Don't Give Up On Yourself | English Podcast for Easy English Conversation | Learn English Fast

[00:00:05]Hi everyone. Welcome back to Smart English Speaking. I'm Emily.

[00:00:10]>> And I'm Leo. Today we have a really special episode for you. It's called Don't Give Up on Yourself.

[00:00:18]>> That's right. This episode is not just about English. It's about life, about motivation, and about believing in yourself.

[00:00:28]>> And of course, while we talk about this important topic, you will also learn a lot of new English words and phrases. So keep listening, keep practicing, and let's begin.

[00:00:39]>> Before we start, remember speak the words out loud with us. Don't just listen quietly. Repeat after us. This is how you build real speaking confidence.

[00:00:52]>> Yes, learning English is like learning to swim. You can't learn by watching from the side. You need to jump in the water.

[00:01:01]>> I love that. Okay, let's jump in.

[00:01:04]>> So Emily, let me ask you something.

[00:01:07]Why do you think so many people give up on their goals?

[00:01:11]>> That's a great question, Leo.

[00:01:14]I think the biggest reason is fear.

[00:01:17]People are afraid of failing.

[00:01:19]>> Afraid of failing. That means they are scared to try because they think they might not succeed.

[00:01:26]>> Exactly. And there's a common expression in English, fear of failure. Let's say it together.

[00:01:34]Fear of failure.

[00:01:36]>> Nice. Another reason is that people compare themselves to others too much.

[00:01:42]>> Yes, to compare means to look at two things and see the differences. For example, I always compare my English to my friend's English, and it makes me feel bad.

[00:01:55]>> That's very common with English learners, too. They compare themselves to native speakers and think, "I will never speak like that."

[00:02:03]>> But, that's the wrong way to think.

[00:02:06]Every expert was once a beginner.

[00:02:09]>> Ooh, I like that sentence. Let's repeat it slowly.

[00:02:13]Every expert was once a beginner.

[00:02:18]>> So good. Remember that sentence. Say it to yourself whenever you feel discouraged.

[00:02:25]>> Discouraged. That's a useful word. It means you feel like you have lost your motivation or hope.

[00:02:32]>> Right. For example, after failing the test three times, she felt discouraged.

[00:02:39]>> But, here's the secret, everyone.

[00:02:41]Feeling discouraged is normal. It happens to everyone, even the most successful people in the world.

[00:02:48]>> Absolutely. The difference between people who succeed and people who don't is not talent. It's persistence.

[00:02:57]>> Persistence. Let's break that word down.

[00:03:00]Per-sis-tence.

[00:03:03]It means continuing to try even when things are difficult.

[00:03:08]>> Say it with us.

[00:03:09]Persistence.

[00:03:11]Great job. Now, let's use it in a sentence.

[00:03:14]Her persistence helped her learn English in just one year.

[00:03:19]>> I love that sentence because it's true for so many of you listening right now.

[00:03:25]Emily, can I ask you something personal?

[00:03:29]>> Of course, Emily. Go ahead.

[00:03:31]>> Did you ever want to give up on something important?

[00:03:35]>> Oh, definitely.

[00:03:37]Actually, when I first started learning English, I wanted to quit many times.

[00:03:42]>> Really? Tell us more.

[00:03:44]>> Yes, in the beginning, I couldn't understand movies, I couldn't have simple conversations, and I felt embarrassed every time I made a mistake.

[00:03:54]>> Embarrassed. That means you feel shy or uncomfortable because of a mistake or an awkward situation.

[00:04:03]>> Exactly.

[00:04:04]I remember one time I tried to order coffee in English, and I said the wrong word.

[00:04:09]Everyone looked at me, and I felt so embarrassed that I didn't want to speak English in public again.

[00:04:15]>> Oh, no. That's a very common experience for language learners.

[00:04:20]>> Yes, but here's the important part. I had two choices.

[00:04:25]Choice one, give up and never try speaking English again.

[00:04:30]>> And choice two?

[00:04:31]>> Choice two, accept that mistakes are part of learning and keep practicing anyway.

[00:04:37]>> And which one did you choose?

[00:04:40]>> I chose the second one. It wasn't easy, but I told myself, "Mistakes are proof that I am trying."

[00:04:48]That single sentence changed everything for me.

