Shadowing Practice: Self Improvement & Success: 1% Daily Habits That Change Your Life Forever - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
B1
Once in a small village, there lived a young boy named Kabir.
269 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Once in a small village, there lived a young boy named Kabir.
2
He was 20 years old.
3
He was smart and polite.
4
Everyone liked him.
5
But Kabir had one big problem.
6
He wanted big success, but he did nothing every day.
7
He made plans, but never started.
8
He waited for the perfect moment.
9
That moment never came.
10
Kabir finished college six months ago.
11
Now he sat at home doing nothing.
12
He lived with his parents and younger brother.
13
His father worked hard in the fields.
14
His mother took care of the house.
15
They had hopes for Kabir.
16
But days passed, and Kabir did nothing.
17
He read books about self-improvement, he watched videos about personal growth, he made personal development plans in his mind,
18
but he never took action.
19
He believed small steps did not matter.
20
He thought he needed to do something big to succeed.
21
He saw his friends moving forward.
22
Kabir felt jealous, but still he did nothing.
23
Every night he made promises.
24
Tomorrow I will start.
25
Tomorrow I will change everything.
26
But morning came, and nothing changed.
27
He wanted to exercise, but he never joined a gym.
28
He wanted to learn new self-development skills, but he said, I will start next month.
29
He wanted to wake up early, but he thought, what is the point of one day?
30
He kept sleeping late.
31
Days turned into weeks.
32
Kabir felt frustrated.
33
He felt disappointed in himself.
34
His parents did not say much, but he saw their faces.
35
Neighbors asked his father what Kabir is doing these days.
36
His father smiled and said, he is looking for the right opportunity.
37
But Kabir knew the truth.
38
He was wasting time.
39
If nothing changed, he would waste his youth.
40
His friends would move ahead.
41
His parents would lose hope.
42
His dreams would die slowly.
43
One evening, his grandfather sat with him under the old tree.
44
His grandfather was a wise old man.
45
He looked at Kabir and said to my son, Big trees do not grow in one day.
46
They grow a little bit every single day.
47
You cannot see it, but it is happening.
48
Kabir listened politely, but he did not understand.
49
His grandfather's words seemed too simple.
50
Kabir ignored the advice.
51
His mother saw him wasting months.
52
He was worried.
53
One morning he took him to Baba Guru.
54
Baba Guru was an old wise man in the village.
55
He was around 65 years old.
56
Many young people learned from him.
57
Many successful people said Baba Guru helped them find direction.
58
Kabir expected lectures and scolding.
59
But when he met Baba Guru, he was surprised.
60
Baba Guru wore simple clothes.
61
His face was calm.
62
He had a gentle smile.
63
He just looked at Kabir kindly.
64
Then he said, come tomorrow morning at six.
65
Bring a notebook.
66
Kabir felt confused but curious.
67
The next morning, Kabir went to Baba Guru's small house.
68
Baba Guru gave him a plain notebook.
69
He said, every day, write down three small things you will do that day.
70
They must be tiny, so small you cannot fail.
71
Do them, then check them off.
72
Do this every single day for 30 days.
73
Do not miss even one day.
74
Kabir asked what kind of things.
75
Baba Guru said, simple things.
76
Drink one glass of water after waking up.
77
Read two pages of a book.
78
Do five push-ups.
79
Kabir laughed a little.
80
He said that is it.
81
These are too small.
82
This will not make me successful.
83
Baba Guru smiled.
84
He said just do it.
85
Trust me.
86
Kabir agreed.
87
He thought it was silly but it was too easy to fail.
88
The first three days went well.
89
Kabir wrote his three small tasks every morning.
90
He did them.
91
He checked them off.
92
He felt good but on day five he forgot.
93
He slept late.
94
He woke up late.
95
He skipped his tasks.
96
On day 7, he missed another day.
97
He felt a little guilty, but he made excuses.
98
By day 10, Kabir went back to Baba Guru.
99
He felt embarrassed.
100
He said I could not do it every day.
101
The tasks were so small, I kept forgetting.
