The main challenge for many language learners is psychological, not linguistic
"You just have a talent for languages".
"I could never do it myself".
"That would take me years, not months!"
These are some of the things people say to polyglots - people who speak multiple languages. And while it's true that some people seem to have a natural knack for languages, the vast majority of successful language learners share one common trait: They understand that the challenge is mostly psychological.
Renowned business coach and author Tony Robbins said in an interview that success is "80 percent psychology and 20 percent skills". When it comes to language learning success, I would argue the psychological component is even larger.
And while the linguistic challenges are often concrete and easily defined - "Learn how to use the present tense, then practise it" - psychological challenges are less so: "Feel confident about your English skills".
Paradoxically, one of the psychological challenges to overcome is to recognise that you already have all the linguistic skills you need to improve your English.
You already know how to learn English, or any language
You can think about it this way: With a few (usually medical) exceptions, everyone speaks a language. You could argue that the best way to learn a language is to be born into it, because when you are, your very survival depends on you being able to communicate with those around you.
But even when you don't have that direct 'survival' reason for learning, there are other needs adjacent to survival that can be just as motivating: Belonging, community, friendship, love*, or simply a love of knowledge can form a strong intrinsic motivation.
This helps explain why the majority of the world's population speaks more than one language. Maybe you, like me, have learnt English due to a combination of social, cultural and professional reasons. Maybe you've learnt another language for different reasons.
Whatever the method or situation you've learnt a language in, beyond your first language, there's one thing that is a greater indicator of success than any other. More important than the actual environment, your age, or specific methods for learning is your brain chemistry while you are learning.
Your brain chemistry is the blend of hormones that tells your brain and body what to pay attention to, what you should avoid, and what you should aim to repeat. Generally speaking, your brain will seek to avoid actions that caused pain in the past, and to repeat actions that have caused pleasure.
Do you remember your teachers' corrections written in red ink on essays and tests in school? Remember how the focus was often on what you did wrong, rather than all the things you were already doing well? Teachers and students alike, we are all wired to focus more on negatives than on positives - in fact, around 70% of your thoughts on any given day are negative. It's human nature to fear making mistakes.
That's why it's so incredibly important to be aware of your mental and emotional state while learning. That way, you can learn how to shift your focus and improve your language performance surprisingly quickly.
Improve your psychology and your English (or other language) will follow
While it may seem like your language skills are the main barrier to success, many people find that a mindset shift can have a much bigger impact. When you're able to focus on the positives and manage your emotions effectively, the language will follow suit.
These questions might help you better understand how your brain's wiring might be holding you back, so you can start to change how you learn:
What's your internal dialogue while you're speaking English?
Are you beating yourself up, or cheering yourself on? Start to become aware of your 'internal chatter' while you're immersed in the language you're improving. If you make a mistake, is there a little voice that says "f@*&, messed up again!" Most of us have a critical voice like that, and it may feel like that's out of your control. But what you can do is catch yourself when you hear that critical voice, and introduce a new voice of kindness. Imagine what a parent, guardian, teacher or sports coach might have told you if you did a really good job of something, and mentally give yourself a clap on the back for what you're doing well. The more you do this, the more it will become natural to celebrate these little learning steps, reduce your fear of failure, and 'lower the volume' on that critical voice.
When you're immersed in a foreign language, what are all the things your brain is doing?
If you consider yourself a lifelong learner, every day is an opportunity to learn something new. This is especially true if you use a less-fluent** language in your career.
Let's say you speak English as a second (or third+) language, and you work in a busy London office. You're surrounded by the English language day in and day out. Now you're in a meeting surrounded by English-speaking colleagues. Are you truly focused on the conversation and the task at hand? Or are you partially thinking about the correct conjugation of a verb, while worrying what your colleagues think of you, and wondering if you should ask for clarification about that word you didn't quite understand earlier? If that sounds like you, then you may be overloading your working memory.
Maybe you've heard of the "7±2 theory", which states that our working memory - our ability to hold ideas or concepts in our mind for a short period of time - can only hold between 5-9 'chunks' at any given time. If you're reading this, then you're probably spending one 'chunk' viewing the text, another processing the words, and another might be remembering the time you learnt about the chunk theory in the first place. If you're a little distracted, you may have a part of your working memory listening to noises outside, or thinking about what you're having for lunch.
In a language learning context, especially if you use a less-fluent** language in the workplace, language-related insecurities can put a heavy load on your working memory. Like in the earlier example, you may be worried about your grammar, self-conscious about your accent, and worrying whether your colleagues think you're stupid if you make a mistake. I'd encourage you to consider ways to reduce your mental workload in your day-to-day use of this language.
So how can you reduce the load on your working memory, and perform better?
This is easier said than done, of course. I could tell you that people make language mistakes all the time, whether 'native' or 'non-native'*. "Mistakes are normal and you shouldn't worry about them". I could tell you that the most important thing is clear communication - as long as you can understand and be understood, then you're golden ( = then you're fine).
And a part of you might agree with me on these points. But a small voice in your head might be going "but I still need to work on my [insert language here]!"
So if you really do want to improve your English, for example, then how can you do that while also reducing the load on your working memory?
The best way to reduce your internal chatter is when you're able to promise your brain "I'll get to that later".
One example could be to set aside time every week where you focus specifically on the things that come up; for example, if you are unsure about your grammar, find some time to get more familiar with it, either on your own or in a lesson with a tutor or coach. That way you may be able to go about your workday with the confidence that you'll have time to work on your skills later in the week.
Or, if you’d like to learn how you can use the skills you already have to communicate with certainty, maybe I can help.
*Another relatively common 'best' way to learn a language is to fall in love with a native speaker. But I'm not here to tell you how to live your life...
** I try to avoid using the words 'native' and 'non-native' when talking about languages, because this can exclude some people: Many people learn certain languages to a 'native-like' level, and this is what I would call 'fluent' or 'proficient'.
AUTHOR'S BIO
Hedvig is a language and learning coach on a mission to make language learning almost as normal as breathing. She is the founder of Abundate.org and host of the Abundate Podcast, where she interviews language learners, educators and researchers about the magic, power and beauty of language learning. She also shares her personal reflections on language learning in her newsletter. Learn more about private English Neurolanguage Coaching® or build your own language learning toolkit.