# English Podcast For Easy English Conversation | Start Your Day Right! Morning Motivation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BNFK8ORmjQ

[00:00] Hey English learners, welcome back to the English Leap Podcast, your cozy place to learn easy English through real life conversations.
[00:02] from Speak English with Claus.
[00:14] I'm Anna and I'm Jake.
[00:16] And Anna, I have to tell you something.
[00:19] I almost cancelled today's recording.
[00:22] What? You, Mr. Let's Do It Let's Do It.
[00:26] What happened?
[00:27] I tried something new this morning.
[00:29] I had a little dramatic quitter moment.
[00:32] Okay, I'm listening.
[00:34] So, my alarm rang at 6:30.
[00:37] I looked at it and said out loud, "Nope, I quit today."
[00:40] Nice. Very powerful start.
[00:42] Then I went to make coffee.
[00:44] The machine took too long.
[00:47] 2 seconds. I was like, "That's it. I quit coffee."
[00:49] You quit coffee. Liar.
[00:51] I know.
[00:54] I took one sip and said, "Okay, I unquit coffee."
[00:55] So, you quit quitting coffee.
[00:59] Exactly. Then my bus was a little late and my
[01:01] brain went, "Fine, I quit the bus. I'll just live at this bus stop now."
[01:06] Jake, you are so dramatic in the morning.
[01:09] I know. But on the way to the studio, I realized something.
[01:13] I don't actually quit. I just talk like I want to quit at every small problem.
[01:17] And I think many of us do that. I quit, but we still keep going.
[01:21] Exactly. And that's why today's episode is special.
[01:24] It's your morning motivation. something soft you can listen to before you start your day when your body's awake but your motivation is still in bed.
[01:34] Maybe you're brushing your teeth, making breakfast, sitting on a bus or train, or still in bed with the curtains closed.
[01:41] If that's you, hi, we're here with you.
[01:44] And maybe you feel a little tired already.
[01:46] Tired of work, tired of problems, tired of feeling like you're always behind.
[01:51] If you still pressed play, that is actually very strong.
[01:57] Today, we don't want to shout, "Do more, work harder at you."
[02:00] We just want to
[02:02] walk next to you for a little bit, talk about not giving up on yourself, and help you take one small step instead of quitting at every corner.
[02:10] And don't worry, this is a B1 level episode, so if you're intermediate, it's perfect for you.
[02:16] Yes, B1 level. And if you're A2, you can still listen.
[02:21] If some parts feel difficult, it's okay.
[02:23] You can always listen again and you will catch more the second time.
[02:26] Your job is simple. Relax, listen and let the English and the ideas move through you.
[02:33] You don't have to understand every word.
[02:35] You just have to stay with us.
[02:36] Right? And if you enjoy learning with us, please like this episode, subscribe to the channel, and maybe share it with one friend who is learning English too.
[02:46] H every like, every comment, every share really helps more learners find this podcast.
[02:51] And we love reading your comments.
[02:53] In fact, maybe you can already answer a simple question in the comments. Where are you listening from? And what part of the day is it for you? Morning,
[03:03] afternoon, late at night?
[03:05] And what are you doing while you listen?
[03:06] And later in this episode, we'll also have a calm word tour.
[03:10] In word tour, we'll take some powerful words and expressions from this topic and explain them in a simple way.
[03:17] So you don't only hear the words, you really understand them and you can start using them in your own life.
[03:24] But for now, just enjoy the story.
[03:25] And if one sentence in this episode touches you or gives you a little push, you can share that in the comments, too.
[03:32] And maybe you're also listening to this so you don't become like Jake every morning, deciding to quit at every small problem.
[03:41] Hey, hey, hey, listen to Anna, not my morning brain.
[03:43] Okay.
[03:45] So, let's use this moment.
[03:48] Well, take a breath.
[03:50] You're here.
[03:51] You're not done yet.
[03:51] Yeah.
[03:54] Let's see how small positive habits can slowly change the way you feel.
