Believe it, this matters a lot more than you think.

First, it’s necessary to understand something that is fundamental:

Your mind dictates your reality.

This is not my opinion.

It’s a fact.

All your beliefs, fears, anxieties, and expectations do not exist in the external world.

Only in your head.

It is because of their existence that you live as you do.

Eating what you eat, reading what you read, talking to whom you talk to, etc.

And, since every action generates a reaction, your reality is shaped by this.

What you eat shapes your body, what you read shapes your opinions, and the friendships you cultivate shape your behavior.

All of this because, in your mind, these choices make more sense to you.

Understanding this, we come to a conclusion:

If we do not direct our thoughts, we will not know where we are going or what life we will live.

Fortunately, there is a solution.

Borrowing a term from Carol S. Dweck, psychologist and author of the book “Mindset,” the solution is this:

Growth mindset.

And no, it’s not about standing in front of a mirror shouting “I can do it!”.

It’s about recognizing a simple fact:

Anyone can change any given situation, no matter who they are or what it is.

It is knowing that you are indeed capable of overcoming any obstacle.

As it says in the book:

“People’s ideas about risk and effort grow out of their more basic mindset. It’s not just that some people happen to recognize the value of challenging themselves and the importance of effort. Our research has shown that this comes directly from the growth mindset.” pg. 11

And what does this have to do with learning languages?

It’s simple.

If you had the standard language learning experience, you probably took a second language in school.

You did grammar drills.

Memorized abstract rules.

Listened to dialogues on a CD where you understood almost nothing.

You might not have realized it, but this shaped the way you think of languages today.

As if they were very difficult things.

Things to be analyzed.

Broken into tiny pieces until a rule is found.

But analyses demands time and effort.

That is why we outsource language learning.

After all, we were taught to wait for someone to solve it for us.

So, we look for language specific courses.

We take private lessons.

Use a bunch of apps.

And the result?

We rarely go anywhere.

And no wonder we don’t.

Doing all this does not guarantee learning.

Only one thing guarantees it: taking responsibility.

Nothing can be learned without assuming responsibility for learning.

And we only take responsibility for something when we believe we’re capable of it.

That’s where the Growth mindset comes in.

We can define it with a formula:

Needed information + Constant implementation = Desired transformation

90% of the world follows its opposite, the Fixed mindset.

Why?

Incorrect information.

Consequently, incorrect thoughts and actions.

Think of it this way: in-form-ation.

Prefix ‘in-’ = inward movement.

Form = shape, structure.

Ation = action, execution.

Incorrect information shapes your mind to take incorrect actions.

Incorrect actions can only generate negative thoughts.

And that’s the strength within the Growth mindset:

The belief that it is always possible to acquire the correct information.

In one sentence, it’s what allowed me to learn 5 languages.

Not just recognizing that it’s possible.

Believing that it was possible for me.

That I would find the best way to study for myself.

That at some point I would learn to form sentences.

Manage to get the right pronunciation.

That, no matter what obstacle came up, I would overcome it.

I wouldn’t wait for someone to tell me what to do.

I’d chase after it in my own way.

Test a thousand different things until I found the solution.

It was never a lack of talent, IQ, or anything else.

It was simply a lack of information.

Not knowing how to study.

Which apps to use.

How to organize myself.

Therefore, I leave here 3 books that helped me on this journey:

• “Atomic Habits” by James Clear.
• “Mindset” by Carol S. Dweck.
• “Fluent Forever” by Gabriel Wyner.
  
  

Remember: what you lack is information.

Nothing else.

So, chase after it as if your life depended on it.

Because it does.

Now go.

Find the information you need.

Implement it every single day.

Build the life you want.

It only depends on you.