Shadowing Practice: Stop Comparing, Start Growing | English Motivation for Beginners ｜ Easy English Conversation - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Enjoy English Talks, where every conversation helps you learn.
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I'm Judy.
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Hello, Judy.
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Hello, everyone.
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I'm Jake.
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How are you today, Judy?
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I am good today, thank you.
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I went for a nice walk this morning.
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The sun was warm and the birds were singing.
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It was a perfect morning.
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And you, Jake?
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I am okay.
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Not great, not terrible, just okay.
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Just okay?
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That doesn't sound like you, Jake.
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What happened?
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Well, last night I was looking at my phone on social media and I saw a video.
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A man from my country.
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He speaks perfect English.
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Perfect.
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Like a movie star.
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Okay.
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And he started learning English only two years ago.
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Two years.
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And his English is already so good, so natural, so easy.
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And how did that make you feel?
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Terrible.
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I felt terrible because I started learning English a long time ago, and I am still making mistakes.
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I am still thinking before I speak.
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And this man, two years, and he sounds perfect.
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Jake, I understand that feeling, and I think many of our listeners understand it too.
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You do?
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Yes, and that feeling has a name.
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Today we are going to talk about it, and I am going to share an idea with you, a very important idea.
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An important idea?
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Tell me.
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Today we are talking about comparing yourself to other people and why you should stop,
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because the only person you should compare yourself to is yesterday's you.
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Yesterday's me?
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What does that mean?
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It means don't look at other people.
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Look at yourself, yesterday, and today.
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That is where your real story is.
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But first, we have a small request.
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Yes.
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If you like our podcast, please click the like button.
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Please subscribe to enjoy English talks.
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And share this episode with your friends and family.
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Thank you.
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It helps us so much.
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We love our listeners.
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Okay.
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Now, let's start.
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So, Jake, you saw a man on social media.
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He speaks great English, and you felt bad about yourself.
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Yes, I felt like I'm not good enough, like I am too slow.
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Let me teach you a word first.
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Compare.
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C-O-M-P-A-R-E.
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Compare.
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Compare?
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What does compare mean?
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Compare means to look at two things and see the difference.
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You looked at his English, then you looked at your English, and you saw the difference.
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That is comparing.
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I compared myself to him, and I lost.
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You didn't lose, Jake, but comparing can make you feel like you lost, because when you compare, you only see what the other person has.
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You don't see what you have.
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That is true.
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I only saw his perfect English.
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I didn't think about my own progress.
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And that is the problem with comparing.
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It hides your progress.
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It makes you blind to your own story.
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Now, let me teach you another word.
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Jealous.
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J-E-A-L-O-U-S.
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Jealous.
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Jealous.
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What does jealous mean?
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Jealous is the feeling you get when someone has something you want.
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You see their success, and you feel bad.
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Not because they are bad, but because you want it too.
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Jealous.
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I was jealous of that man.
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He has what I want.
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Good English.
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And jealous is a very normal feeling.
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Everyone feels jealous sometimes, but here's the problem.
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Jealous looks at other people.
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It never looks at you.
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It says, look at them, look at what they have, but it never says, look at you, look how far you have come.
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It's like a window.
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I'm always looking through the window at other people, but I never look in the mirror.
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That is a beautiful way to say it, Jake, a window and a mirror.
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And today, I want you to put down the window and pick up the mirror.
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Look at myself not at others.
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Exactly and that's our big idea today.
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Compare yourself to yesterday not to other people.
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Only to yesterday's you.
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Let me show you what I mean with three stories from real life.
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Three stories.
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I'm ready.
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Story one.
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Your English.
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My English?
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Oh, no. Oh, yes.
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Jake, I want you to think back one year ago.
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Think about your English one year ago.
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Um, one year ago.
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One year ago, could you understand this podcast?
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Honestly?
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No. I think I could understand maybe 50%, maybe less. And today?
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Today, I understand almost everything.
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Maybe 90 percent.
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From 50 to 90 percent.
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That is huge, Jake.
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That's real progress.
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P-R-O-G-R-E-S-S.
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Progress.
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Progress.
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What does progress mean exactly?
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Progress means moving forward, getting better, step by step.
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Not jumping to the finish line, but walking.
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One step, then another step.
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Every step is progress.
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50% to 90%.
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That's a lot of steps.
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Now, think about one year ago.
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Could you introduce yourself in English?
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One year ago, I could say, my name is Jake, and then nothing.
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My brain was empty, like a white page. And now?
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Now I can tell you about my family, my job, my dog Max, my hobbies, my weekend plans.
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I can ask questions.
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I can tell a story.
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I can even make jokes.
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You just listed seven things, Jake.
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Seven things you can do now that you couldn't do one year ago.
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That is your progress.
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That is your story.
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Not the man on social media.
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Your story.
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When you say it like that, it sounds very different.
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Because when you compare yourself to yesterday, you see growth.
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When you compare yourself to others, you only see the gap, the difference.
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And the gap makes you feel small.
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But your growth, your growth is real and it is yours.
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Compare yourself to yesterday.
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I like that.
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Story 2.
