Initiative is an exciting and rewarding experience.
But it can be one of the toughest tasks you can take on. With time it can be hard to stay excited about the experience when frustration mounts and overwhelm sets in. So how do you sustain your drive and sanity while trying to learn a new language, especially the tough ones?
It is safe to say that learning anything new but especially learning a new language, is best done without trying. When you meet resistance it can be tempting to quit or rave-up strategies like reading harder or tricking yourself. However, by the time you hit resistance, it may be because those strategies aren’t working or can’t work beyond a certain point.
But you don’t want to give up, not before you see some results and appreciate your journey of learning a new language.
In this article, we look at some tips for staying excited so that you can sustain your focus on learning the new language. From setting simple goals to meeting people who are fluent in the language, we’ll discuss the different ways you can stay excited while learning a new language.
Know your ‘why’
Learning a new language can be for various reasons ranging from being cool to travelling to a new country. However, your reason cannot be “for fun” especially if it is not a hobby or something that interests you. Your excitement for learning a new language is tied to the reason you do it. Your ‘why’ also informs your strategy for learning the new language.
Strategy for your ‘why’ while learning a new language
Setting small, specific, and achievable goals.
Break down your big goal into smaller, more manageable goals and set realistic expectations for yourself.
Example
If your goal is to “learn Spanish,” break it down into “learn how to greet people in Spanish,” or “learn how to say numbers up to twenty in Spanish.”
Join a community
Feeling frustrated on your journey of learning a new language? Go online and join a community. The internet is a world of communities, both those that speak the language you are learning and those that are learners like you.
You can also find an accountability partner who can interact with you in the new language you are learning. This can add variety to your practice and experience with a sense of community and support.
Learn through movies, music, or games
Have you ever discovered a dubbed movie by accident by stuck to watching it while trying to decipher what is being said through actions, body language, and facial expressions? Adding visual and audio entertainment to your learning can make it better and more interesting.
Travel where the language is spoken
When it comes to staying excited while learning a new language, few things make it much more exciting than pairing it with travel. Not only do you get a real-time experience of the language being used in everyday activity, but you also get to observe the background of the language including the culture of the people, history, and attitudes.
Immerse yourself
You can get creative with your immersion experiences by attending classes or workshops, joining online language exchange communities, participating in international student exchanges, or even seeking out native speakers who are willing to have regular conversations with you. You can also get friends and family involved as much as they can to get more real-life experiences outside your language learning apps.
Takeaway
Learning a new language can be a challenging but rewarding journey. It’s vital to have the right mindset and find the strategies to keep going, especially if it gets tough. Empoy the strategies we’ve discussed above to make sure you stay excited and find success when learning a new language.
