My Proven Methods to Help You Stay Motivated When Learning a Language
“Motivation will almost always beat mere talent.” — Norman Ralph Augustine
Learning a new language can be awfully intimidating, especially when you are mostly going it alone. As a language learning blogger, I often hear about people who started learning a language only to quit within a few weeks.
Is it because language learning is difficult? Did they not have the necessary resources and guidance?
Maybe.
Ultimately, when we try something new or challenging, it’s our motivation that sees us through. And more than motivation, our routines sustain us when we feel pretty low on the “reasons why” scale.
But it starts with the why — the reason for choosing language A over B — and this is why you keep learning.
People stop learning a new language because they don’t have enough motivation to do so.
Here’s what I know about motivation and how to really excel at language learning.
What Is Motivation?
Motivation is the reason why.
It’s the thing that originally starts you out on a path, such as language learning.
When your motivation isn’t big enough or sustained, you will decide this particular path isn’t for you.
If we look at a basic daily example: You are motivated to learn how to drive a car since you want to have your license and be able to travel without needing to ask friends or family for a ride.
Likewise, your motivation for learning a new language should involve why and how that language will benefit you.
Why Motivation Is so Important for Language Studies
Unlike other things you learn in life, language learning is never “finished.”
Even when you have achieved fluency in a language, you still have to continue learning and practicing that language to ensure you don’t lose it. This requires a sustained effort, and you will need motivation to keep doing it.
I always tell fellow language learners that the commitment to language learning is like deciding you want to have a healthy and fit body.
You have to go to the gym every day at 5 a.m., and even when you have achieved your goal weight, you keep going or you’ll simply gain the weight again and become unhealthy.
The same holds true for language learning.
You should be motivated so you can keep learning, practicing, and showing up for the languages you speak.
External vs Internal Motivations
So what motivates you to learn a language?
First, let’s look at the two types of motivations that may drive your language endeavors.
There are two motivational factors: intrinsic and extrinsic. Internal motivation is about achieving some deeper meaning or personal satisfaction.
Perhaps you want to learn French because you are fascinated by French philosophy and want to read original works for greater insight.
Next, we have external or extrinsic motivation. In this case, you may be learning Spanish because your job requires it to advance and gain promotions.
Perhaps you are being paid to study a particular language course, or it’s part of your college studies, and you don’t really have a choice in it.
Best Motivations for Language Learning
Deciding which type of motivation is best for language learning isn’t clear cut.
After all, you may lose interest in French philosophy (and in speaking French), or you may find it really rewarding to use your newly acquired Spanish at work and, therefore, keep learning.
Ultimately, your motivation needs to be evergreen, and it can’t be a “fad,” or you will soon run out of language learning steam.
Whatever your motivation, you should be in control of it.
Nobody can force motivation on you.
Goal Setting for Language Learning
Ok, so you’ve got your initial motivation to learn a language, but now you need to set goals that will fuel that motivation or you’re going to run on empty soon.
With goals, I don’t mean learning a hundred words each day or being fluent in a month.
Those are examples of results, not goals.
Instead, your goals are linked to your motivation, making them little mile markers or mini victories to help maintain and boost your motivation.
Some of my goals are related to what I can do with a language at the point of learning I’m at, such as learning enough Spanish to follow my favorite podcast without having to look up individual words.
I love Italian cooking, so I set an initial goal of learning the names of foods and cooking concepts in Italian since I wanted to make the perfect Schiacciata con l’uva, Pasta Carbonara and other favorite Italian foods.
Plus, I’m totally hooked on Italian food bloggers—The Pasta Queen is a favorite—and I can’t get enough of Adriano Celentano movies.
That’s all the motivation I need to keep learning Italian and dive deeper into what I love.
What would your goals be to help you sustain your motivation?
If your job requires your language studies, you may find ways to start using your new language skills at work as often as possible.
Could you perhaps watch more French movies about philosophy to stimulate your intrinsic motivations?
My goals are to learn enough of the languages I am learning so I can travel to the countries where the languages are spoken as I love new cultures and experiences.
Tracking Progress to Boost Motivation
You should find a way to track your progress, and it need not be whether you’ve mastered X percentage of a language in a week.
Instead, your progress markers can be whether you showed up to your language commitments.
Did you do all your language app lessons this week? Have you listened to music in your new language? Are you following the podcast you said you would, looking up words as you are still learning?
Progress mirrors dedication, which feeds motivation.
My Top Secret Tip: Did you know that you should set routines so you spend time learning your language each day?
Even silly routines like having a mock Italian conversation while you cook dinner or reciting your evening prayer in French can all add up to success.
Want to hear more from me? Check out my articles on language learning over on Medium:
- Why I Regret Trying to Learn German in Just 6 Months
- Polyglots Never Battle Alone? Indeed! My Journey as a Self-Taught Language Learner
Final Motivations
Are you motivated to learn a new language?
It’s the start, but sustaining that motivation is as important as learning each language lesson.
Decide why you want this particular language, then build up a list of ways in which you can learn, how you can make it fun, and what your routines will be.
Motivation thrives when you feed it routine, fun, and novelty.
Happy learning!