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Exercise.
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Exercise.
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What does exercise have to do with comparing?
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Everything.
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Let me ask you something.
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Have you ever tried running?
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Running?
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Yes, once.
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Last year.
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My friend Tom said, let's run in the park.
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Easy, he said.
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Fun, he said. And?
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I ran for five minutes.
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Five minutes, and I stopped.
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I couldn't breathe.
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My legs felt like rocks. And Tom?
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Tom ran for 30 minutes without stopping.
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And how did you feel?
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Terrible.
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I thought, I am so weak.
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Tom is strong and I am weak.
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You compared yourself to Tom?
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Yes, and I stopped running after that day.
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I said, running isn't for me.
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But what if you compared yourself to yesterday instead?
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On day one, you ran for five minutes.
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What if on day two, you ran for six minutes?
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six minutes only one more minute but
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that one minute is progress yesterday five today six you are better than yesterday
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and day three maybe seven minutes maybe
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and after one month maybe 15 minutes after three months maybe
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25 you don't need to run like Tom you need to run better than yesterday's Jake.
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Yesterday's Jake ran for five minutes.
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Today's Jake will run for six.
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And here is the magic Jake.
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One day, maybe after six months, you will run for 30 minutes, and you will think, how did I get here?
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The answer is simple.
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One minute at a time.
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One minute at a time.
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Not by watching Tom run.
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Exactly.
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Tom's journey is Tom's journey.
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Your journey is your journey.
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Journey.
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What does journey mean?
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A journey is a long trip, a path you walk.
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Your life is a journey.
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Your English is a journey.
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Your health is a journey.
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And every journey is different.
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Some people walk fast.
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Some people walk slow.
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But everyone is walking, and that is what matters.
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My journey, my pace, not Tom's pace.
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Pace.
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Great word, Jake.
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P-A-C-E.
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Pace means how fast or slow you go.
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Your pace is your own, and your pace is perfect for you.
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My pace is perfect for me, even if it is slow?
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Even if it is slow.
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Slow progress is still progress.
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A small step is still a step.
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Story 3.
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Everyday life.
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Everyday life?
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Like cooking and cleaning?
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Yes.
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Let me tell you about my brother.
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You know my brother.
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He's funny and kind.
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Yes, I remember.
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Your younger brother.
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Last month, he told me, Judy, I feel bad.
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My apartment is always messy.
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My friend's apartment is always clean, like a magazine photo.
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And I look at my apartment and I think, what is wrong with me?
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He compared his apartment to his friend's apartment.
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Exactly.
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But I asked him, was your apartment messy last month? And?
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He said, yes, very messy.
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Clothes on the floor, dishes in the sink, papers everywhere.
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That sounds like my apartment sometimes.
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Then I asked, and today?
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He said, well, today it is better.
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I cleaned the kitchen, I organized my desk, I washed all the dishes.
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So it is better than before.
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Much better.
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But he didn't see it because he was looking through the window at his friend's perfect apartment, not in the mirror at his own improvement.
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The window and the mirror again.
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I told him, stop looking at your friend.
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Look at last month.
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Last month, your kitchen was dirty.
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This month, it is clean.
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That is progress.
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That is growth.
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That is you getting better.
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And what did he say?
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He said, you're right, Judy.
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I didn't see it because I was too busy looking at someone else.
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That is exactly how I felt about the Englishman on social media.
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I was too busy looking at him.
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I forgot to look at myself.
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Now, let me give you three secrets, three ways to compare yourself to yesterday and feel good about your progress.
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Three secrets.
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Let's go.
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Secret number one.
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Keep a small record.
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A small record.
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Like a diary?
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Yes, but very simple.
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Every week, write down one thing you can do now that you couldn't do before.
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Just one.
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It can be very small.
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Like what?
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Like, this week I understood a joke in English.
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Or, this week I ordered food in English without help.
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Or, this week I listened to a podcast and I didn't need subtitles.
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Those are small things.
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Small things are big things.
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When you write them down, you can see your progress.
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You can look back after one month and see 10 things.
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After three months, 30 things.
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And you will think, I am growing.
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I am really growing.
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One thing every week.
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I can do that.
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I will start today.
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And when you feel jealous, when you see someone on social media and you feel bad, open your record.
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Read it.
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See your progress.
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Your progress, not theirs.
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My progress in my own record.
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That is secret one.
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Secret number two, your only competition is yesterday.
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My only competition is yesterday, not other people?
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Not other people.
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Think of it this way, Jake.
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Other people started at different places.
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They have different lives, different teachers, different amounts of time, different brains.
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Comparing yourself to them is like comparing a fish to a bird.
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A fish and a bird?
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A fish swims.
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A bird flies.
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The fish looks at the bird and says, I can't fly.
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I am terrible.
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But the fish can swim.
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The fish is amazing at swimming.
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The fish just forgot to look at what it can do.
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Haha.
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I am a fish looking at birds on social media.
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Yes, and you are a wonderful fish.
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You can swim beautifully, but you forgot because you were watching the birds.
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So secret two, your only competition is yesterday.
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Ask yourself one question every day.
