Shadowing Practice: How to Talk About Self-Control in English | Easy English Podcast For Beginners | English Podcast - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hello, hello everyone!
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Hello, hello everyone!
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Welcome back to the Tom English Podcast.
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I am Alice, your host,
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and I am just so happy to be here with you today.
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This podcast is designed especially for beginners, so don't worry.
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We are going to speak slowly,
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clearly, and use simple English so you can follow along perfectly.
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Today, we're diving into a topic that touches every single part of our lives, self-control.
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Hi, everyone.
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I'm Tom.
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Thank you so much for having me, Alice.
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I've been looking forward to this because,
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honestly, self-control is something I think about a lot,
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mostly because it can be so hard.
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But it's incredibly useful for everyone.
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It really is.
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But first, let's define it for our friends listening at home.
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To me, self-control means that we have the power to manage our own actions,
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our feelings, and our habits.
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It's like being the captain of your own ship.
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We use it when we study,
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when we choose what to eat,
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or even how we manage our time.
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That's a great way to put it, Alice.
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But man, being the captain isn't always easy, is it?
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We all need self-control to make good choices and avoid those pesky bad habits that sneak up on us.
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Sometimes, I feel like I have a lot of it,
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and other times, well, not so much.
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But the good news is that we can practice and improve.
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It's a skill, just like learning English.
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Exactly.
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You don't have to be perfect.
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You just need to try a little bit every single day.
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What do you think about the difficulty part of it, Tom?
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Well, I'll be honest.
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I have many moments where I just want to relax and watch TV instead of working on my projects.
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It's a struggle.
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But when I do control myself and finish my tasks first,
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I feel so much better afterward.
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It's that feeling of achievement that helps us reach our goals.
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I love that.
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It's all about balance.
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If we are too strict, we get stressed.
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If we have no control, we have problems.
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We need to find that sweet spot where we work hard
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but also take time to rest and be kind to ourselves Balance yes,
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that is the key.
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I'm really happy to share my experiences today I hope this helps everyone think about their own habits,
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too Me too Tom.
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This is going to be a great journey
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Welcome back now that we know what self-control is let's look at how it shows up in our real everyday lives
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Sometimes we think self-control has to be a giant hero moment,
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but it's actually in the tiny things.
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For me, the biggest battle starts the moment the sun comes up.
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Oh?
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Let me guess.
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The alarm clock.
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Exactly.
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Waking up early is my first test of self-control every single day.
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Sometimes I want to sleep for just 10 more minutes,
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especially on those dark, cold mornings.
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It's so tempting to stay under the warm blankets.
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But I tell myself, Alice,
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you need to start your day.
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Taking that first step out of bed is a small win for my self-control.
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I totally understand that.
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For me, the challenge starts when I sit down at my desk.
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It's the phone.
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I love watching videos and checking social media,
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and before I know it, an hour is gone.
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Oh, the smartphone trap.
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We all know that one.
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It's tough.
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So I've started practicing self-control by limiting my phone use.
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When I work or study,
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I actually put my phone in a different room.
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It was really difficult at first.
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I felt like I was missing something.
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But it gets easier with time.
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Now I am so much more productive.
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It feels great to finish a task without being distracted every two minutes.
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That is a huge victory, Tom.
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Excited.
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I do something similar when I feel lazy about studying.
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I tell myself, okay, just sit down for 10 minutes.
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Usually, once I start, I can keep going.
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Even 10 minutes is a win.
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Only 10 minutes?
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That's a great tip for our listeners.
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It makes the task feel much smaller and less scary.
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Exactly.
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It's all about managing that initial I-don't-want-to feeling.
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Thinking, another big one for me is food.
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I have a massive sweet tooth.
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I see a piece of chocolate cake and my self-control just wants to run away.
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I think we are the same person, Alice.
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I love fast food, but I try to choose healthy options during the week.
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It's hard, right?
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Expressive tone.
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I don't say no to the cake forever,
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but I try to eat just a small amount.
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It's about being careful with our health while still enjoying life.
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These small choices we make with our phones,
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our sleep, and our food,
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they add up to a big change.
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They really do.
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Every time you say not now to a distraction or a bad habit,
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you're making your self-control muscles stronger.
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Well said, Tom.
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We're just getting started.
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We are back.
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Now, Tom, we've talked about waking up and phone habits,
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but self-control goes even deeper than that.
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It's also about how we treat our bodies and even how we use our money.
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Oh, boy, you're hitting the difficult topics now, Alice.
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But you're right.
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For me, exercise is a big one.
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After a long day of work,
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I often feel so tired.
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All I want to do is sit on the sofa and do absolutely nothing.
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I think we all feel that way sometimes.
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How do you push through?
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Well, I use my self-control to just move.
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I tell myself that even a short 10-minute walk is better than nothing.
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And you know what?
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Once I'm outside breathing the fresh air,
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my mind feels so much clearer.
