Eduardo Briceño: How to get better at the things you care about | TED

Important Vocabulary Words From The Video

stagnation

stagnation is a situation where there is a decline in activity or growth. The economy is often said to be in a state of stagnation when there is a decline in the number of jobs, businesses, or people.

  • The economy has been in a state of stagnation for the past few years.
  • The company is experiencing a period of stagnation because the sales are not increasing.
hinders

Hinders is a verb meaning to block or to obstruct. When you hinder someone, you are preventing them from doing something that they want to do.

  • The hinders the progress of the project.
  • The hinders the flow of the water.
orator

An orator is a person who is good at speaking in public. Orators are usually good at persuading people to do things that they might not want to do.

  • He was a very good orator, and he was able to change people's minds with his speeches.
  • She is a very good orator, and she is able to captivate her audience with her speeches.
persuading

To persuade someone is to convince them to do something. Persuading someone can be difficult, but it is usually worth it.

  • He tried to persuade her to go out with him, but she didn't want to listen.
  • The politician tried to persuade the public to vote for him, but they didn't believe him.
involuntarily

involuntarily means without your permission or against your will. When you involuntarily laugh or cry, you are not doing it on purpose.

  • She was involuntarily crying when she saw the clown.
  • He was involuntarily laughing when he saw the clown.
plateaus

When you reach a point where you are doing the same thing over and over again, you are on a plateau. If you are trying to lose weight, for example, you might reach a plateau where you are not losing any weight.

  • He was on a plateau for months, and he couldn't seem to break through.
  • She was on a plateau for months, and she was starting to lose weight, but then she hit another plateau.
salespeople

Salespeople are people who work in the sales industry. They are usually responsible for selling products or services to other people.

  • The salesperson was trying to sell me on the benefits of the product.
  • The salesperson was trying to sell me on the benefits of the service.
purposefully

purposefully means with the intention of achieving a particular goal. Sometimes the word is used to describe actions that are illegal or unethical.

  • The politician purposely falsified the data to make the company look bad.
  • The student deliberately skipped class to go to the party.
tightrope

A tightrope is a dangerous walkway that is high above the ground. It is usually separated from the ground by a narrow railing.

  • The tightrope walker was performing a dangerous stunt, which was a tightrope walk.
  • The tightrope walker was performing a dangerous stunt, which was a tightrope walk across a chasm.