[00:04:51]>> Wow, that's powerful. Let's repeat that sentence together, everyone.

[00:04:57]Mistakes are proof that I am trying.

[00:05:02]>> Say it again, a little slower.

[00:05:05]Mistakes are proof that I am trying.

[00:05:09]>> Perfect. Write that sentence down if you can. Put it somewhere you will see it every day.

[00:05:16]>> And here's the result. Today, I can speak English >> fluently. I can teach it, and I even host this podcast.

[00:05:24]From someone who was embarrassed to order coffee to someone who teaches thousands of learners, that's an amazing transformation.

[00:05:34]>> Transformation.

[00:05:35]A big change, usually a positive one.

[00:05:39]For example, learning English was a transformation in my confidence and my career.

[00:05:45]>> Okay, let's slow down and learn some really useful vocabulary words about motivation and not giving up. Repeat after us and try to remember the meaning. Word number one, determination.

[00:06:01]Determination means a strong feeling of wanting to do something even if it's difficult.

[00:06:08]>> Example sentence. With determination, she finally passed her English exam.

[00:06:14]>> Let's say the word together.

[00:06:16]Determination.

[00:06:18]>> Word number two, resilience.

[00:06:21]>> Resilience means the ability to recover quickly after something difficult or after a failure.

[00:06:28]>> Example. Resilience helped him continue his studies after losing his job.

[00:06:34]>> Say it with us.

[00:06:36]Resilience.

[00:06:38]>> Word number three, breakthrough.

[00:06:41]>> A breakthrough is a sudden important discovery or success after trying for a long time.

[00:06:48]>> Example.

[00:06:50]After months of practice, she finally had a breakthrough in her English speaking.

[00:06:56]>> Repeat. Breakthrough.

[00:06:58]>> Word number four, comfort zone.

[00:07:01]>> Your comfort zone is the situation where you feel safe and relaxed without challenge.

[00:07:08]>> Example. Speaking English with strangers is outside my comfort zone, but I do it anyway.

[00:07:15]>> Repeat with us.

[00:07:17]Comfort zone.

[00:07:18]>> Word number five, consistency.

[00:07:21]>> Consistency means doing something regularly again and again in the same way.

[00:07:28]>> Example. Consistency is more important than speed when learning a language.

[00:07:34]>> One more time. Consistency.

[00:07:37]>> Great job, everyone. Five powerful words: determination, resilience, breakthrough, comfort zone, and consistency.

[00:07:47]>> Try to use one of these words today in a sentence about your own life.

[00:07:52]>> Now, Emily, I want to share a short story.

[00:07:56]It's simple, but the meaning is very deep.

[00:07:59]>> I love stories. Please, go ahead.

[00:08:02]>> Once upon a time, there was an old farmer.

[00:08:06]One day, his donkey fell into a deep, empty well.

[00:08:10]>> Oh, no. Poor donkey.

[00:08:13]>> The farmer heard the donkey crying, so he came to look, but the well was very deep and he couldn't pull the donkey out.

[00:08:20]>> That's a terrible situation.

[00:08:23]>> The farmer thought for a while, and then he made a difficult decision.

[00:08:28]He decided the well was old, so he called his neighbors to help him fill the well with dirt to end the donkey's suffering quickly.

[00:08:36]>> Oh, that sounds so sad.

[00:08:39]>> At first, the donkey cried loudly when the dirt started falling on him, but then something surprising happened.

[00:08:46]>> What happened?

[00:08:48]>> The donkey became quiet. The farmer looked down into the well, and he was amazed at what he saw.

[00:08:55]>> What did he see?

[00:08:56]>> With every shovel of dirt that fell on his back, the donkey did something wise.

[00:09:01]He shook the dirt off and stepped up on top of it.

[00:09:05]>> Oh, I understand. The dirt that was supposed to cover him actually became a way to help him climb higher.

[00:09:14]>> Exactly. As the farmer and his neighbors continued to shovel dirt onto the donkey, he continued to shake it off and step up.

[00:09:23]>> Soon >> Soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped over the top of the well and walked away.

[00:09:31]>> Wow, what a beautiful story.

[00:09:34]>> The lesson is this: Life will throw dirt on you sometimes. Difficulties, failures, criticism, mistakes, but you have a choice.