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Self-control helps me choose what is good for my body even when my brain is screaming,
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stay on the couch.
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That's the spirit.
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It's the same with time management.
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Sometimes I want to watch TV all evening,
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but I know I have work to finish.
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I've learned that if I use self-control to finish my tasks first,
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I can relax later without any worry hanging over my head.
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It makes the relaxation feel so much better because I earned it.
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That's a great point.
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It's like a reward for your hard work.
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Speaking of rewards, what about spending?
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I used to be terrible with money.
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I'd go to the store and want to buy everything I saw.
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Shopping can be very dangerous for self-control.
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It really can.
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Now, before I buy something,
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I stop and ask myself,
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Tom, do you actually need this or do you just want it right now?
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Usually the answer is that I just want it.
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That little moment of self-control saves me a lot of money every month.
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That is so wise, Tom.
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And there's one more area where self-control is vital,
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and it's one people often forget.
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Our emotions.
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Oh, that's a big one.
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Yes.
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Sometimes I feel angry or upset.
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In the past, I might have said something mean or yelled,
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but now I try to take a deep breath and think before I speak.
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It's not easy.
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My heart beats fast and I want to react.
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But staying calm is the ultimate form of self-control.
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It helps our relationships stay strong.
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I agree completely.
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I also try to practice self-control while listening.
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Sometimes I want to interrupt people because I'm excited to talk.
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But I tell myself to wait and truly hear what they are saying.
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It's a small action, but it shows so much respect.
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Look at us.
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We're managing our health, our money, and our words.
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We're becoming masters of ourselves.
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Welcome back, everyone.
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We have talked about what self-control is and where we see it in our lives.
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But now, let's get practical.
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How do we actually get better at it?
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It's like going to the gym for your brain.
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Exactly.
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And just like the gym,
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you shouldn't try to lift the heaviest weight on your first day.
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For me, the best way to start is with small goals.
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I used to try and change everything at once.
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I'd say, I'm going to exercise for two hours,
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eat only salad, and work for 10 hours straight.
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Of course, I failed by lunchtime.
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Oh, we've all been there, Tom.
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That is just too much pressure.
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It really is.
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So now I start small.
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If I want to build a study habit,
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I start with just 15 minutes.
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It feels so easy that I can't say no. These tiny steps help me build a foundation without feeling overwhelmed.
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That is a brilliant tip.
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I do something similar with my environment.
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Did you know that your surroundings can actually make self-control easier or harder?
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Hmm, I think I see what you mean.
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Like my phone being in another room?
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Exactly.
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I keep my desk very clean and quiet.
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If my desk is messy,
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my mind feels messy too.
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If I remove distractions like snacks or my phone,
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I don't even have to use much self-control because the temptation isn't there.
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We should make our environment work for us, not against us.
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That makes so much sense.
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Another thing that helps me is a routine.
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When I do the same things at the same time every day,
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it becomes a habit.
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I don't have to decide to be disciplined anymore.
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I just do it automatically.
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It saves so much mental energy.
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Yes, routines are like a secret weapon.
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And don't forget about rewards!
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Thinking, when I finish a hard task,
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I give myself a little treat,
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maybe a five-minute break to listen to my favorite song or a small piece of fruit.
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I love that idea.
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Rewards make the hard work feel worth it.
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We just have to make sure the rewards stay small so they don't become a new distraction.
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Very true.
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And finally, I always try to keep my why in mind.
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When I want to eat something unhealthy,
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I remind myself of my goal to feel energetic and strong.
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Focusing on the big picture helps the small struggles feel much easier to manage.
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Small goals, a clean environment, routines, and rewards.
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That's a great toolkit, Alice.
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I think if our listeners try even one of these they will see a difference.
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I agree.
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It's all about moving forward, step by step.
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Welcome back.
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Now, we have to be honest.
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Even with a great toolkit,
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things don't always go perfectly, do they?
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There are days when self-control feels almost impossible.
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Oh, absolutely.
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Let's talk about the monsters of self-control.
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For me, the biggest one is laziness.
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Some mornings I just don't want to do anything.
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I look at my to-do lists and I just want to hide under the covers.
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On those days, my brain is my own worst enemy.
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I feel that so much.
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How do you fight back when you're feeling that way?
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I've learned that the hardest part is just the first two minutes.
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If I can just stand up or just open my laptop,
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the laziness starts to fade.
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I tell myself, just start.
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Usually, once I'm moving, I'm okay.
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But man, that first step feels like climbing a mountain.
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A mountain in your pajamas.
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For me, the challenge is stress.
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When I'm worried or overwhelmed, my self-control just disappears.
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I start wanting to eat snacks or waste time on my phone just to escape the feeling.
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Oh, you too?
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I do the exact same thing.
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I think when we are stressed,
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our brains look for easy happiness.
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Exactly.
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So now I try to manage the stress first.
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I take a few deep breaths or go for a short walk to calm my mind.
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Once the stress is lower, my self-control comes back.
