Give it your best shot: start somewhere

One oughtn’t rush into things. But the opposite is equally true; you don’t want to prevaricate forever. Procrastination gets you nowhere just as quickly.

We'll stay at the start unless we make a start. 

By starting you gain information. You learn whether your actions get you closer to or further from your goal. Useful information.

If it’s ‘further’ then you can do an about face. If you are neither getting closer nor moving away, then a 90-degree turn is in order. If you are getting closer, then you veer a few degrees one way, then another, to see if you can speed that process up.

Taking action is therefore the key.

As far as learning a language goes, decide upon something to do according to your best guess. Your guess is likely to be a good one, since you know yourself better than could any teacher. 

Your knowledge of yourself—your likes, dislikes, preferences, learning style, habits, motivators, off-buttons, knowing what you already know, what you need to know, what you’d like to know, your goal, your levels of skill in various areas, your history . . .

There’s no fool-proof formula into which you can plug all those factors. You can only operate according to your gut feeling. Use trial and error. There’s an element of ‘muddling through’ which can’t be avoided. We must just accept that this is so, and give it a go.

We all start somewhere . . . unless we don’t.

Find a mentor, mate!

Find someone whose approach you admire. Doesn't need to be 100 percent - just someone who is on the same general wavelength as you. 

Study how they did it, or are doing it - something that you want to do. Some aspect of their approach. There are tons of online polyglots to choose from. Something, someone, somewhere is bound to resonate to some degree at least.

Just think about what they do. Will it work just as well for you as it does for them? Of course it will not.

Because you are you, and they are whoever they are. They've what they have after a long process of trying one thing after another. They’ve tailored what they do until it meets their requirements. And those activities won’t fit you quite so perfectly.

No matter.

Cause what you’re looking for is a comfortable fit that is 75 to 90 per cent correct. (You shouldn’t settle for less than that, and you cannot hope for more.)

Next, you’ll examine where the thing miss-matches. Try to determine what needs adjusting. You'll improve on it. You'll gain personal expertise.

Of course, a fraction of your mentor’s approach is going to be absolutely wrong for you. Nothing wrong with that either, and here’s why: it'll allow you to go off exploring in your own direction. 

You should try the exact opposite in those cases! That will lead you to making some original discoveries. You'll unearth more of the language-learning universe. You'll find out more about how you as a person tick.

Of course, you don’t want to have to work everything out from first principles, so locate that language learner whose approach strikes the most harmonious chord in your ears. He or she is your mentor, mate!

Identify (and avoid) your off-buttons

What do you personally dislike about learning a language? Work out what it is and avoid it.

Why do I suggest that?

The rationale for this is that there are countless way of acquiring another language. That being so, you may as well choose a method that doesn't rub your fur up the wrong way.

I mean, our goal is not to build moral fibre!

Avoid what you dislike. That way you are in less danger of quitting.

So if you have doing exercises, don't do them!
If grammar ain't your cup of tea, don't drink it!
If the thought of speaking to a native speaker makes you break out in a cold sweat, don't sweat it!
Just stay shtum.

Naturally, if you give into every impulse to flee, then you may need to be a little creative and inventive about filling in the gaps. But that's doable.

The main thing is to avoid those off-buttons.

There are always other ways and means.