This blog post is AI-generated by Claude and inspired by the original PolyTripper video linked below.
Hi Language Buddy!
I hope you had a productive week. Today I want to talk about how successful people approach learning a new skill—and how you can apply this to language learning.
There's a huge difference between how professionals approach learning something new versus how amateurs and hobbyists do it. I'm a big fan of Marie Forleo, and she once published a blog post about how professionals approach learning new things like running a marathon.
The example stuck with me: when this person decided to run her first marathon, the first thing she did was research the right shoes to buy. Then she found experts who had successfully run marathons and learned from them as mentors.
She didn't just wing it or try to concoct her own training methods. She found people who had already succeeded and emulated what they did.
This is exactly what I encourage you to do when approaching language learning. Don't try to concoct methods and ideas yourself. Look at people who have successfully learned the language you want to learn, and emulate what they do.
As someone who has learned eight languages and can have unrestricted conversations in all of them—and who is currently learning a ninth alongside my students—I can tell you that online language lessons are an indispensable part of that process.
Without professional instruction, you miss that crucial feedback loop. It's like taking years of piano lessons without a piano teacher. You can reinforce the same mistakes for months, lose motivation when you hit plateaus, or develop bad habits that become harder to fix later.
An experienced teacher provides real-time correction, keeps you motivated when progress feels slow, and guides you away from the common pitfalls that trip up most learners.
When you study successful polyglots and language learners, you see common patterns:
They invest in quality instruction early: Instead of struggling alone for months, they get professional help from the beginning.
They study methodology: They don't just dive in randomly—they research effective language learning techniques.
They learn from people who've succeeded: Instead of trusting internet forums or trying to figure everything out alone, they find mentors and teachers who have actually done what they want to do.
They treat it like a skill worth investing in: They don't approach language learning like a hobby they'll dabble in—they approach it like a professional skill they want to master.
Educational research consistently shows that expert feedback accelerates learning. A concept called "deliberate practice," researched extensively by psychologist Anders Ericsson, demonstrates that the highest performers in any field consistently practice under the guidance of qualified coaches.
The same principle applies to language learning. Self-study has its place, but without expert feedback, you're essentially flying blind.
I get it—hiring teachers costs money. But think about it as an investment in developing a skill that will benefit you for decades. The money you spend on quality instruction early on will save you years of inefficient self-study and help you avoid developing bad habits that are hard to break.
Professional teachers don't just teach you the language—they teach you how to learn the language efficiently.
That's my speech for this week. Approach language learning like a professional, not an amateur. Find people who have succeeded and learn from them.
Hope you have a great coming week!
