Did you ever google this question? I hope this blog post eventually makes it’s way to the top of the search results! This is a concise article, written from the first person perspective, about the walls you must break through in order to finally learn that language. Now, please promise me that you will read this article to the end! If you can’t do that, that may be part of the problem…if you catch my drift. And if you find what I have to say here valuable, I want you to share this post with at least one friend who you think it could help.
I Overthink And So Fail To Take Even Imperfect Action
One of the reasons why I think I don’t even start to learn a foreign language, is because I’m too caught up in my own thinking. I might be demanding (mentally) some sort of perfection or guaranteed result before I even start. I might be second guessing myself. I might be fearful of what will happen if I don’t succeed, what others might say. I recall my painful failings in the past when I was in school. And on and on it goes.
Thinking, so often, is a barrier to taking action. And taking action, however imperfect, is what is needed to start building confidence and to start netting results. And you will never think your way into positive thinking. You must act your way into positive thinking.
I’m Too Easily Distracted From Day To Day
Each day, there’s a myriad of things which pull at my attention and even my sanity, such that I lose focus. I often feel frenetic and crazy. I have my classes to prepare for, my job to do, my pet to take care of, that book to read, that room to clean, that TV series to catch up on, and more. So while I do spend some time practicing my target language, it just doesn’t seem to stick. My mind, my life…they’re like a constant whirlwind.
You can do anything, but not everything. If learning a language is truly your goal, then you will have to make some hard choices and eliminate some other things from your daily list of things to do. But there’s one thing you should not eliminate from your daily list of things to do…and that is: investing some time into learning about how to protect your focus, enter flow state, and do deep work/study.
Your new reading list:
- Essentialism – Greg McKeown
- Flow – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
- Deep Work – Cal Newport
I Give Up Halfway
In the past, when I tried learning a language, or tried learning anything really, I usually gave up after a few weeks or months. Either I thought it was too hard. Or the idea fairy came to pick me up and fly me to another idea. Or some external changes happened in my life which messed up my established routine.
There are many reasons why someone might lose resolve, but two of the most important reasons are: (1) a poor understanding of habits and systems, and (2) a failure to mix things up from time to time and add enrichment activities that are fun.
Other reasons include:
- not having solid motivations or not having attached oneself to solid motivations
- not connecting with/spending time with others who share similar goals
- comparing yourself to others, rather than focusing on what you can do today
- lacking proper resources for your level that will scaffold you smoothly to the next level
- failing to appropriately reward or celebrate your milestones
- poor diet, exercise, or sleep: the holy triad which cannot be ignored when attempting to achieve anything great
Why Can’t I Learn A Language
So why can’t I learn a language? Let me summarize and reflect, so that I can do better. I have not yet properly understood how to form good habits and maintain them over time. And when my habits, goals, and core values are fuzzy, it is all the more easy to succumb to distractions and trivial pursuits. Finally, if I try to persist in this way, by bulldozing my way through without actually addressing the roots of the problems, I may learn some of my target language, I will experience some successes, but it is even more likely that I will give up halfway.
Therefore, I must commit to this three step system:
- Form good habits
- Avoid distractions
- Stay committed
Online Gaming Groups For Language Learners
I sincerely hope you enjoyed this article and that it brought you value and new ideas that you can apply right away. But before I go, I want to let you know about a very special opportunity on offer: every week, we are hosting online gaming sessions for language learners all over the world who want to boost their motivation, make new friends, and hold each other accountable for regular studying and success! Undoubtedly, joining one of our gaming groups regularly can help you fix all of the stumbling blocks mentioned in the above article.
If you’re interested to join one of our upcoming online gaming sessions, or to form a gaming group for your target language, just email me directly at [email protected]! And you can read more about how the online gaming sessions work in this blog post. I also offer a membership program: for 20USD per month, I will make sure you get a seat at as many of the sessions as you like.
The gaming sessions are typically held on Saturdays at 9PM China Standard Time (which is +8GMT). But other times (and languages) will be coming!
Follow Me On YouTube
I post daily motivation for language learners on my YouTube channel Legendary Language Learner, as well as longform videos on Saturdays.