[03:57] H.
[03:57] All right.
[03:59] Let's jump in.
[03:59] So, Anna, when you hear the word success, what picture comes to your mind
[04:05] First? If I'm honest, my first picture is a big stage, lights, people clapping, someone famous with a microphone.
[04:16] Yeah, same here. Or a big house, a fancy car, big numbers in the bank account.
[04:22] See, many people think like that. Big and crazy, big job, big money, big life.
[04:29] But the more people I meet, the more I feel this. Most of the time, success is very quiet.
[04:37] Quiet.
[04:38] Yeah. Success is often just this simple thing. You don't stop. You keep going when it's boring, when it's slow, when nobody is clapping for you.
[04:49] I really agree. I had a student once. She was not the fast student, not the star, but she was relentless.
[04:57] Relentless. That means she didn't stop, right? She kept going again and again.
[05:04] Yes, she sent me a small English voice
[05:06] note every single day for 30 days.
[05:09] Just 30 seconds.
[05:12] Sometimes she was tired.
[05:14] Sometimes she had a bad day at work.
[05:16] But she still did it.
[05:16] And how were the other students?
[05:18] Some of them started very excited, big messages like, "Teacher, I will do one hour every day."
[05:26] But after one week, their effort became half-hearted.
[05:29] Half-hearted means you do something but your heart is not really inside.
[05:34] You're not 100% maybe 30%.
[05:38] Exactly.
[05:38] They did it a little when they had time, when they felt like it.
[05:44] And what happened after 30 days?
[05:47] After 30 days, that relentless student sounded so different.
[05:49] Her voice was more confident, more relaxed.
[05:55] She still made mistakes, of course, but she was not scared of them.
[05:57] I love that.
[06:00] So, she didn't become a Hollywood movie star.
[06:03] She just became the person who didn't stop.
[06:06] Yes, that was her success.
[06:06] And I think
[06:08] for our listeners, success can start like that, too.
[06:10] Not big and crazy.
[06:15] I don't stop like other people.
[06:18] I keep walking.
[06:19] maybe you listening right now, you already have that.
[06:22] If you are still listening, you didn't quit.
[06:24] You're here and we are proud of you for that.
[06:30] Okay.
[06:30] So, we say keep walking but sometimes the road looks so long.
[06:35] true.
[06:35] When you think of your big dream, new job, new country, good English, maybe a big exam, it looks like a huge mountain.
[06:45] Yeah.
[06:45] You stand down there and look up and think, "Oh no, this is impossible."
[06:52] Right.
[06:52] I remember when I started running, I wanted to run 5 km.
[06:57] For some people, that's easy.
[06:57] For me, it was like 5,000 km.
[07:03] Same.
[07:03] I remember that feeling.
[07:05] When I looked at the number 5 km on the app, it was like a mountain. But my
[07:10] Coach told me something very simple.
[07:13] He said, "Anna, this mountain is not one big rock.
[07:16] It's many small rocks."
[07:19] Oh, I love that.
[07:19] He said today you just run 5 minutes, tomorrow 7, next week 10.
[07:27] You don't have to jump from 0 to 5 km in one day.
[07:31] Yes, I think it's the same with English.
[07:34] You hear B2 level or C1 exam and it feels like a huge wall.
[07:41] Yeah, but that wall is not one thing.
[07:44] It's many small things.
[07:44] One new word, one short conversation, one podcast episode like this.
[07:51] That student with the voice notes, her mountain was speaking without fear, but each voice note was one small rock.
[08:00] Exactly.
[08:00] And she decided something very important.
[08:03] Her daily voice note was nonnegotiable.
[08:07] Non-negotiable means you don't talk about it.
[08:07] You don't change it.
[08:07] You don't
[08:12] Cancel it. You just do it.
[08:15] Like brushing your teeth. You don't wake up and say, 'H, should I brush my teeth today? Let's negotiate.'
[08:23] Let's make a meeting and talk about this.
[08:27] No, you just do it.
