Shadowing Practice: Warren Buffett's Life Advice Will Change You - One of the Greatest Speeches Ever | Berkshire 2023 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Good afternoon, Mr. Buffett, Mr. Munger.
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Good afternoon, Mr. Buffett, Mr. Munger.
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Could you please advise us on what major mistakes we should learn,
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we should avoid in both investing and in life?
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I would also like to have Mr. Munger's thoughts too, please.
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Thank you very much.
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Charlie said the major mistake you can make,
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then, you know, you're lucky being in the United States.
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Go around the world, you don't have a lot of choices in some places,
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but you should write your obituary and then try and figure out how to to live up to it.
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And that's something you get wiser on as you go along.
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The business mistakes,
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you just want to make sure you don't make any mistakes to take you out of the game
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or come close to taking you out of your game.
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You should never have a night when you're worried about investing.
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I mean, assuming you have any money to invest at all,
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you should spend a little bit less than you earn.
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And you can spend a little bit more than you earn
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and then then you've got debt and the chances are you'll never get out of debt.
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We'll make an exception in terms of of a mortgage on your house.
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But but credit card debt and we're in the credit card business big time
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and we'll stay in the credit card business
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but why get behind the game and if you're effectively paying 12 or 14
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or whatever percent you're paying on a credit card you know
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you're saying i'm going to earn more than 14 percent of money
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and if you can do that come to berkshire hathaway
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so it uh it's it's i hate to say this
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when charlie's around me but it's straight out of ben franklin i mean
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and uh it's not that complicated well i'll give you a couple lessons
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so you know tom murphy the first time i met him
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said two things to me he said you know always tell someone to go to hell tomorrow well
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that was great advice then and think of what great advice it is
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when you sit down at the computer
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and screw your life up forever by telling somebody to go to hell
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or something else in 30 seconds and you can't erase He said,
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you know, you haven't lost the option.
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And he said, you know,
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praise by name, criticize by category.
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Well, what makes more sense than that?
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I mean, who do you like that criticizes you all the time?
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And you don't need to vilify anybody to make your point on subject of discussion.
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And then I'll give you another general piece of advice.
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I've never known anybody that was basically kind that died without friends.
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And I've known plenty of people with money that have died without friends, including their family.
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But I've never known anybody.
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And, you know, I've seen a few people,
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including Tom Murphy, Sr., and maybe Junior,
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who's here, but certainly his dad.
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Hey, I never saw him.
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I watched him for 50 years.
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I never saw him do an unkind act.
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I didn't see him do very many stupid acts either.
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I mean, it wasn't that he was non-discriminating.
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He just decided that there was no reason to do it.
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And wow, what a difference that makes in life.
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Charlie?
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Well, it's so simple.
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to spend less than you earn and invest shrewdly
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and avoid toxic people and toxic activities and try
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and keep learning all your life etc etc
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and do a lot of deferred gratification because you prefer life
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that way and if you do all those things you are almost certain to succeed And if you don't,
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you're going to need a lot of luck.
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A lot of luck.
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And you don't want to need a lot of luck.
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You want to go into a game where you're very likely to win without having any unusual luck.
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I'd add one more thought to it.
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You need to know how people can manipulate other people,
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and you need to resist the temptation to do it yourself.
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Oh, yes the the toxic people who are trying to fool you
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or lie to you who aren't reliable meeting their commitments a
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great lesson of life is get the hell out of your life yep and do it fast do it fast
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And I would add, Charlie would totally agree with me,
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do it tactfully if possible too,
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but do get them out of your life.
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Yes, I don't mind a little tact,
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or even a little financial cost,
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but the question is getting them a hell out of the lot.
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you

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, learners will focus on improving their spoken English through shadowing techniques, inspired by the insightful advice shared by Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger. By analyzing their speech patterns, intonations, and vocabulary usage, students will gain a deeper understanding of effective communication in both life and investing. The aim is to help learners develop a natural and confident speaking style through practice and reflection, fostering skills that are applicable in various contexts.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Obituary - A notice of someone's death that also summarizes their life.
  • Investing - The action of allocating resources, usually money, in order to gain a profitable return.
  • Debt - Money that is owed or due to someone else.
  • Criticize - To express disapproval of someone or something.
  • Kindness - The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
  • Praise - To express approval or admiration for someone or something.
  • Wisdom - The ability to make sound decisions based on knowledge and experience.

Practice Tips

To effectively practice using shadow speak techniques with this lesson, learners should consider the following tips:

  • Slow it Down: Given the thoughtful pace of Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, a slower approach is beneficial. Start by watching the video at half speed to absorb their speech patterns and note the subtleties in their tone and emphasis.
  • Shadowing Technique: As you listen, repeat phrases in real-time. This shadowspeak approach will help you mimic not only their words but also the rhythm and emotions behind them. Aim to match their pace and pitch.
  • Record Yourself: Use your smartphone or computer to record your shadow speech. Compare your pronunciation and intonation with the original speakers. This will help you identify areas for improvement.
  • Focus on Key Phrases: Pay special attention to the key vocabulary and phrases listed above. Try to incorporate them into your own sentences afterward, enhancing your vocabulary and context understanding.
  • Consistent Practice: Set aside regular time for practice on your shadowing site. Consistency is crucial in language learning; frequent practice will solidify your progress and confidence in speaking.

By dedicating time to shadowing the lessons of Buffett and Munger, learners can refine their English speaking abilities while absorbing valuable life lessons.

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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