Ask anyone who’s learning a language what some of their main challenges are and I guarantee one of them will be losing motivation.
It happens to us all and it can be a major setback on your journey to learn the language (or languages) of your dreams.
And since I’ve been in this scenario more times than I’d like to admit, let's talk about 3 ways you can get motivated to crush your language goals!
Tip #1 - Make it easy (but not too easy)
Oftentimes, on our way to becoming multilingual geniuses, we get a little over-eager. We’re so ready to learn that we commit to studying for hours a day, learning more vocabulary words than we can handle, and we set unattainable goals.
At first, it may seem like this will keep us motivated by challenging ourselves. But it often ends in disappointment when we can’t keep up. So what do you do?
You set a new goal. But this time you make it hard enough to be considered a challenge and at the same time easy enough to be considered attainable. Of course, this may look a little different for everyone. But the point here is to make it something that you know will motivate you by seeing how close you are to achieving your goals.
Tip #2 - Make it entertaining (Switch it up a little!)
You could sit at your desk everyday with the world's largest dictionary and go through every word in it. And it would work!
Obviously, your vocabulary would improve. But the more important question is would you enjoy it? Probably not.
I’m sure we’ve all heard someone say that ‘It’s about the journey, not the destination’. But I’m going to say it again!
If you don’t enjoy the way you’re learning, the chances of you sticking with it are zero to none. (Trust me I’ve tried) So mix it up a little!
There are so many different ways to learn like music, movies, books, and podcasts! You can even switch up the old language apps you’ve been using and try something new, like Lengo.
And remember, combining different methods like this can actually lead to you having a more well-rounded understanding of the language. So don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone.
Tip #3 - Make it a part of your daily routine
My last but probably most important tip is to make it a part of your routine.
Most of us have things that we do EVERY DAY. We get up, make the bed (maybe?), brush our teeth, and so on. This is good! This means that we can create a new habit simply by piggybacking off of a more established one.
For example, you could make it a goal to listen to a podcast while you brush your teeth in the morning. Or maybe practice some phrases while you make breakfast. Whatever works!
After a while you won’t even need to be “motivated” to learn, it'll just be something you do out of habit. Fluency here we come!