[08:27] So, maybe somebody listening can choose one non-negotiable step, just one.
[08:33] Yes. For example, every day I read one page in English. Non-negotiable.
[08:40] Or every night before bed, I write two sentences about my day in English.
[08:46] The mountain is big, but it's made of these small non-negotiable steps.
[08:51] And you don't have to climb the whole mountain today. You just have to take your step today.
[08:58] Okay. So, we have steps, but there's another big thing, and that is our attitude.
[09:05] Yes. Sometimes life is just not fair.
[09:08] Oh, yeah. Boss is unfair, teacher is not helpful, family says, 'Why are you
[09:14] wasting time with English?
[09:16] And sometimes bad things really happen.
[09:18] You lose a job, you get sick, people hurt you.
[09:21] That pain is real.
[09:24] Right?
[09:24] In those moments, it's easy to say, "Poor me.
[09:29] Everything is against me."
[09:30] But when we talk like that, we often stand in the middle on the fence.
[09:35] On the fence means we're not really choosing something.
[09:37] We're not 100% victim, but we are also not 100% captain of our life.
[09:43] We're just stuck, right?
[09:46] We complain.
[09:46] We feel sad.
[09:46] We scroll.
[09:48] We hope something changes.
[09:51] But we don't move.
[09:53] And there is one big question here.
[09:53] Do I say, "I can't because of them."
[09:59] Or do I say, "Okay, this is hard, but what can I do now?"
[10:04] Yes.
[10:04] Sometimes, if we're honest, we also self-sabotage.
[10:09] That's when we hurt our own progress, right?
[10:14] We do something that is bad for us.
[10:15] Yes.
[10:19] Like you say, I really want to speak better English, but then you watch 3 hours of social media every evening and never practice.
[10:25] Or you say, I will start on Monday every week and Monday never comes.
[10:31] That's self-sabotage.
[10:34] M I did that with exercise for 6 months.
[10:38] My plan file on my laptop was beautiful.
[10:42] Colors, boxes, times, but I never actually did the exercise.
[10:47] [laughter]
[10:49] So, you had a relentless Excel sheet, but a very half-hearted body.
[10:52] Yes, exactly.
[10:54] But the truth is, life makes the road.
[10:57] There are difficult parts, easy parts, some holes, some beautiful views,
[11:03] and we're the ones who choose where we stop walking.
[11:06] And we choose if we are a victim or the captain.
[11:10] Maybe not every moment, but in many small moments, we have more power than we think.
[11:15] True.
[11:15] Very true.
[11:15] Okay, Anna, let's talk about something nobody really likes.
[11:22] Discomfort.
[11:23] Yes, the fun part.
[11:23] M our brain loves comfort.
[11:27] Sofa, phone, same food, same routine, same apps,
[11:33] and comfort feels good.
[11:33] Let's be honest, a soft blanket in a show on Netflix feels amazing.
[11:40] But your future you, stronger you, happier you, lives outside that comfort zone.
[11:47] Right?
[11:47] When you speak English in front of people for the first time, it feels like an uphill battle.
[11:51] Hm.
[11:51] An uphill battle means it feels very difficult, like walking up a very steep hill.
[11:59] Your face gets hot, your heart beats fast, your brain says, "Say nothing. Run away."
[12:05] And going to the gym for the first time at 40 can feel like an uphill battle, too.
[12:10] Everyone looks like a superhero, and you feel like a potato.
[12:15] A cute potato.
[12:17] A cute potato, yes.
[12:20] But still, you feel awkward, right?
[12:21] Starting something new at 30, 40, 50 often feels too late.
[12:24] But it's not.
[12:28] It just feels uncomfortable.
[12:31] But we need a sentence inside our head.
[12:34] Uncomfortable now, stronger later.
[12:38] And when that lazy sad voice shows up and says, "Why try? Just stay here. Just scroll your phone."
[12:45] Sometimes we have to say to ourselves, "Hey, snap out of it."