[00:09:44]>> What choice?

[00:09:46]>> You can let the dirt bury you, or you can shake it off and step up.

[00:09:51]>> Shake it off. That's a great phrase. It means to not let a bad experience affect you for too long. You quickly recover and move forward.

[00:10:01]>> Say it with us.

[00:10:03]Shake it off.

[00:10:04]>> I love that phrase. Every difficulty in life can become a step that helps you rise higher if you have the right attitude.

[00:10:13]>> And that attitude is exactly what we're talking about today. Don't give up on yourself.

[00:10:19]>> Emily, I want to share a few real examples of people who almost gave up, but didn't. I think our listeners will find this really inspiring.

[00:10:28]>> Yes, please. I love these stories. Let's start with Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb. Do you know how many times his experiments failed before he succeeded?

[00:10:40]>> I have no idea. A hundred times?

[00:10:43]>> Try thousands of times. And when a reporter asked him about all his failures, he said something amazing. He said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

[00:10:57]>> Wow, that's such a powerful way to think about failure.

[00:11:01]>> Exactly. He didn't see failure as the end. He saw it information. Each failure taught him something new.

[00:11:10]>> Information is a great word here. It means facts or knowledge that help you understand something better.

[00:11:16]>> Right. So, instead of thinking, "I failed. I'm terrible." Edison thought, "I learned something. Now I know what doesn't work."

[00:11:25]>> That's a completely different mindset.

[00:11:27]Mindset means the way someone thinks about things, their general attitude.

[00:11:32]>> Let's repeat that word. Mindset.

[00:11:35]>> Here's another example. J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books.

[00:11:40]Before she became famous, she was a single mother with very little money, and publishers rejected her book many times.

[00:11:47]>> How many times do you remember?

[00:11:50]>> I believe it was around 12 publishers who said no before one company finally said yes.

[00:11:56]>> Rejected. That means someone refused to accept your idea, your work, or you.

[00:12:02]It's a painful word, but it's part of almost every success story.

[00:12:07]>> Say it with us. Rejected.

[00:12:10]>> Imagine if she gave up after the fifth rejection or the 10th. The whole world would have missed one of the most loved book series in history. That gives me chills every time I think about it. One more example, and this one is closer to our topic, language learning. Many successful business people, actors, and even world leaders learned English as a second language, and they struggled in the beginning, just like you.

[00:12:38]>> That's so true. Nobody is born speaking perfect English. Everybody starts at zero.

[00:12:44]>> So, here's a question for our listeners.

[00:12:46]What is your Edison moment right now?

[00:12:49]What difficult experience are you having that could actually be teaching you something valuable?

[00:12:55]>> That's a wonderful question to think about. Maybe you're struggling with pronunciation, or grammar, or speaking confidently. But that struggle is not a sign that you should quit.

[00:13:06]>> It's a sign that you are exactly where you need to be, in the middle of learning.

[00:13:12]>> I love that. In the middle of learning.

[00:13:14]Not at the end, not a failure, just in the middle of a process.

[00:13:19]>> Now let's do something fun. A short role-play conversation. Leo, you be a customer and I'll be the barista.

[00:13:26]Everyone, listen carefully and try to repeat the lines after us.

[00:13:31]>> Sounds fun. Let's do it.

[00:13:33]>> Hi there. Welcome to Sunny Cafe. What can I get for you today?

[00:13:37]>> Hi, could I get a medium latte, please?

[00:13:40]>> Sure. Would you like that hot or iced?

[00:13:43]>> Hot, please. And can I also get a blueberry muffin?

[00:13:47]>> Of course. That will be $6.50.

[00:13:51]>> Here you go. Oh, and could I get a receipt, please?

[00:13:55]>> No problem. Here's your receipt. Your order will be ready in a few minutes.

[00:13:59]>> Thank you so much.

[00:14:01]>> You're welcome. Have a great day.

[00:14:03]>> Great job, everyone. Let's repeat some of the key phrases from that conversation.

[00:14:08]>> Could I get? This is a polite way to order something.

[00:14:12]>> Could I get a medium latte, please?

[00:14:15]Would you like that hot or iced? This is how we offer options.

[00:14:19]>> Would you like that hot or iced? That will be $6.50.

[00:14:24]This is how we tell someone the price.

