{"id":48215,"date":"2017-03-16T22:31:07","date_gmt":"2017-03-17T06:31:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=48215"},"modified":"2019-05-02T13:47:27","modified_gmt":"2019-05-02T21:47:27","slug":"how-to-learn-any-language-on-your-own-step-by-step-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/how-to-learn-any-language-on-your-own-step-by-step-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Learn Any Language On Your Own (Step-by-Step Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Learning a new language on your own is not easy. But it is possible with the right strategy.<\/p>\n

If you’re trying to learn Spanish<\/a> for example, we suggest finding a Spanish tutor<\/a> or conversation partner that can help shorten your learning curve. But we also get that you may want to learn on your own instead of taking Spanish lessons<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Over the past few years, we\u2019ve heard from many of our student who have tried learning a language on their own. They\u2019ve shared from their own experience what they wish they would\u2019ve done differently.<\/p>\n

Know how you best learn<\/h2>\n

This is the single biggest feedback we\u2019ve gotten from people who\u2019ve taken the solo learning path. It turns out that some people are designed to learn new things on their own, while some of us are the contrast.<\/p>\n

For example, some of us learn best by listening, while others retain more information<\/a> when reading something (check out the 7 major learning styles<\/a>). You have to reflect on your previous experience to understand how you\u2019ve best learnt new skills in the past.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, most of us have been forced to learn via a limited learning style because of the traditional education system we grew up with. In short, not everyone is designed to learn new skills on their own. And by being self-aware of your shortcomings upfront, you can save yourself a lot of time, stress, and hassle.<\/p>\n

\"learning-styles\"<\/p>\n

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Know why you\u2019re learning a language<\/h2>\n

If you’re trying to learn French<\/a> let’s say, and you want to do it on your own, the biggest obstacle for most people is persistency. In most cases, learning anything on your own will take much longer than getting professional help and guidance from someone who\u2019s done it before.<\/p>\n

This is why you need to have a strong inner purpose of\u00a0why\u00a0<\/em>you\u2019re learning a language. Maybe your family speaks another language, and you want to feel a deeper connection with them. Perhaps your spouse comes from a different culture, and you want to be able to communicate with his\/her family.<\/p>\n

Understanding why you\u2019re learning a language is what\u2019s going to inspire you to go through that lesson manual, attend those language exchanges<\/a>, and to continue grinding it out when things inevitably gets tough.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve attended our free language class<\/a>, then you know we\u2019ve discussed the cycles of the mastery curve. In case you missed it, the process of mastery is never a straight upward curve, no matter how talented you are. It\u2019s a series of ups and downs, with many plateaus that come with it.<\/p>\n

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Have a firm end-goal in mind<\/h2>\n

Once you know why you\u2019re learning a language, you must have a firm end-goal in mind. Otherwise, you don\u2019t have a target that aligns with your purpose.<\/p>\n

Is your end goal to\u00a0reach conversation proficiency? Or perhaps you want to become a fluent speaker.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s only the first step. We also have to know in what timeframe we want to achieve our goals. If you have an overseas trip coming up in July, you may want to aim to hit your goal by May or June. If you\u2019re learning for fun, you can be a little more lenient, but you still want to have a specific deadline.<\/p>\n

Why do we want to do this? Because of Parkinson\u2019s Law<\/a>, which states that the amount of time that one has to perform a task is the amount of time it will take to complete the task. This means that often when we give ourselves 12 months to learn something, we\u2019ll subconsciously spend 12 months learning it. Versus if we gave ourselves only 7 months, we\u2019ll force ourselves to learn within that timeframe.<\/p>\n

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Now that we have our prerequisites, we\u2019ll share our step-by-step process on how to learn a language<\/a> on your own.<\/p>\n

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1. Find the right language tools<\/h2>\n

If you wanted to become a musician, you\u2019ll need an instrument. If you wanted to get in better shape, you need weights and equipment. Learning a language is no different.<\/p>\n

Language learners today have a plethora of tools and resources that we can leverage to learn faster. From mobile apps to podcasts, your options are limitless.<\/p>\n

Check out our list of recommended language tools<\/a> to get new ideas.<\/p>\n

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2. Design your environment around your language<\/h2>\n

The second is to design your environment around your language. The reason why this is powerful is because there\u2019s two main ways to learn something: actively and passively. While active learning is more impactful, we only have so much time in the day to actively learn a language.<\/p>\n

Examples of passive learning includes:<\/p>\n