[12:47] M snap out of it means stop this negative mood or thinking quickly like okay enough change now right
[12:51] we're not saying never rest is important too but don't let comfort always win
[12:57] yeah growth doesn't feel like a warm blanket growth feels like a cold shower at first
[13:00] it's like ah no but then you feel more awake more alive
[13:15] h maybe right now for some listeners.
[13:19] this episode is your small cold shower.
[13:22] If it is, just know we're here with you.
[13:24] You're not alone in that feeling,
[13:26] right?
[13:26] There is one idea I really love.
[13:30] You can always begin again.
[13:33] Yes.
[13:33] Many people say, "I failed before.
[13:36] That's it.
[13:36] This is who I am now.
[13:38] I'm lazy.
[13:38] I always quit."
[13:40] Or, "I stopped learning English for 2 years, so it's over.
[13:42] I lost my chance."
[13:45] But that's not the truth.
[13:48] That's just an old story.
[13:48] Yes, sometimes we get a wakeup call.
[13:52] A wake-up call is a strong event that shows you, hey, you must change now.
[13:59] For example, the doctor says, if you continue like this, your health will be in danger.
[14:03] That's a wakeup call.
[14:06] Or your child asks you in English, can you help me with this homework?
[14:09] And you feel sad because you can't.
[14:11] That can also be a wakeup call.
[14:13] A wake-up call
[14:16] hurts, but it can also be a gift.
[14:18] It tells you now is the time to flip the script.
[14:22] Flip the script means change the usual story.
[14:24] Change the role you play in your life.
[14:28] Right? Old script, I always quit.
[14:31] New script, I used to quit, but now I'm learning to finish things.
[14:36] Old script, I hate English.
[14:39] New script, English is difficult, but I'm not running away this time.
[14:43] Old script. I'm too old.
[14:46] New script. I bring experience.
[14:49] I start small, but I still start.
[14:51] Your life is like a notebook.
[14:53] You can turn the page.
[14:55] You do not have to write the same story forever just because you started it.
[14:58] And the beautiful part is your new story can start with a very, very small first sentence.
[15:05] Maybe that small first sentence is today's 10 minutes of English
[15:09] or today's decision. I'm not done with myself yet.
[15:13] Perfect. And that decision lives in
[15:16] something very important and very boring.
[15:18] Tiny daily choices.
[15:23] Yes.
[15:23] The boring magic.
[15:26] Right.
[15:26] Big change doesn't come from a big miracle.
[15:33] It comes from many small boring decisions.
[15:35] You drink one glass of water instead of soda.
[15:38] You read one page in English.
[15:42] You walk five minutes.
[15:44] In the moment, it looks like nothing.
[15:46] Your brain says, "Why? It's so small."
[15:49] But after 100 days, it's not small.
[15:53] It's huge.
[15:54] The problem is many of us fall into a rut.
[15:58] H fall into a rut means you get stuck in the same boring, unhelpful routine.
[16:05] Yeah.
[16:05] The work, phone, sleep rut.
[16:09] Yes.
[16:09] Wake up, work, come home, phone, sleep, repeat.
[16:13] And we think, "One day
[16:17] I'll change, but one day never comes.
[16:21] So, we want to give our listeners one tiny practical mission, right?
[16:26] Something very small, but real.
[16:29] Here it is.
[16:29] Today, record a 20 second voice note in English about your day.
[16:35] just 20 seconds.
[16:37] Or if you really don't like your voice, write three sentences about how you feel right now.
[16:42] Just three.
[16:45] You can keep it private or you can send it to a friend or post it somewhere.
[16:50] But do it.
[16:51] And if your brain says it's too small, it doesn't matter.
[16:57] Remember, mountains are made of tiny rocks.
[16:59] And your future English is made of tiny, boring, beautiful actions.
[17:06] And there's one more part of this silence.
[17:10] Yes.
[17:10] Today our minds are so noisy.
[17:14] Phone notifications, messages, videos,
[17:18] Music, news.
