New Year, New Language: Identify your “why”

Get fit. Find a job. Learn a new language. Every January, countless people all over the world make personal and professional resolutions. Some succeed, but many waver without a solid strategy and tools. That’s why Mauril has put together a New Year, New Language blog series to help start you off on the right foot. Stay tuned for articles throughout January about setting goals and ensuring continued success throughout your language learning journey.

Let’s start off with a familiar scenario. You begin a new project feeling energized and motivated, only to find yourself losing steam at some point down the line. Perhaps you got busy or your goal was beginning to feel unattainable. Did you ever take a moment to think about why you decided to take on this new project in the first place? 

Before taking the first step on your language learning journey, it is crucial to understand your motivation for learning a language or, in other words, your “why”.

Each person’s motivation is unique. By having a better understanding of your own source of motivation, you’ll be able to begin and persist even when it seems challenging. Knowing your unique motivation can also help you choose methods adapted to your specific learning style and availability. 

Exercise #1: Ask yourself why you decided to learn this language.

Your answer might be because you’d like to be able to speak to your neighbours, local merchants or friends; it might be for professional reasons, like a new job or promotion; it might be for travel, for a loved one or simply for the love of language learning. There are no wrong answers to this question. 

Exercise #2: Write it down.

Now that you have a precise motivation in mind, write it down. Set a calendar reminder in three months time. Pin it somewhere you will see frequently. Referring back to your personal motivation will help keep you on track. Learning a language can seem colossal at times, but with the right “why” and the right methods, you have a better chance of achieving your goals.

Mauril’s New Year, New Language blog series continues in an upcoming blog post about breaking down goals into smaller steps.