102
Baba Guru did not get angry.
103
He just asked one question.
104
If you cannot do small things, how will you ever do big things?
105
Kabir had no answer.
106
He felt ashamed.
107
But he also felt curious.
108
Baba Guru explained.
109
Kabir, you think small actions do not matter.
110
But that is your mistake.
111
Success is not one big jump.
112
Success is one small step taken every single day.
113
If you improve just 1% every day in one year, you will be 37 times better.
114
Think of a plane.
115
If it changes direction by just one degree, After 1,000 miles, it lands in a completely different city.
116
Small changes create big results.
117
Kabir asked if small daily habits actually create big success.
118
Baba Guru nodded.
119
Yes, most people wait for big moments.
120
Winners create small habits.
121
That night, Kabir sat alone.
122
He thought about everything.
123
He realized he had been wrong all along.
124
He decided, I will do small things every day.
125
I will not wait anymore.
126
He did not know if it would work.
127
But he decided to trust the process.
128
Baba Guru said, come every week, show me your notebook, I will guide you.
129
Kabir started his daily routine.
130
He woke up at 6 in the morning.
131
Every morning, he wrote three tiny tasks in his notebook.
132
In week one, his tasks were simple, drink water, stretch for two minutes, make bed.
133
In week two, he added more.
134
Read five pages.
135
Write one paragraph.
136
In week three, he tried new things.
137
Learn three new words.
138
Help mother with one chore.
139
The tasks stayed small.
140
Always achievable.
141
Kabir focused on consistency.
142
He did not try to become perfect overnight.
143
Just 1% better every day.
144
Every night, he checked off completed tasks.
145
He felt small wins.
146
Some days were easy, some days were hard, but he did not stop.
147
This was his self-improvement daily routine, but it was not always easy.
148
In week two, Kabir got bored.
149
He thought, this is too slow.
150
In week three, his friends invited him to a late night party.
151
He went, he broke his routine the next day.
152
In week four, he felt like quitting.
153
Self-doubt crept in.
154
He thought, maybe I am not built for discipline.
155
He went to Babaguru.
156
Babaguru said, you are not the same.
157
You are 1% better than last week.
158
You just cannot see it yet.
159
Keep going.
160
Kabir continued.
161
Around day 25, things started changing.
162
Kabir's body felt stronger.
163
His mind felt clearer.
164
He spoke better.
165
His mother noticed.
166
He said, you have been waking up early.
167
I am proud of you.
168
His friends noticed too.
169
They said, Kabir, you seem different, more focused.
170
Kabir looked in the mirror.
171
He saw someone disciplined.
172
His confidence grew.
173
He thought, I did it.
174
I built habits.
175
Then something big happened.
176
A company came to the village.
177
They were looking for a young person to train for a job in the city.
178
They would interview 10 candidates.
179
Each candidate must present a 5-minute speech.
180
The topic was what makes you different.
181
This was a big opportunity.
182
Good job.
183
City life.
184
Success.
185
Everything Kabir dreamed of.
186
He had only three days to prepare.
187
But now Kabir was different.
188
He used his daily habit system to prepare.
189
On day one, he wrote one page of speech ideas.
190
Done.
191
On day two, he practiced speaking for 10 minutes.
192
Done.
193
On day three he practiced in front of his family.
194
Done.
195
The interview day arrived.
196
Kabir was nervous but ready.
197
His turn came.
198
He stood in front of the interviewers.
199
He spoke calmly.
200
He said, I am not the smartest person here.
201
I am not the most talented, but I have something different.
202
I have daily habits.
203
I improve 1% every day.
204
I do not wait for big moments.
205
I create small wins every single day.
206
If you hire me, I will show up every day and get better.
207
That is my promise.
208
The interviewers listened carefully.
209
They saw confidence.
210
They saw discipline.
211
Two days later, Kabir got a call.
212
He was selected.
213
His family celebrated.
214
His mother cried with joy.
215
His father hugged him.
216
His brother said, I want to be like you.
217
Kabir felt pride.
218
He did this.
219
His small habits led to big success.