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We have to listen to our feelings before we can control our actions.
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That is so important.
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And Alice, I have to contrast something.
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I struggle with being too strict with myself.
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If I If I miss one day of exercise or eat one cookie,
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I feel like a total failure.
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I used to think, well,
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I already messed up, so I might as well give up for the rest of the week.
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Oh, Tom, that's the perfectionism trap.
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Softly, I used to do that too.
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But we have to remember,
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self-control isn't about being a robot.
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It's about being human.
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If you fall down, you just get back up.
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Making a mistake doesn't mean you've failed,
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it just means you're learning.
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I'm trying to be kinder to myself now.
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I accept the mistake and try again the next day.
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It makes me feel much stronger and less likely to quit.
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Exactly.
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And remember, when you're tired,
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your self-control is naturally lower.
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Thinking, taking care of your sleep and your health is like charging your self-control battery.
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batteries empty, you can't expect the machine to work.
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My battery definitely needs more charging sometimes.
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But identifying these challenges – laziness,
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stress, and perfectionism – is the first step to beating them.
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Well said, Tom.
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We are almost at the end of our journey.
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And here we are, everyone,
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the final part of our podcast.
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Time has just flown by.
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We We have covered everything from waking up early to battling the laziness monster.
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But as we wrap up,
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I want to talk about the most important thing of all, patience.
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Oh, definitely.
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Patience is everything.
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You know, Alice, sometimes I see people on the internet who seem to have perfect lives and perfect self-control.
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They wake up at 4am,
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run marathons, and eat only kale.
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It used to make me feel so bad about myself.
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I thought I was moving too slowly.
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It's so easy to compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel, isn't it?
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But self-control is a personal journey.
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Everyone has their own speed.
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You don't need to be like that person on the internet.
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You just need to be a little bit better than you were yesterday.
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That's exactly what I tell myself now.
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I focus on consistency rather than speed.
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a little bit every single day,
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even if it's just five minutes of English practice or a short walk,
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is so much better than doing a lot for one day and then stopping for a month.
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It's the small drops of water that eventually fill the bucket.
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I love that image.
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It really is about the long road.
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If you stay patient and keep trying,
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those small habits will eventually become a part of who you are.
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You won't even have to think about them anymore.
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Exactly.
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It's been so great talking about this with you, Alice.
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I've actually learned a few things myself today.
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I hope our listeners feel encouraged.
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If you made a mistake today, don't worry.
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Tomorrow is a brand new chance to practice your self-control.
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Well said, Tom.
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Thank you for being such an open and honest guest.
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And to our wonderful listeners,
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thank you for joining us on the Tom English Podcast.
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We hope you learned some useful new words and,
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more importantly, some simple ways to take charge of your life.
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Yes, thank you, everyone.
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Keep practicing your English and your self-control.
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You're doing a great job already just by being here and listening.
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That's right.
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Taking the time to listen to a podcast is an act of self-control in itself.
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We're so proud of you.
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Until next time, take care of yourselves and keep moving forward.
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Goodbye, everyone.
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Goodbye.
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See you in the next episode.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will delve into the concept of self-control, an essential skill that affects various aspects of daily life. Through engaging dialogue, you will explore how self-control can help in managing actions, feelings, and habits. As a beginner, the pace will be slow, clear, and simple, making it easy for you to follow along and absorb the information. By focusing on this topic, you will also practice your listening and speaking skills, which are crucial for effective communication in English.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Self-control - The ability to manage one's actions, feelings, and habits.
- Captain of your own ship - A metaphor for taking charge of your life and decisions.
- Good choices - Decisions that lead to positive outcomes.
- Pesky bad habits - Unwanted behaviors that are hard to avoid.
- Practice and improve - The idea that self-control is a skill that can be developed over time.
- Feeling of achievement - The satisfaction gained from completing tasks and reaching goals.
- Balance - Finding the midpoint between being overly strict and lacking control.
Practice Tips
To effectively use the shadowing technique while practicing this lesson, pay attention to the natural flow of the conversation between Alice and Tom. Here are some tips to enhance your learning experience:
- Start slowly: Since the podcast is designed for beginners, focus on mimicking the speakers' tone and rhythm. Repeat after each sentence to get the pronunciation and intonation right.
- Focus on emotions: As you shadow speech, try to convey the same emotions the speakers express. This will help you convey meaning more effectively in your own speaking practice.
- Break it down: If a section feels too lengthy, pause the video and practice smaller phrases or sentences. This will aid in assimilating vocabulary within context.
- Regular practice: Consistency is key; dedicate a few minutes each day to shadowspeaks from the podcast. This will help strengthen your speaking skills over time.
- Record yourself: Listen to your recordings to identify areas of improvement. This self-assessment is valuable for progressing in your IELTS speaking practice.
Embrace the journey of understanding self-control and enhance your English speaking skills through dedicated practice in a structured yet engaging manner!
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.
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