Are you on the verge of giving it up? Are you so frustrated you wonder if you shouldn’t start all over again? Or maybe you’re starting to think French is just not for you? Is your motivation to learn French gone?
Keep on reading!
Loosing motivation when learning a language is not cool. It’s the reason why so many just stop learning. But not you.
No, not you. Because after this article, you’ll know exactly how to keep your motivation alive and kicking all the way.
Tip #1 - Remember pourquoi and your motivation will come back
Repeat after me:
“J’apprends le français parce que….”
Now, write it down and stick it on the cover of your notebook, or make it your desktop background, or your save screen.
Because, and, I’m going to sound cheesy, but… Visualisation does work that way.
You’ll be way more likely to reach a goal if you know exactly what that goal is (DUH). And if you keep on seeing and reading it, you’ll be reminded WHY. So you won’t forget.
Also, the more details you can add to that statement, the easier it’ll be to get going.
I mean, what goal will be easier to achieve?
J’apprends le français
OR
J’apprends le français pour parler avec mes amis en vacances en France.
In the second statement, you know exactly what kind of French you need to learn, and most likely, how to learn it.
Btw, in the Roadmap I take you through the steps of determining your goals.
Tip #2 - Your motivation shouldn't be your only ally
We all have bad days. You know, those days when eating ice cream is the only physical activity you’re ready to do.
You want to avoid this from happening to your French, right?
There’s only one solution: creating yourself a routine. And no, it doesn’t have to be boring.
Truth is, motivation is not a reliable tool. In fact, it cycles on and off.
So, even if, we’re going to see how to start this cycle again and again, in between, you’ll have to rely on your routine to keep going.
I gave you examples of routine in French for Busy People.
Tip #3 - It's easier to stay motivated with the right tools
Tools will not make you fluent. But it’s a hell lot easier to become fluent with the right ones!
And, that, is good for your motivation!
So don’t settle for one tool everyone is using, find the one(s) that works for YOU.
And don’t be reluctant to invest in your learning : books, ebooks, movies, applications, getting a teacher,…
It doesn’t have to be pricey. I mean, most paid applications are only a couple of dollars. There’s no excuse for you there 😊
How to select the right tools? Go back to your goals, and select the ones that will get you there with ease (speed is irrelevant).
I talked about a few tools in this article – Business French Learning Tools 🛠 , but we’ll go deeper into that in the next couple of weeks.
Tip #4 - Motivation is easy when you are making progress
DUH. Keeping your motivation also means showing up and practising.
I don’t only mean doing drills. I mean putting what you learn into practice.
Because, even if you REALLY enjoy learning and knowing things, you got to admit, using what you learn is pretty awesome.
You’re learning a language after all, right?
Plus, the more you practise, the better you’ll be (that is GOOD for motivation), the more you want to practice,… YAAAAS.
Tip #5 - Avoid the typical motivational mistakes
Nothing much can go extremely wrong when learning a language. But, and I see this often, there’s a few mistakes you want to avoid to keep you interested and motivated.
- Long study sessions
- Only focussing on grammar
- Not speaking at all
- Translating everything to make sense of it
- Expecting to be perfect
Tip #6 - Challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone (your motivation doesn't live there)
No matter how entertaining your routine might be, it’s good to spice things up from time to time to start your motivation cycle again.
Challenging yourself is also good to get you out of your comfort zone, no matter how awesome it is down (or up) there.
Here are a couple of challenges you can set (or be creative and set yours) :
- Harry Potter Marathon in French
- Greeting all your colleagues in French
- 10 minutes of audio training per day for a week
- Watching a full Norman video (French Youtuber) and writing down all the word you didn't know
- Translating your fav song
- ...
The goal is to surprise yourself! Because you probably know more than you think you do 😉
Tip #7 - Boost your motivation with rewards
Who said because you’re not a kid anymore you can’t have rewards? Treat yourself to something nice to boost your motivation. (It’s an order)
Most of the time, your reward is to be able to speak French or understand French. But, sometimes you might need a bit more.
(Keep that for when your motivation is getting loooow).
Could be :
- Buying a new app to learn on your phone
- Getting yourself a new awesome notebook
- Renting the DVD of a French movie you've always wanted to watch
- Buying an awesome French tshirt
- Cooking a French dish
- ...
Yes, it’s not the best way to learn long-term (sometimes is), but it’s a boost!
Next time you come across a new word you don’t know, you’ll WANT to note it down in your new glittery notebook.
Tip #8 - Give yourself a deadline
Now, we’re thinking long-term.
Planning something, it could be a trip to France, or simply an event in French happening around you, is a SUPER motivation booster.
Simply because you have something super concrete to study for!
For some of you, this trip or event might even be your goal in the first place 😉 Powerful one.
Tip #9 - Mix things up to avoid boredom
It’s the same idea as challenging yourself, you should also rotate your routine regularly not to get bored with it.
We’re creatures of habit, but we also very much like to be entertained, right?
So keep your brain happy and focussed by changing things up from time to time.
You could instead of using your app in the morning, watch a YouTube video, or read….
Mix things up!
Tip #10 - Bouge ton booty
Last, but not least, if everything else is not working, you need to be clear with yourself.
Learning French requires, LEARNING.
GO GO GO