[17:21] Our brain doesn't get quiet time.
[17:22] But when you walk alone with no phone or sit in silence for 10 minutes, something interesting happens.
[17:28] M your real voice comes back.
[17:32] Not Instagram's voice, not your boss's voice, not your parents' voice, your own voice.
[17:40] And that quiet voice sometimes asks hard questions.
[17:44] Yeah.
[17:44] Things like, if I continue like this for 5 years, will I be happy?
[17:50] Or why did I stop doing the things that made me feel alive?
[17:53] Or what is one small change my future self will thank me for.
[18:00] That voice is not always comfortable.
[18:03] Sometimes it makes you feel a little sad, but it is honest.
[18:07] And that honest voice is your friend.
[18:10] It doesn't want to attack you.
[18:13] It wants to guide you.
[18:14] So maybe after this episode, you can go for a short walk with no phone or sit by
[18:19] the window and just look outside for 10 minutes.
[18:22] Let your thoughts come.
[18:22] Don't push them away.
[18:25] Just listen.
[18:27] And then maybe make one small decision.
[18:30] I will keep walking.
[18:30] I will not stop at this point.
[18:34] Right?
[18:34] Slow is okay.
[18:34] Tired is okay.
[18:38] Confused is okay.
[18:40] But the only thing that really stops your story is stopping.
[18:45] Right?
[18:45] You don't truly fail when you are slow.
[18:49] You only fail when you stop walking.
[18:49] And we really don't want you to stop in your English.
[18:55] So, let's learn a few useful words from today's episode.
[19:00] All right, my friend.
[19:00] Time for word tour, our little vocabulary walk.
[19:04] Yeah, we'll take a slow walk through some of the important words and phrases from today so they can stay in your English and in your heart.
[19:11] You can repeat after us if you want.
[19:13] First word, relentless.
[19:17] When a person is relentless,
[19:21] They don't stop.
[19:21] They keep going again and again, even when it's hard.
[19:26] For example, she was relentless with her English practice every morning, 20 minutes.
[19:33] No excuse.
[19:35] Or the rain was relentless.
[19:35] It didn't stop all night.
[19:39] You can repeat after us if you like.
[19:42] Relentless.
[19:45] Next one.
[19:45] Halfhearted.
[19:45] If you do something halfhearted, you don't give your full energy.
[19:51] You're not really into it.
[19:54] For example, he made a half-hearted plan to study and of course he didn't follow it.
[20:01] Or I gave a half-hearted hello because I was so tired.
[20:06] So half-hearted is like your body is there but your heart is not.
[20:12] Next word nonnegotiable.
[20:15] If something is non-negotiable, it means you will not change it.
[20:18] It's a rule for you.
[20:21] >> For example, sleeping at least 7 hours
[20:25] is non-negotiable for me.
[20:27] >> Or her Sunday family lunch is
[20:30] non-negotiable. She never misses it.
[20:33] >> You can repeat nonnegotiable.
[20:38] >> Next phrase, on the fence. When you are
[20:42] on the fence, it means you are not sure.
[20:45] You don't say yes or no. You're in the
[20:48] middle.
[20:49] >> For example, I'm on the fence about
[20:51] changing my job. I don't know yet.
[20:54] >> Or he was on the fence about moving to
[20:57] another country.
[20:58] >> So on the fence equals still thinking,
[21:02] still deciding.
[21:03] >> Next one sounds strong. Snap out of it.
[21:07] When you tell someone to snap out of it,
[21:10] you mean, "Stop this negative mood. Wake
[21:12] up. Come back."
[21:14] >> For example, I was complaining all
[21:16] morning. My friend said, "Hey, snap out
[21:19] of it. Let's do something productive."
[21:22] >> Or, "You watched sad videos for 2 hours.
[21:25] Time to snap out of it."
[21:27] >> It's a little strong, so we usually say
[21:30] it to close friends, not strangers.
[21:33] >> Next. Push through. To push through
[21:36] means you continue doing something even
[21:39] when it's difficult or you want to stop.
