How to keep motivated when learning a new language

While learning a new language can be very exciting, most people quickly lose the urge to continue learning because they lack motivation. Lack of motivation is a problem faced by many so if you are struggling, you are not alone. 

We all can agree with how monotonous it can be to learn a foreign language in only one way. Boring and tiring right? This is the part where most people get to actually believe that it could have been easier had they learned the language when they were still young. This usually leaves people feeling the need to give up. But, it is never too late to learn a new language. Motivation is not only a necessary factor in learning, it is always an important factor in ensuring you achieve your desired goal.

How can you motivate yourself?

There are many reasons one decides to learn a new language, especially in a foreign country. This can be for better opportunities, to communicate better, to experience a new culture, to mention but a few. Why you decided to start learning a new language is the first question you need to ask yourself as it is the first motivation you need. This always helps to ensure that you continue to learn to achieve the desired goal. There are many ways one can employ to stay motivated, such as: setting achievable yet challenging goals, rewarding oneself, having enough rest and accepting that it is okay to make mistakes.

1. Setting goals that can be challenging yet achievable

Creating a study plan helps to make progress with your learning process. As we know that where there is order, there are more chances that there will also be effective outcomes, especially if one adheres to the study plan. Setting unrealistic goals will only demotivate you. Have clear, achievable and challenging goals and review them regularly in the form of tests to see if you are achieving your goals. This can probably be to learn new words every day or to have a five-minute conversation in the language.  Ability to execute the tasks within the time you set for yourself and being able to see the progress you make, will motivate you to continue learning.

2. Mix language learning with something interesting 

Having to do what you enjoy whilst learning a new language can be a huge motivating factor. For instance, if you don’t feel like studying, and you’d rather go out for lunch, you can go out and study from there. This makes the learning experience exciting as you will be able to do what you enjoy whilst doing something challenging at the same time. Imagine eating a good meal while learning basic German. How cool is that? Regularly incorporating language learning as part of your daily routine will eventually be part of your daily routine.

3. Reward yourself!!

Giving yourself rewards after you are able to achieve certain goals can be a huge motivation. You can divide your goals into smaller goals such as learning 10 words every three days, writing a well – constructed paragraph with little or less grammatical errors and so on. If you complete any goal on the list and achieve something you are proud of on your language learning journey, give yourself a reward such as buying yourself that pair of shoes you have always wanted, taking yourself out to your favourite restaurant or simply rewarding yourself with a day break from studying the language.

4. Have some rest and have your meals.

One would wonder how resting and eating well would have any effect on learning any language, but it does play a pivotal role in affecting your level of productivity. You would realise that when you are hungry and tired, there will be less motivation to study or learn because your body will be lacking the energy it needs to process all the new things you will be learning. Whenever you feel extremely tired, do take a rest. Exercise regularly and eat well and your level of productivity will increase.

5. It is okay to make mistakes.

A lot of people get discouraged when they make a lot of mistakes while learning a new language. This reduces their level of confidence and often demoralises them. But there is beauty in making mistakes because it makes us grow. For example, if you make grammatical errors or use the wrong vocabulary and you are corrected, you will most likely not make the same mistake again. This can be a source of motivation because it leaves us eager to learn so that we do not make the same mistakes again.

6. Register for language classes 

Being part of a language class is always a brilliant idea. This is mainly because you get exposed to learning from professionals. This makes the learning process a lot easier unlike trying to teach yourself everything. Imagine having to learn German alone without assistance, it would be a roller coaster ride because you would have to learn how to pronounce every single word by yourself. In addition, having peers you learn with serves as another source of motivation because you will be surrounded by people who have the same goal as you. Hence, you can always encourage one another to keep pushing until you reach your goals, and you can easily have a study partner and someone to learn with.