Don't learn slowly like a snail
Fast-track your way to fluency instead
Yesterday I wrote about “the grammar paradox.”
In short, obsessing over grammar rules and pouring over textbooks doesn’t improve grammatical accuracy. It instead blurs your vision - you’ll actually make more grammar mistakes. I explain more here.
Let’s change gears today: how many of you feel like you’ve hit a wall? Despite your best efforts, you just can’t achieve fluency. How frustrating!
If you can relate, today’s blog post is for you. I’ll share three simple tactics to bust through the barrier and seize fluency once and for all.
Tactic #1: Push yourself harder
This is my go-to strategy when teaching. Challenging my students accelerates their progress. More challenge = more progress. Many companies shy away from this tactic and opt instead to emphasize fun and ease.
Generally, this is a recipe for failure.
Understand this: challenge breeds tangible progress, and tangible progress is deeply rewarding. Solely relying on gamification and fun is nothing more than a false fix; a type of short-term satisfaction that doesn’t last.
If fluency is eluding you, consider challenging yourself more.
Tactic #2: Take a chill pill
I’ve met too many highly-driven, type-A individuals who toil away for hours every day in a mad dash toward fluency. Their frenetic approach frustrates them and has them running in circles instead of taking strides forward.
What a waste of time and energy.
Don’t get wrong: frustration does open the gateway to learning. You need frustration in order to improve. However, excessive frustration is counterproductive. If you’re burning the candle at both ends, stop. Live by the mantra, less is more. Eliminate what’s unnecessary to clear a pathway forward.
By spending less time on language learning, you may actually learn more.
Tactic #3: Pivot
I took intensive, private lessons with a tutor a few years ago. My goal was simple: become more articulate and fluent in Gujarati. My tutor’s strategy to accomplish my objective was to make me write.
Unfortunately, this strategy didn’t work…at all.
I dreaded my lessons and was bored out of my skull. Because of this, we pivoted. Instead of writing, my tutor and I had spirited debates, during which I attempted to clearly state and defend my position on a variety of intellectually stimulating topics.
I needed that quick pivot. Maybe you do too.
Bonus tip…
Make learning measurable using clean, unbiased data. Wondering how to do that? Don’t worry - I’ve got you covered. In my next blog post, I’ll share my favourite tool to gain useful, measurable insights on your progress.
Best of all this tool, is likely on your person at this exact moment.
Want to get unstuck?
I’m looking for 100 people to take a complimentary week of 1-1 lessons with me in exchange for a review. The week is exactly what you’ll need to bust through the barrier holding you back from seizing fluency.
Click the button below today - I only have 4 spots left for November.