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Am I a little better than yesterday?
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Am I a little better than yesterday?
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If the answer is yes...
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Then you are winning.
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You are winning your own race at your own pace.
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My own race.
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My own pace.
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I like that.
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Secret number three.
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Celebrate your steps.
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Celebrate?
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Like a party?
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Not a big party.
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A small celebration inside your heart.
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When you do something new, stop for one moment.
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Maybe you understand a new word.
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Maybe you finish a lesson.
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Maybe you speak to someone in English.
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Stop and say to yourself, I did that.
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I am proud of myself.
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I am proud of myself.
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That feels strange to say.
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It feels strange because we don't say it enough.
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We always say, I'm not good enough.
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I'm too slow.
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But we never say, I did a good job today.
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I am growing.
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You're right.
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I always think about what I can't do.
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I never think about what I can do.
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So, secret number three, celebrate your steps.
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every step even the tiny ones because every step means you're moving forward
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and moving forward is progress and progress is beautiful celebrate my steps even the tiny ones
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and now i want to talk to everyone listening right now
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yes this part is for you you are listening to this podcast right now in english think about
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that one year ago maybe two years ago could you do
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this could you listen to two people talking in English for 15 minutes and understand?
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Maybe not.
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Maybe it was too fast.
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Maybe too many new words.
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But today, you are here.
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You are listening.
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You are understanding.
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That is your progress.
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That is your journey.
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And nobody can take that away from you.
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Nobody.
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It is yours.
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Maybe you saw someone on social media today.
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Someone with perfect English.
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Someone who seems so far ahead of you.
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And maybe you felt jealous.
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Maybe you felt small.
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We understand that feeling.
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We really do.
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But I want you to do something right now.
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Close your eyes for one second and think about where you were one year ago.
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Think about the words you didn't know, the sentences you couldn't say, the conversations you couldn't have.
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And now open your eyes.
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Now open your eyes and look at where you are today.
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You know more words.
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You understand more.
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You can do more.
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That is real.
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That is your progress.
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And it is beautiful.
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You aren't behind.
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You are on your own journey.
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At your own pace.
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And your pace is perfect.
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Don't compare yourself to others.
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Compare yourself to yesterday.
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And you will see you are growing every single day.
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Every single day.
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One step at a time.
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You are doing an amazing job.
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Keep going.
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Keep listening.
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Keep practicing.
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And remember, you only need to be better than yesterday.
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That is enough.
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You are enough.
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Okay, let's review.
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Yes, let's see what we learned.
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Today we talked about comparing yourself to yesterday, not to other people.
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Yes, don't compare yourself to other people, only to yesterday.
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Good.
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And jealous hides your real progress.
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And progress is moving forward at your own pace on your own journey.
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Perfect.
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You remembered everything.
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I learned a lot today.
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And I loved sharing this with you.
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Well, that's all the time we have for today.
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Thank you so much for listening to Enjoy English Talks.
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Yes, thank you everyone.
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It was fun.
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Please subscribe to Enjoy English Talks.
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Give this episode a like.
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And share it with a friend.
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Now, we have a question for you today.
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Yes, please leave a comment below.
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Tell us, what can you do in English now that you couldn't do before?
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We would love to read your answers.
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See you next time.
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Bye everyone.
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Keep practicing your English.
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What You'll Practice in This Lesson
Get ready to boost your English speaking practice with a relatable, easy conversation about growth and motivation. In this video, you’ll follow a natural dialogue between Judy and Jake, learning how to talk about feelings, social media experiences, and personal progress. You’ll practice understanding everyday phrases, improving your listening skills, and even try shadow speak—repeating lines to match the tone and rhythm. It’s a perfect way to build confidence while learning meaningful life lessons!
Key Vocabulary & Phrases to Master
- Perfect morning: A great, enjoyable start to the day (e.g., “I had a perfect morning with coffee and sunshine”).
- Social media: Platforms like Facebook or Instagram where people share content (e.g., “I saw her photo on social media”).
- Making mistakes: Doing something incorrectly (e.g., “It’s okay to make mistakes when learning a language”).
- Compare yourself to: Judge your progress against others (e.g., “Don’t compare yourself to friends—focus on your own path”).
- Yesterday’s you: Your past self (e.g., “Today’s you is better than yesterday’s you!”).
Practice Tips for Shadowing Success
The video’s speed is slow and clear, making it ideal for shadow speech. Here’s how to practice: First, listen to a short line (3-5 seconds) and pause. Then, repeat it immediately, copying the intonation—Judy’s warm tone and Jake’s slightly sad but honest voice. Focus on matching the rhythm, even if you miss a word. Do this 3-5 times per line. For phrases like “I am still thinking before I speak,” pay attention to the natural pauses. This helps you speak more fluently. Remember, the goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress. By shadowing daily, you’ll notice your confidence grow, and soon, you’ll be having easy conversations too. Keep going—yesterday’s you would be proud!
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 | have come · Have you ever tried |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | started learning · stopped running · stop looking |
| Comparatives -er than / more … than — comparing two things | better than |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | were singing · was looking · were watching |
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.