The root of every language learning challenge

Why you're not fluent yet

Practical obstacles.

I’d like to begin by making a list of “practical” obstacles language learners face. This is not an exhaustive list; there are other obstacles too.

• Tricky pronunciation

• Forgetting words all the time

• Native speakers talk really fast

• Too much grammar to remember

• Freezing up; conversation is so hard

• Easier to understand than it is to speak

Emotional obstacles.

Of course, there are emotional obstacles too. This list, obviously, is not exhaustive. There are many other emotional obstacles.

• Frustration

• Overwhelm

• Low motivation

• Fear of being judged

• Fear of making mistakes

• Not feeling fully like yourself

• Shame about your pronunciation

There is good news.

I recognize patterns. It’s my superpower. After working directly with thousands of learners over the years, I’ve noticed that you can reliably overcome pretty much all practical and emotional obstacles by following a simple process. This is the exactly what I use in my Guaranteed Fluency Program.

Steal it for yourself!

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Step 0: Structured Course (first 90 days)

This is for absolute beginners. If you know nothing, you probably want to follow a structured curriculum. It could be a self-paced course online or even maybe even a live group class. If you already have a basic grasp of the language you are learning, this step is unnecessary. You might, however, still choose to do a little bit of grammar study with workbooks, textbooks, and grammar websites.

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Step 1: Boost Vocabulary

This is the closest you’ll find to a magic solution. I’d say 80% of the time, every single obstacle goes away if you know more words. Learn words organically by listening (e.g., YouTube, podcasts) and reading (e.g., articles, stories, books).

Don’t spend all your time memorizing word lists or flashcards.

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Step 2: Converse Often

I hire a native speaker as a conversational tutor or befriend someone online. Sometimes I find someone locally who is willing to speak with me. Step 1 and 2 almost always lead to one’s fluency goals.

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Step 3: Identity shift

If step 1 and 2 aren’t enough, find ways to “live” the language. Bake it into your life so that it begins to feel second nature. You want to shift your identity from “language learner” to “fluent speaker.” Read more about this here: The 6 Phases All Language Learners Go Through

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It really is that simple.

Those are the 3 steps I see work in my Guaranteed Fluency Program. I suppose the key difference is that I measure fluency and track progress along the way (hours studied, rate of progress, estimated time remaining before reaching fluency, learning trends, vocabulary size, oral fluency level, etc).

But even if you don’t have all that data, just follow the basic steps. First read and listen to boost your vocabulary. If you still feel stuck, converse with native speakers more often. If that doesn’t work, bake the language into your life so you feel like a fluent speaker instead of a learner. Shed your old identity.

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Thanks for reading! If you want 1-1 support on your language learning journey, consider my Guaranteed Fluency Program. Learn more here.