220
He visited Baba Guru.
221
Baba Guru smiled and said, you did not just get a job, Kabir.
222
You became a different person.
223
Kabir realized the truth.
224
Before he was lazy and confused.
225
Before he waited for big moments.
226
Before he did nothing.
227
Now he was disciplined and focused.
228
Now he created small wins every day.
229
Now he was building his future.
230
Before he had dreams without action.
231
Now he had action with purpose.
232
Kabir was no longer the boy who does nothing.
233
He was the young man who keeps promises to himself.
234
His story spread in the village.
235
Young people asked him how did it.
236
Kabir showed them his notebook.
237
He showed them the tiny tasks.
238
He showed them the 1% improvement system.
239
Others started their own notebooks.
240
Kabir became an example of personal growth.
241
Baba Guru watched proudly.
242
Another life transformed.
243
Small steps.
244
Big results.
245
One evening before leaving for the city, Kabir sat under the old tree.
246
The sun was setting.
247
Birds flew home.
248
The air was cool.
249
He opened his old notebook.
250
He saw the first page.
251
Those tiny tasks that seemed so silly.
252
Now they seemed like gold.
253
He thought I was waiting for the perfect moment.
254
But the perfect moment was every single morning when I chose to do something small.
255
He smiled peacefully.
256
Tomorrow a new life begins, but the secret remains the same.
257
1% better every single day.
258
Maybe you are like Kabir.
259
Maybe you are waiting for the perfect time to start.
260
But the truth is, there is no perfect time.
261
Start small today.
262
Pick three tiny things.
263
Write them down. Do them.
264
Check them off.
265
One day, those small actions will become big results.
266
That is how success works.
267
That is how personal development happens.
268
If this story touched your heart, share it with someone who is waiting to start.
269
Let us grow together 1% every day.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Why practice speaking with this video?
Practicing speaking with the video "Self Improvement & Success: 1% Daily Habits That Change Your Life Forever" provides an excellent opportunity to enhance your English speaking skills within a motivational context. This story about Kabir not only captivates listeners but also introduces practical habits that encourage self-improvement. Engaging with this video allows learners to utilize shadow speak techniques, which focus on mimicking the speaker's tone, intonation, and pace.
By practicing with this content, you can:
- Develop fluency through repetitive speaking exercises that emulate real-life conversations.
- Gain confidence in expressing thoughts on personal development and success.
- Expand vocabulary related to motivation and daily habits.
- Understand the nuances of conversational English through relatable storytelling.
Overall, using this video as a speaking practice tool can lead to significant progress in your English skills while being inspired by its powerful message.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Throughout the video, several key expressions and grammatical structures are employed that can be incredibly useful for English learners:
- “He wanted big success, but he did nothing every day.” - This structure highlights the use of the past simple tense to discuss unfulfilled desires and aspirations.
- “Tomorrow I will start.” - The simple future tense here shows intention but also reflects procrastination, a common theme in self-improvement stories.
- “Days turned into weeks.” - This phrase uses the past simple tense to indicate the passage of time and emphasizes the importance of taking action.
- “Big trees do not grow in one day.” - A metaphorical expression that captures the essence of gradual growth and perseverance, ideal for discussing personal development.
Understanding and practicing these structures in context can improve your conversational English, making it easier to express complex ideas succinctly.
Common Pronunciation Traps
When shadowing the speaker in the video, pay special attention to the following pronunciation challenges:
- “Success” - Ensure clarity in the middle consonant sound; learners often slur this word.
- “Tomorrow” - Be mindful of the linking between syllables which may lead to a mispronunciation.
- “Habits” - The final sound can be tricky; make sure to articulate the 'ts' clearly.
- “Disappointed” - The stress on the syllable can cause confusion; practicing it separately may help in achieving clarity.
Utilizing a shadowing app or online shadowing site can facilitate this practice, allowing you to refine your pronunciation while immersing yourself in the content of the video.
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.
☕ Buy us a coffee
ShadowingEnglish remains 100% free thanks to your support. Server and AI costs are high — your coffee keeps us going! 🙏