5 steps to motivate yourself to learn a language

Back to school, back to work! The school and academic year have started for good. And we are puzzling over old questions which come up every year –  what should I do in order to learn in a fast and highly efficient way? After the last summer holiday we are likely to be buzzing with energy and fired with zeal, but sometimes this enthusiasm fails to lead us through accomplishing our goals… This might stem from two following reasons:

1) we might be not aware of our  life goals  (or simply be deprived of them, yet sometimes we simply forget them)

2) we don’t derive  satisfaction  from our everyday activities. 

In terms of learning foreign languages, we often associate this process with something utterly arduous, and sometimes we don’t even know why we should bother to learn at all. Impressive marks might not to provide us with enough incentive to study… How can we overcome indolence without literally forcing ourselves to study hard? Simply make studying something you associate with pleasant activities, which pave your way to success. Just anticipating your next question, yes, it is possible! 
Today I would like to focus on some rudimentary – yet efficient – steps, enabling us to accomplish our goals. You will find them below. Let’s have a look at them, shall we? :)

1) Set achievable goals and plan how to accomplish them

- without realising your goals, it is easy to forget them and give up your learning – and we want to persevere with our goals, don’t we?

- define your goals (e.g. ‘I want to get a certificate B1 in German’, ‘I want to pass my matura exam, get at least 70% of points and study at the English Studies Department’, ‘I want to get a better-paid job’, ‘I want to become a simultaneous interpreter and work in a EU institution’ etc.)

- write your goals down on a piece of paper and hang it in a visible place, so that you can see it every day (it can also be something more symbolic, such as an inspiring quote or a photograph of Nicole Kidman, playing an interpreter in the film of the same title [so if you want to follow in her footsteps, look at her image!] – it is supposed to be your personal motivator and reminder of the dreams you want to pursue in the future, especially whenever you doubt in yourself. It is extremely hard to succeed, if you don't realise the actual purpose of your actions. Instead of worrying, have a look at your motivator – this will be your greatest sweetener in the course of studying hard.

- plan time frames and arrange a schedule (within weeks and months, depending on your goal, including the tasks you are going to cover); you may make use of your calendar or applications. Bear in mind that your plan must be realistic, therefore, feasible! Don’t expand or reduce your workload into extremes. There’s nothing worse than unaccomplished goals, as it leaves us feel disappointed, so try to avoid it. 

Merely 20 minutes a day spent on intensive studying a language is the optimum amount of time, seeing that you can study for as many as 20 minutes even during an extremely busy day. Take every single opportunity to use your free time in a productive way. Listen to audiobooks or audio flash cards while doing shopping or travelling by bus. Take into account the necessary amount of time you’ll have to spend in order to revise or learn a given thing. 
Don’t forget to immerse yourself in a foreign language by listening to music, watching news and films, as well as reading articles in this particular language. You’ll be astonished, how fast you’ve managed to expand your vocabulary, improve your grammar skills and get acquainted with this language - in no time at all. 

Keep it simple and enjoyable!

2) Reward yourself

- Nothing makes us willing to our best more than being patted on the back by our employer, parents or teacher, but sometimes they might fail to recognise our achievements or they simply might not be there to tell us “well done!”. Thus, we should reward ourselves after having accomplished our goals, even those tiny ones, leading to the great one (e.g. getting a good mark of a test, covering an entire chapter of exercises etc.)

- You may choose to go to the cinema, buy a book you’ve always wanted to read (opt for a good dictionary or another book related to learning a foreign language of your choice); of course you must not exaggerate, as you are not going to get addicted, are you? ;)

3) Visualise accomplishing your goal

- do it whenever you are low in spirits – you’ll be certain that there is no point in getting rid of your dreams! Just imagine your dream coming true.

- try to focus on every single detail of this situation, e.g. as you are being handed in a language certificate, getting a better job, a handshake of your future boss, admiration of your family members etc.

4) Stick to your plan but be flexible

- if something is simply beyond your current capabilities, adjust your plan to the situation you find yourself in…

- remember to have enough leisure time, seeing that striking a right work-life balance contributes greatly to your efficiency and motivation, but don't get lazy!

5) Never wait for ‘the external motivation’

- ... as it is not going to appear out of thin air and embrace you. Get to work, bearing in mind your goals and remembering that every day draws near your dream.

Believe that you are able to rise to the challenge and just do it!

Good luck - I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! :)

I do hope that the above tips will work for you. Do you happen to know any other methods, which would be helpful? If so, let us know in the comments below this article. 

Images taken from:

cetra.com; marketingland.com; s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com; aib.edu.au/blog/; careerealism.com