– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

[Music]

Hello English learners. Welcome back to

the Simple English podcast. I'm your

host Lisa and if you're tuning in today,

you're in for a treat. Have you ever

wondered what's holding you back from

reaching your full potential? Or perhaps

you felt like there's a secret key, a

hidden superpower that could unlock a

whole new world of opportunities for

you. Well, today we're talking about

exactly that. a superpower that many of

us are already trying to harness and one

that can truly transform your life.

We're diving deep into the power of

English for personal growth. And I'm not

alone today. I'm absolutely thrilled to

introduce our special guest, Tony. A

true testament to the incredible impact

English can have on an individual's

journey. Tony, welcome to the show.

We're so happy to have you. Thanks,

Lisa. It's great to be here. I'm really

excited to chat about a topic that's so

close to my heart. Now Tony, before we

jump into the nitty-gritty, tell us a

little about your own experience. How

has learning and mastering English

impacted your personal growth?

That's a fantastic question to start

with. For me, English wasn't just

another subject in school. It was and

still is a bridge. When I first started

learning, it was primarily for academic

reasons. But very quickly, I realized

its potential to connect me with a much

larger world. I remember feeling quite

shy and reserved in my native language.

But somehow speaking English gave me a

new sense of confidence, almost like

putting on a different persona. It

allowed me to express ideas I might have

struggled to articulate otherwise. It

opened up new learning resources, new

friendships, and eventually completely

new career paths I never would have

imagined. It truly broadened my horizons

in every sense of the word. A bridge,

new persona, broadened horizons.

I love those descriptions. They really

paint a picture of how transformative it

can be. And that brings us perfectly to

our main discussion today. how mastering

English isn't just about vocabulary and

grammar, but about unlocking immense

personal growth. As always, don't forget

to check out the free PDF file in the

comment section below to get the full

transcript and vocabulary for this

episode.

[Music]

So, Tony, let's break this down. What

are some of the key ways English can

open doors to new opportunities both

professionally and personally?

Absolutely. Let's start with

professional opportunities because

that's often the most tangible benefit

people think of in today's globalized

world. English is undeniably the lingua

frana of business technology and

international relations. Think about it.

Multinational companies, remote work

opportunities, international

conferences, almost all of them operate

primarily in English. I have a friend

for example who was a brilliant software

engineer in his home country. He had

fantastic technical skills but his

English was limited. He kept hitting a

ceiling in terms of career progression

because the best most innovative

projects often involved international

teams and clients. He dedicated himself

to improving his English and within a

year he landed a dream job with a global

tech company, working remotely from his

home country, but collaborating with

teams in the US and Europe. His salary

significantly increased, but more

importantly, he felt a massive sense of

professional fulfillment he hadn't

experienced before. That's a direct door

opening. That's a perfect example. It's

not just about getting a job. It's about

getting better jobs, more fulfilling

jobs, jobs that allow you to grow.

Exactly. And it's not just about

high-tech. Even in fields like tourism,

hospitality, or even local businesses

that cater to international visitors,

English proficiency is a huge asset. It

allows you to connect with a wider

customer base and offer a higher level

of service.

Beyond the professional, how does

English impact personal opportunities?

Oh, this is where it gets really

exciting for me. Personally, English

opens up a universe of information and

culture. Think about all the books,

movies, documentaries, academic papers,

and online courses that are primarily

available in English. If you want to

learn about astrophysics, ancient

history, or even advanced cooking

techniques, a vast majority of the

cutting edge content and research is

published in English first. It gives you

direct access to knowledge without

waiting for translations which might

never even happen. For example, I wanted

to learn more about sustainable living

and while there were some resources in

my native language, the depth and

breadth of information available in

English were astounding. From academic

journals to specialized blogs and online

communities, it allowed me to explore my

passion much more deeply than I ever

could have otherwise.

So, it's about being able to feed your

curiosity and broaden your own

intellectual horizons directly. That's

incredibly powerful.

Absolutely. And it's not just about

formal learning. It's about connecting

with people. Socially, English allows

you to communicate with people from

virtually every corner of the globe.

Traveling becomes a richer experience

when you can truly interact with locals

and other travelers. You can make

friends with people from different

cultural backgrounds, learn about their

perspectives, and truly broaden your

world view. I once met a traveler from

Japan in a small cafe in Vietnam, and

neither of us spoke the other's native

language. But because we both had a

decent grasp of English, we spent hours

talking about our cultures, our dreams,

and our travel experiences. It was a

genuine connection that wouldn't have

been possible without English. These

kinds of interactions build empathy and

understanding which are essential for

personal growth.