[00:14:27]>> That will be $6.50.

[00:14:30]>> Perfect. Now you can order coffee confidently in English.

[00:14:34]>> Practice this conversation with a friend or even alone in front of a mirror.

[00:14:39]Speaking out loud, even alone, really helps your fluency.

[00:14:43]>> Leo, based on everything we've talked about today, can you give our listeners three simple steps to stop giving up?

[00:14:50]>> I'd love to. Step number one, focus on progress, not perfection.

[00:14:56]>> Can you explain that a little more?

[00:14:58]>> Sure. Many learners want to speak perfect English immediately, but that's not realistic. Instead, look at how much better you are than last month or last year.

[00:15:09]>> So, instead of asking, "Am I perfect?"

[00:15:11]we should ask, "Am I better than before?"

[00:15:15]>> Am I better than before?

[00:15:17]>> That's such an important shift in thinking.

[00:15:20]>> Step number two, celebrate small wins.

[00:15:23]>> What does that mean?

[00:15:25]>> It means when you learn five new words or you understand a full sentence in a movie without subtitles, celebrate it.

[00:15:32]Don't wait for a huge success to feel proud.

[00:15:36]>> I love that. Small wins add up to big success over time.

[00:15:40]>> Exactly. And step number three, surround yourself with support.

[00:15:45]>> That's why communities like our Smart English speaking family are so important.

[00:15:50]>> Absolutely. Learning alone is hard, but learning with support, encouragement, and people who understand your journey makes everything easier.

[00:15:59]>> So, to summarize, focus on progress, celebrate small wins, and find your support system.

[00:16:07]>> Perfect summary, Leo. Emily, before we move to the vocabulary review, let's answer a few questions from our listeners. We received these messages this week.

[00:16:17]>> I love this part of the show. Let's start with the first question.

[00:16:21]>> This one is from a listener named Sophia. She writes, "I study English every day, but I still feel like I'm not improving. What should I do?"

[00:16:32]>> Thank you, Sophia, for that honest question. Here's the truth. Improvement is often invisible in the short term.

[00:16:39]It's like a plant growing underground before you see it above the soil.

[00:16:44]>> That's a lovely image. So, even when you don't see progress, something is still happening underneath.

[00:16:51]>> Exactly. My advice to Sophia is to record yourself speaking once a month.

[00:16:57]Just a simple 1-minute video talking about your day. Then, 3 months later, watch the old video again.

[00:17:04]>> Oh, that's brilliant. You'll be able to hear the difference clearly, even if you couldn't feel it day by day.

[00:17:11]>> Precisely. Progress is easier to see when you you your past self to your present self, not when you compare yourself to someone else.

[00:17:21]>> Great advice. Let's move to the second question. This one is from a listener named Daniel. He asks, "I feel nervous every time I speak English with native speakers. How can I stop feeling this way?"

[00:17:34]>> Ah, this is such a common feeling.

[00:17:37]First, Daniel, please know that this nervousness is completely normal and even advanced speakers feel it sometimes.

[00:17:45]>> I still feel a little nervous sometimes, honestly, even after all these years.

[00:17:50]>> Me, too. But, here's a helpful trick.

[00:17:53]Before a conversation, remind yourself of one simple truth. The native speaker is not judging your grammar. They are listening to your message. Message here means the meaning or the idea you are trying to communicate. Right. Most native speakers are kind and patient and they appreciate that you are making an effort to speak their language. That alone is impressive to them.

[00:18:18]>> So, instead of thinking, "I hope I don't make a mistake." try thinking, "I hope we have an interesting conversation."

[00:18:26]>> That's a beautiful shift in focus, from fear of mistakes to curiosity about connection.

[00:18:33]>> Let's do one final question. This one is from a listener named Marco. He asks, "Sometimes I study for a week and then I stop for a month. How can I stay consistent?"

[00:18:45]>> This is very common, too, Marco, and I understand it completely. My suggestion is to make your goal smaller, not bigger.

[00:18:54]>> What do you mean by that?

[00:18:56]>> Instead of saying, "I will study English for 1 hour every day." which feels like a big commitment, try saying, "I will listen to 5 minutes of English every day, no matter what."

[00:19:09]>> Oh, I see. A smaller goal is easier to keep, and it becomes a habit faster.

