Shadowing Practice: If you’re not motivated, do this. - Learn English Speaking with Video
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57 sentences
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I think there's really only one thing separating you from you and the life that you really want to live.
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I know exactly how it feels to have these big goals and dreams, but I have no clue how to actually reach them.
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It seems like years keep passing and I make very little progress.
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Trust me when I tell you I'm not here to waste your time.
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I've seen a lot of similar videos to this one.
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They got me inspired for maybe a day and then that motivation went away again.
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So is there actually a solution to all this?
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Or are you always going to feel overwhelmed by your goals and your dreams?
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The video you're watching right now almost didn't get recorded at all.
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I thought, this idea has already been made.
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No need for me to waste my time in trying to make my own version.
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But then I thought, no. This is something I really want to say.
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This message has actually had an impact on my life.
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So why would I not say this if I truly believed it could help someone or even change their life?
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So I've been trying really hard to figure out what it is exactly that prevents me from making progress on something
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Especially my goals and dreams and I think I figured it out
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Lack of motivation always seems to be the thing that prevents me from moving forward and that lack of motivation
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Usually comes from not feeling motivated.
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I think that's the major flaw
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I was letting my feelings dictate what I was able to accomplish instead of actually taking action.
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If I take action on a creative idea, my feelings will normally follow.
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But if I wait to feel inspired to take action, I usually don't act at all.
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You can't control when you're gonna feel inspired, but you can control when you're gonna actually start doing something and take action.
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When it comes to my goals, if I zoom out too far and think about the big picture too much, I don't accomplish anything at all.
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But when I focus on one thing and accomplish one small thing, I'm able to be productive.
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That's the key.
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Taking action first.
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Not waiting for the perfect moment.
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Not waiting for motivation to magically show up.
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Just starting.
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Because momentum doesn't come from waiting.
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It comes from doing.
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Think about it.
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How many times have you sat around waiting to feel inspired only to waste hours scrolling
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and procrastinating or convincing yourself that now just isn't the right time?
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That's the cycle that keeps you stuck.
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That's the cycle that kept me stuck.
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But the moment you begin, even when you don't feel like it, something shifts.
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Your brain kicks into gear and your energy always seems to follow.
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One small step leads to another.
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So instead of overthinking, instead of waiting to feel ready, just take one small step.
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The thing is, I can't tell you exactly what that step is for you, but I think if you thought about it,
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you could figure out one small thing to do today that would move you in a positive direction.
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It could even change your life.
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Because here's the truth, it doesn't have to be perfectly planned out and strategic.
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It just has to begin.
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And once you do, the inspiration will come.
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The energy will follow.
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It always does.
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So what is the one thing that's separating you from you and the life you know you want to live?
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It's taking action.
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The difference between those who actually create and make things versus those who only dream about creating is taking action.
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It's taking that first step.
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The sad truth is, most of you watching this right now may not even take that first step.
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If there's one thing that I can encourage you with as someone who doesn't know you, will probably never know you,
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but who wants the best for you is this.
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Today, take one small step in actually doing something, and not just dreaming about it.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “If you’re not motivated, do this”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: action, step, waiting, motivation, inspired. This video has 57 sentences and 685 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:29. The speaker talks fast, about 196 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 90% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| motivation noun | /ˈmoʊ.tə.veɪ.ʃən/ | Willingness of action especially in behavior. |
| inspire verb | /ɪnˈspaɪə(ɹ)/ | To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by… |
| accomplish verb | /əˈkɑm.plɪʃ/ | To finish successfully. |
| gear noun | /ɡɪɚ/ | Equipment or paraphernalia, especially that used for an athletic endeavor. |
| encourage verb | /ɪnˈkʌɹ.ɪd͡ʒ/ | To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit. |
| strategic adjective | /stɹəˈti.dʒɪk/ | Of or pertaining to strategy. |
| inspiration noun | /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/ | The drawing of air into the lungs, accomplished in mammals by elevation of the chest walls and flattening of the diaphragm, as part of the act of breathing. |
| versus | /ˈvɝsəs/ | Against; in opposition to. |
| convince verb | /kənˈvɪns/ | To make someone believe, or feel sure about something, especially by using logic, argument or evidence. |
| productive adjective | /pɹəˈdʌk.tɪv/ | Capable of producing something, especially in abundance; fertile. |
| clue noun | /kluː/ | Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion. |
| momentum noun | /ˌmə(ʊ)ˈmɛntəm/ | Of a body in motion: the tendency of a body to maintain its inertial motion; the product of its mass and velocity, or the vector sum of the products of its… |
| scroll noun | /skɹoʊl/ | A roll of paper or parchment; a writing formed into a roll. |
| zoom verb | /zuːm/ | To move fast with a humming noise. |
| flaw noun | /flɔ/ | A crack or breach, a gap or fissure; a defect of continuity or cohesion. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| figure out verb | To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce. | |
| go away verb | To depart or leave a place. | |
| move forward verb | To cause to make progress. | |
| plan out verb | to plan, organize, make a plan for something | |
| show up verb | To appear, arrive, or attend, especially suddenly or erratically. | |
| sit around verb | To spend time sitting idly, not doing anything important. | |
| zoom out verb | /ˌzuːm ˈaʊt/ | To decrease the focal length of a zoom lens in order to obtain a reduced magnification of the image, or a wider-angle view. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've seen · has already been made · has actually had |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | those who actually · someone who doesn |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will normally · will come · will follow |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | you're watching · is taking |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 19 contractions and reduced forms, such as doesn't, don't, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: motivation /ˈmoʊ.tə.veɪ.ʃən/, accomplish /əˈkɑm.plɪʃ/, inspiration /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: motivation /ˈmoʊ.tə.veɪ.ʃən/, inspiration /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/, momentum /ˌmə(ʊ)ˈmɛntəm/, procrastinate /pɹoʊˈkɹæs.tə.neɪt/
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 motivation, inspire, accomplish.
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.