That's beautiful, Tony. It really

highlights how English fosters a sense

of global citizenship.

Now, let's talk about confidence. How

does mastering English contribute to

building self-confidence?

This is huge, Lisa. For many people,

myself included, there's a certain fear

or apprehension associated with speaking

a foreign language, especially in front

of others, it's like stepping out of

your comfort zone every time you open

your mouth. But every time you

successfully communicate, every time you

understand someone and they understand

you, it's a small victory. These small

victories accumulate. Think about it.

When you start learning, you might be

shy, afraid of making mistakes. But as

you progress, you realize that mistakes

are part of the process and people are

generally very understanding. The more

you speak, the more comfortable you

become. This comfort spills over into

other areas of your life. If you can

confidently navigate a conversation in a

second language, you start to believe

you can tackle other challenges, too.

Public speaking in your native language,

starting a new hobby, or even pursuing a

challenging project at work.

It's like a positive feedback loop. The

more you use it, the more confident you

become. And the more confident you

become, the more you want to use it.

Exactly. And it's not just about

speaking. It's about comprehension, too.

When you can watch an English movie

without subtitles and understand the

nuances or read a complex article and

grasp its meaning, there's a tremendous

sense of accomplishment. It's a tangible

measure of your progress, and that fuels

confidence. I've definitely felt that.

There's a real sense of achievement when

you suddenly realize you're

understanding things you couldn't

before.

Finally, Tony, how does English help

individuals achieve their goals? This is

a broad one, but I think it ties

everything together.

It absolutely does, Lisa, because

achieving your goals often requires a

combination of access to opportunities,

confidence, and knowledge. English acts

as an accelerator for all of these.

Let's say your goal is to start an

online business. If you only operate in

your native language, your market is

limited. But if you can create content,

market your products, and provide

customer service in English, suddenly

your potential customer base expands

exponentially to a global audience. This

dramatically increases your chances of

success. Or perhaps your goal is

personal development. Maybe you want to

become a better leader, a more creative

thinker, or a more empathetic

individual. As we discussed, English

gives you access to a vast array of

resources on these very topics. Books by

worldrenowned experts, online courses

from top universities, podcasts, and

webinars. It allows you to learn from

the best regardless of where they are

located. I know a young woman who wanted

to become a professional travel blogger.

She started with a blog in her native

language, but it wasn't gaining much

traction. She decided to invest heavily

in improving her English, specifically

her writing skills. Once her English

writing was strong enough, she started

publishing her blog posts in English,

and her readership absolutely exploded.

She was able to connect with a global

audience, collaborate with international

brands, and now she's living her dream,

traveling the world, and sharing her

experiences. Her English proficiency was

the catalyst for achieving her goal.

That's such an inspiring story. It

really brings home the idea that English

isn't just a language. It's a tool, a

powerful lever that can help you move

mountains in your life.

Exactly. And it's a tool that becomes

more powerful the more you use it. It's

an investment that pays dividends across

every aspect of your life.

Before we move on, Tony, are there any

common misconceptions about learning

English for personal growth that you'd

like to address? That's a great point.

One common misconception is that you

need to achieve nativeike fluency to

experience these benefits. That's simply

not true. While aiming for high

proficiency is great, even an

intermediate level of English can unlock

significant opportunities and boost your

confidence. The key is consistent effort

and focusing on practical communication

skills rather than perfect grammar from

day one. Don't let the fear of not being

perfect stop you from starting or

continuing your journey. That's such an

important message, progress, not

perfection.

[Music]

And now for my favorite segment. It's

time for a fun fact or quick tip for our

listeners. Tony, do you have something

fascinating or super practical to share

related to English and personal growth?

I do, Lisa. Here's a quick tip that

combines both fun and practicality.

Shadowing. Have you heard of it? Ooh,

tell me more. It sounds intriguing.

Shadowing is a fantastic technique for

improving your pronunciation,

intonation, and even your rhythm of

speaking. Essentially, you listen to a

native English speaker. It could be from

a podcast, a YouTube video, an audio

book, or even a scene from a movie, and

you try to speak along with them at the

exact same time. You're mimicking their

sounds, their pauses, their stress

patterns, almost like an echo. It feels

a bit silly at first, but it forces your

mouth and tongue to get used to the

unique sounds and movements required for

English. You're not just listening

passively. You're actively engaging your

vocal cords and mimicking the flow of

natural speech. Over time, this really

helps improve your fluency and makes you

sound more natural.

