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | If you live in Chad, you'll be · if you leave your hometown, you'll only |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have gone · have already spent · you've always wanted |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | being lived · be spent · be put |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 62 contractions and reduced forms, such as you'll, you're, doesn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: wash /wɑʃ/, vacation /veɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/, occasion /əˈkeɪ̯ʒən/, luxury /ˈlʌk.ʃə.ɹi/, dish /dɪʃ/
- Long words — get the stress right: importantly /ɪmˈpɔɹ.tənt.li/, temporary /ˈtɛmp(əˌɹ)ɛɹi/, priority /pɹaɪˈɒɹɪti/, differently /ˈdɪf.ə.ɹənt.li/, disability /dɪsəˈbɪlɪti/
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 happiness, regret, commute.
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.