Guaranteed success

Just as there’s only one way to fail, there’s just one thing which, if you do it, guarantees that you'll succeed at learning another language. It's simply to continue. 

Continue. Make progress. Take baby steps. Place one foot in front of the other. 

That’s something I have experience of—on the road, and barefooted and all. 

‘Oh but it takes so long!’ (How long ought it to take?) 

‘Oh, but it’s so difficult!’ (Why take such large bites?) 

‘I’ll never get there!’ (No, not until you do.)

Are you telling me, or are you telling yourself?

Prepare for a fall

Prepare for falling off the wagon

Falling off the wagon is not an issue. It’s not important. It’s certainly not a tragedy. However, failing to climb back on the wagon would be.

And so if—or when—you fall off (as most of us do), that’s the time to be helpful. Make it easy to get back on. Don’t berate yourself and feel bad. That wouldn’t serve you.

Instead, clamber back up. Take a breather. Take it easy for a while. And then, gradually, figure out where you went awry. In other words, try to pinpoint what brought about your lapse. Use your ‘failure’ as a learning experience instead. Finally, make an adjustment or two to reduce the likelihood of it happening again.

Me, I’ve fallen off and gotten back up (sometimes after a lengthy gap) more times that I can recall!

Continue

The best single word of advice that any language learner should take to heart is the word 'CONTINUE'.

That's because, no matter which method or methods you use, you will eventually succeed if you continue!

Every learning method works! Every. Method.

If you just but continue, you will master any language! It is impossible to fail (if you follow the advice).

It feels awesome when that message sinks in for the first time. 

Of course, some methods are going to take you longer.

MUCH longer.

Hence the purpose of this blog.