How to Manage Unhelpful Thoughts When Learning Something New
You can do it!
Sometimes when we learn something new, we can be our very own worst enemy. This can impact our ability to learn, decrease our motivation levels, and even increase the risk of us giving up. So, what are these unhelpful thinking habits we apply and what can we do about them?
Compare and Despair
Being part of a community is great! However, sometimes we might compare ourselves with other learners. Seeing only their progress and comparing ourselves negatively against them. To overcome this, remind yourself that you may not know their backstory. They may have studied the skill before or they might even think the same thing and comparing themselves to you! It is a good practice to monitor your progress. Record videos and watch them back and Regularly test yourself or keep a journal. The time spent comparing with others could be better used to learn some new vocab, read some pages of a book or listen to a podcast!
Critical Self
Saying to yourself that you can’t do something or you are not good enough is a sure way to put yourself down! However, I have news for you, there is no such word as can’t. Even if you think something is impossible, then remember that:
Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!
— Audrey Hepburn
Bad Learning Experiences in the Past
Remembering the bad experiences we had of learning in the past can be very off-putting. Remind yourself ‘that this is now, and that was then’. Take what you need from those memories and leave them. Takeaways could be the lessons learned from those negative experiences. If it was the teacher or resources that did not work for you, then don’t use them again. Don’t be afraid to try something new.
‘If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got’
— Henry Ford.
Predicting the Future
Telling yourself that you will not meet your future targets could almost lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy! Stay in the moment and set lots of little targets that will lead to the bigger target. My current is to write 30 posts in 30 days. However, my focus is writing just one article. I will then work towards my goal, by taking it one day at a time rather than overwhelm myself thinking about the full 30 articles. If you jump straight to the main goal, you will lose sight of the little goals that will get you there. The key is in the process and what you will learn from that and not really the end goal!
You Should, Must, and Got to be Doing This
Actually, should, must, and got to put a lot of undue pressure on us. If you miss a day of studying, just pick it up from where you left off the next day. Putting too much pressure on yourself is one way sure way to burn out quickly. Listen to the words you tell yourself. If you say you can’t do something, maybe it’s time to end negative sentences with yet. For example, “I can’t do this… yet”
Emotional Reasoning
You have had a bad spell at learning a new language. Well, just because you had a bad spell at learning a new language does not mean you are bad at it. Maybe the routine or resources you are using are not working for you. Also, we can be very good at talking ourselves out of doing things. So let’s talk ourselves into meeting our set targets.
You can do this!
What negative thinking habits do you apply when learning new things?
Originally published in Language Learners Journal, 2016.
👉 Check out my Lists for writing tips and challenges, discover other stories, publications and awesome new writers too 🖤👉 Subscribe to give my stories a new home in your inbox 💌