That's brilliant. So instead of just

repeating after them, you're trying to

overlap your speech with theirs. That's

a unique challenge.

Exactly. And it's a very low pressure

way to practice because you're not

trying to create your own sentences.

You're just focusing on the mechanics of

speech. You can do it with a short news

clip, a favorite speech, or even just a

few lines of dialogue from a show. It's

a quick, free, and incredibly effective

way to build those speaking muscles. I

love that. shadowing. Our listeners

should definitely give that a try. It

sounds like a fantastic way to break

through plateaus in pronunciation.

Thanks, Tony.

[Music]

Well, Tony, we've covered so much ground

today and I feel incredibly energized by

our conversation. From opening

professional doors to fostering deep

personal connections and boosting

self-confidence, the power of English

for personal growth is truly undeniable.

It really is, Lisa, and I hope our

listeners feel inspired to continue

their own English learning journey, no

matter what stage they're at. Every word

learned, every conversation attempted,

every new piece of information accessed

through English is a step forward in

their personal growth.

Absolutely. It's not just about learning

a language. It's about investing in

yourself, in your future, and in your

ability to connect with the world in

richer, more meaningful ways. Think

about that friend who got the dream job,

the traveler who made a deep connection,

or the blogger who achieved her dream.

English was a crucial element in their

success stories. And remember, it's a

marathon, not a sprint. Celebrate the

small victories. Be patient with

yourself and embrace the journey. The

world is truly your oyster when you have

English as your pearl. The world is your

oyster when you have English as your

pearl. I absolutely love that, Tony.

What a perfect way to summarize it.

Tony, thank you so much for joining us

today and sharing your insights and

inspiring stories. It's been an absolute

pleasure having you on the Simple

English podcast. My pleasure, Lisa.

Thanks for having me.

And to all our wonderful listeners,

thank you for tuning in. We hope this

episode has inspired you to harness the

incredible power of English for your own

personal growth. Remember, every step

you take in your language learning

journey is a step towards a more

confident, connected, and

opportunityfilled you. If you enjoyed

this episode, please hit that like

button, subscribe to our channel for

more simple English goodness, and leave

us a comment below. We love hearing from

you. Until next time, keep practicing,

keep growing, and keep embracing the

power of English.

[Music]

Okay, everyone, it's time to learn some

important vocabulary related to the

topic. The first word of today is

opportunity. It means a chance to do

something or achieve something,

especially something you want. Example,

learning English gave me the opportunity

to study at a university abroad. Next

word is confidence.

It means the feeling of being sure about

your abilities or qualities. Example,

speaking English everyday has helped me

build my confidence in public. Next word

is communication. It means the process

of sharing information, thoughts or

feelings with others. Example, English

is the main language of global

communication. Next word is fluency. It

means the ability to speak or write a

language easily and smoothly. Example,

with regular practice, she reached

fluency in English within 2 years. The

last word is global. It means relating

to the whole world. International

example English is a global language

used in business, science, and travel.

[Music]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
opportunity /ˌɒpərˈtjuːnɪti/ B1	noun - a chance to do something or achieve something, especially something you want
confidence /ˈkɒnfɪdəns/ A2	noun - the feeling of being sure about your abilities or qualities
communication /kəˌmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃən/ B1	noun - the process of sharing information, thoughts, or feelings with others
fluency /ˈfluːənsi/ B2	noun - the ability to speak or write a language easily and smoothly
global /ˈɡləʊbəl/ B1	adjective - relating to the whole world
transform /trænsˈfɔːrm/ B2	verb - to change completely in appearance or character
professional /prəˈfeʃənəl/ A2	adjective - relating to work or a particular job
personal /ˈpɜːrsənəl/ A1	adjective - belonging to or affecting a particular person
access /ˈækses/ B1	noun - the ability or right to approach, enter, or use something verb - to obtain or use information or resources
confidence /ˈkɒnfɪdəns/ A2	noun - the feeling of being sure about your abilities or qualities
knowledge /ˈnɒlɪdʒ/ A2	noun - information and understanding gained through experience or study
connect /kəˈnekt/ A2	verb - to join or link together
achieve /əˈtʃiːv/ B1	verb - to successfully complete or reach a goal
progress /ˈprəʊɡres/ A2	noun - forward or onward movement toward a destination verb - to move forward or advance
inspire /ɪnˈspaɪər/ B1	verb - to fill someone with the urge or ability to do or feel something
shadowing /ˈʃædoʊɪŋ/ B2	noun - a language learning technique where you mimic a speaker's speech in real-time