Shadowing Practice: Oprah Winfrey: The Secret of My Success - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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My life is fueled by my being.
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Yep.
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And the being fuels the doing.
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So I come from a centered place.
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I come from a focused place.
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I come from compassion.
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It's just my nature.
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I come from a willingness to understand and to be understood.
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Right.
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And I come from wanting to, to, to connect.
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I mean, the secret of that show for 25 years is that people could see themselves in me.
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All over the world, they could see themselves in me.
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And even as I became more and more financially successful, which was a big surprise to me,
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I was like, oh my God, this is so exciting.
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You mean you got more than that 30,000?
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I got more than 30,000 by the time I was 30.
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So, so my, but what I realized is through the whole process,
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because I'm grounded in my own self, that although I could have more shoes,
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my feet stayed on the ground, although I was wearing better shoes.
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These are kind of cute today too.
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So I could keep my feet on the ground even though I could get more shoes.
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And I could understand, I could understand that it really was because I was grounded.
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I've, I've done the, was doing and continue to this day to do the consciousness work.
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I work at staying awake.
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And being awakened is just another word for spirituality, but spirituality throws people off and they think you mean religion.
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When I was hiring people for my company for own, looking for presidents, when people would come in, I'd say, tell me what is your spiritual practice?
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And literally, people would go, well, I'm not religious.
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I said, I didn't ask you about your religion.
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I asked you what's your spiritual practice.
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What do you do to take care of yourself?
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What do you do to keep yourself centered?
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What do you do to the, and one woman started crying.
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You know that's not the person.
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Right?
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That's a sign.
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That's a sign.
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So, so to answer your question, everything is fueled that comes from me really wanting to be a better person on Earth.
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And this is what I know to be true.
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The reason why the show worked is because I understood that that audience,
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my viewers, the people who watched us every day and would come and just like you all did, get tickets and they would come with their family.
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You all just came across campus, but that's good too.
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But people would come from all over the world just to be there with their aunts
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and their mothers and they'd come with their cousins and there'd be a few men in there going, what the hell
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or saying well I went to Oprah with you I went
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to Oprah at all at least get me clear for three
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or four weeks I went to Oprah with you I had such regard for
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that and I just had a conversation with John Mackey who runs Whole Foods
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and has written this fabulous book you should get it called conscious capitalism.
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And he was talking about how the investment in the stakeholders, the people who you are serving,
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that connection between the people who you're trying to serve
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and sell to is equally as important as the people who you're buying from, equally as important as the people who are, you know, supporting you financially,
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as your stockholders if you are, you know, you know, a public company.
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So I always understood that there really was no difference between me and the audience.
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At times I might have had better shoes, but at the core, the core of, of, of what really matters,
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that we are the same.
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And you know how I know that?
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Because all of us are seeking the same thing.
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You're here at this fabulous school and we'll go out into the world
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and each pursue based upon what you believe your talents are, what your skills are, are,
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maybe your gifts are, but you're seeking the same thing.
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Everybody wants to fulfill the highest, truest expression of yourself as a human being.
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That's what you're looking for.
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The highest, truest expression of yourself as a human being.
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And because I understand that, I understand that if you're working in a bakery and that's where you want to be, and that may be the,
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that may be what you've always wanted to do is to bake pies for people
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or bake cakes for people or to offer your gift, then, then that's, that's for you.
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And there's no difference between you and me, except that's how, that's your platform.
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That's your show every day.
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So my understanding of that has allowed me to, you know, to reach everyone.
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And, and there's no way that you wouldn't, because that's, that's what I truly feel.

Context & Background

In this inspiring dialogue, Oprah Winfrey shares insights into her life philosophy and the core values that have guided her remarkable career. From her grounded nature to her commitment to personal growth, Oprah emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and spiritual practice. She highlights that her success is not only measured by financial gain but also by her deep connection to her audience and her unwavering desire to foster understanding and compassion.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "I come from a centered place." - This phrase reflects the importance of stability and focus in one's life.
  • "I want to connect." - A simple yet profound expression that conveys the desire for meaningful interactions.
  • "What do you do to keep yourself centered?" - A thought-provoking question that encourages reflection on self-care practices.
  • "People could see themselves in me." - A reminder of the power of relatability in communication.
  • "Everything is fueled by wanting to be a better person." - A motivational statement that communicates the essence of personal growth.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively use the shadowing technique for this video, follow these steps to improve your English pronunciation and engage in effective English speaking practice:

  1. Watch Once: Start by watching the video without any distractions. Focus on Oprah's tone and facial expressions to get a feel for her message.
  2. Identify Key Segments: Pause the video at various points where Oprah shares impactful phrases. Use the phrases listed above as reference points.
  3. Use a Shadowing App: If you have access to a shadowing app, use it to repeat Oprah's words immediately after she speaks. This will help you internalize her cadence and pronunciation.
  4. Practice with Intent: Listen carefully and mimic not just her words but also her intonation and emotions. This aspect of shadowspeak is crucial for conveying meaning effectively.
  5. Reflect and Record: After practicing, try to record yourself saying the phrases. Compare your pronunciation with the original, making necessary adjustments to improve your English pronunciation.

By dedicating time to this structured practice, you can enhance your speaking abilities and develop better communication skills in English. Remember, the key to mastery is regular practice and a willingness to learn.

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.