Disadvantages of Perfectionism in Learning a Language

We all want to be perfect at what we do, and that’s fine. The problem arises when it stops you from growing. And it’s the same with learning a new language. You have no idea how many times I’ve heard my students say something like: “But I can’t work on my speaking until I know all of the grammar structures and a wide range of vocabulary.” The problem is we want to be perfect before we even start doing something because we’re afraid of making mistakes, failing, or not being good enough in the beginning. I’m sure you’ve heard this famous quote “If you want to be good at something, you must be willing to be bad at it first.” The hard truth is we will never be 100% at something. If you wait around until you think you’re “perfect” at something, you will never begin.

I remember when I wanted to read my first English-written novel in the early stages of my English learning journey, I thought, “But I don’t know all the words in this book!” Well, that’s why we have dictionaries, my friend! And yes, the first book was a nightmare. Each paragraph would take at least 10-15 minutes to finish. And believe me, it was torture for a perfectionist like me! I felt like I was failing, cheating, and not being good enough. But I tried to ignore that voice in my head, and I just went for it! And that was all I needed to boost my English level. Because with every book, I could feel that I was reading with more speed and understanding faster.Learning a language isn’t supposed to be easy and convenient all the time. It’s supposed to challenge you and make you uncomfortable. The moral of the story is if you don’t hush that voice in your head saying, “You’re not ready yet,” you will never start. The trick to improving a language, or literally anything, is to start. So, watch that movie without a subtitle and try to understand the plot. Go read that book even if it takes you an hour to finish one page. Go listen to that English podcast, even if you don’t fully understand everything they say in it. Stop waiting to be “perfect,” and just GO FOR IT!