[21:42] >> For example, I was tired but I pushed
[21:45] through and finished my homework.
[21:47] >> Or she pushed through the fear and gave
[21:50] her presentation in English.
[21:53] >> So you feel the wall but you still move
[21:56] your body through it.
[21:57] >> Next word, burnout.
[22:00] >> Burnout is a very deep tiredness. Not
[22:03] just one day. You feel empty after too
[22:06] much stress, work or pressure for a long
[22:09] time.
[22:10] >> For example, after working late every
[22:13] night for months, he felt burnout. He
[22:16] couldn't focus.
[22:17] >> Or if you never rest, you can get
[22:19] burnout even from studying.
[22:22] >> So burnout is your mind and body saying,
[22:25] "Please, I need a break."
[22:27] >> Next word, spiral. Here spiral means
[22:32] your thoughts or feelings go down and
[22:35] down and get worse and worse.
[22:37] >> For example, I made one small mistake
[22:40] and then I started to spiral in my head.
[22:43] I'm stupid. I'm a failure.
[22:46] >> Or if I don't stop overthinking, I
[22:48] spiral into anxiety.
[22:51] >> So spiral is like falling in circles
[22:54] deeper and deeper into a bad mood.
[22:56] >> Next phrase, turn a corner. When you
[23:00] turn a corner, it means things start to
[23:02] get better after a hard time.
[23:04] >> For example, the first months were very
[23:07] hard, but now my English is turning a
[23:10] corner.
[23:11] >> Or after many bad weeks, she finally
[23:14] felt she had turned a corner with her
[23:16] health.
[23:17] >> It's like walking on a dark street and
[23:19] then you turn a corner and see more
[23:22] light.
[23:22] >> Last one. Show up.
[23:25] >> To show up means you arrive. You are
[23:28] present. you come and do the thing you
[23:30] said you would do.
[23:31] >> For example, you showed up today and
[23:34] pressed play on this podcast. That's
[23:36] already a win.
[23:37] >> Or he shows up for his friend. When they
[23:40] need him, he is there.
[23:42] >> Sometimes show up is not just physical.
[23:46] It means you come with your heart, your
[23:48] attention, your effort.
[23:50] >> And today you showed up for your
[23:53] English. We're really proud of you.
[23:55] Really? Even if you're just sitting
[23:57] there in your pajamas, half awake, you
[24:00] still pressed play. That means you
[24:02] didn't give up on yourself today.
[24:04] >> Yeah, you could scroll, but you're here
[24:07] with us instead. That says a lot about
[24:09] you,
[24:10] >> right? And before we go, tell us in the
[24:13] comments, where are you listening from?
[24:15] And what time of day is it for you?
[24:17] Morning, afternoon, late at night? We
[24:20] love picturing your little corner of the
[24:22] world. Yeah, maybe you're making coffee,
[24:25] maybe you're on the bus, maybe you're
[24:27] already at work. Share it with us. We
[24:30] really do read your comments.
[24:32] >> And remember, you don't have to be
[24:34] perfect. You just have to keep walking.
[24:36] Even small steps count.
[24:38] >> So, if this episode helped you feel a
[24:40] bit calmer or more motivated for the
[24:43] day, you can like this video, subscribe
[24:46] to the channel, and maybe share it with
[24:48] one friend who also needs a gentle push
[24:51] this morning. H. You can also listen to
[24:54] this again tomorrow morning if you want
[24:56] a little start your day routine with us.
[24:58] >> Exactly. We're really proud of you for
[25:01] staying with us till the end.
[25:02] >> This is Anna
[25:04] >> and this is Jake
[25:05] >> and you've been listening to the English
[25:07] Leap podcast. Bye.
[25:11] [music]
[25:12] Your progress doesn't end here. To
[25:14] continue advancing your English skills,
[25:16] click on the [music] next video or
[25:17] explore the additional videos we've
[25:19] thoughtfully selected for you.