[00:19:15]Exactly. And once 5 minutes becomes a habit, you can slowly increase it to 10 minutes, then 15, then more.

[00:19:23]That's such practical advice. Start small, stay consistent, and grow slowly over time. Thank you to Sophia, Daniel, and Marco for sending in your questions.

[00:19:35]If you have a question for us, please leave it in the comments below this episode, and we might answer it in a future episode.

[00:19:43]>> We truly love hearing from our smart English speaking family. Before we finish, let's quickly review the vocabulary words from today's episode.

[00:19:52]I'll say the word and you try to remember the meaning before Emily explains it.

[00:19:57]>> Sounds good.

[00:19:58]>> Number one, determination.

[00:20:01]>> A strong feeling of wanting to achieve something despite difficulty.

[00:20:06]>> Number two, resilience.

[00:20:09]>> The ability to recover quickly from failure or hardship.

[00:20:13]>> Number three, breakthrough.

[00:20:16]>> A sudden and important success or discovery.

[00:20:19]>> Number four, comfort zone.

[00:20:22]>> A situation where you feel safe, relaxed, and unchallenged.

[00:20:26]>> Number five, consistency.

[00:20:29]>> Doing something regularly and reliably over time.

[00:20:33]>> Fantastic. And don't forget our key phrases, shake it off, fear of failure, and every expert was once a beginner.

[00:20:42]>> These phrases and words are powerful tools, not just for English, but for life. Before we go to our final message, let's do a quick pronunciation drill.

[00:20:53]This will help your mouth get used to some tricky sounds from today's episode.

[00:20:58]>> Great idea. Pronunciation practice is so important, but many learners skip it.

[00:21:04]>> Let's start with the word resilience.

[00:21:08]Many learners struggle with the -ly sound in the middle. Listen carefully.

[00:21:13]re-sil-ience Let's break it into syllables. re sil ience Now together, slowly.

[00:21:25]re-sil-ience resilience Great. Next word, consistency.

[00:21:33]The stress is on the second syllable.

[00:21:35]con-sis-ten-cy Let's try it slowly first. con sis ten cy And now at normal speed. consistency Excellent. One more. breakthrough This word has two strong sounds put together.

[00:21:56]break through The th sound in through is tricky for many learners. Put your tongue gently between your teeth and blow air out softly. Let's try it together.

[00:22:10]through breakthrough Perfect. Now let's practice a full sentence with rhythm and intonation, not just individual words.

[00:22:20]Repeat after us and try to copy our rhythm, not just the words. With determination and consistency, you will absolutely reach your goals.

[00:22:31]Let's break it into smaller chunks.

[00:22:33]First chunk. with determination Second chunk. and consistency Third chunk. You will absolutely.

[00:22:44]Final chunk. reach your goals Now the whole sentence smoothly like a native speaker. With determination and consistency, you will absolutely reach your goals. Beautifully done, everyone.

[00:22:59]This is exactly how you should practice at home. Break long sentences into small chunks, master each chunk, and then connect them smoothly.

[00:23:09]>> And remember, don't worry about sounding perfect immediately. Pronunciation improves gradually with regular practice, just like everything else we've talked about today.

[00:23:21]>> So, my friend listening right now, if you feel like giving up on learning English, or giving up on any goal in your life, please remember something.

[00:23:31]>> Every person you admire today once felt exactly like you feel right now, confused, tired, unsure. But they didn't stop.

[00:23:41]>> They kept showing up one day at a time.

[00:23:44]>> And that's all we're asking you to do.

[00:23:47]Just show up today. Listen to one more podcast. Learn one more word. Speak one more sentence.

[00:23:55]>> Small steps repeated every day create massive results over time.

[00:24:00]>> You are capable of so much more than you believe.

[00:24:04]>> So, don't give up on yourself.

[00:24:06]>> Don't [snorts] give up on your English.

[00:24:08]>> And don't give up on your dreams.

[00:24:10]>> Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Smart English Speaking.

[00:24:15]>> If this episode helped you, please give it a like, subscribe to our channel, and share it with a friend who might need to hear this message today.

[00:24:23]>> We'll see you in the next episode. Until then, keep practicing.

[00:24:27]>> Keep believing, and keep speaking English with confidence. Bye for now.

[00:24:37]>> [music]