Is failing a part of progress?

How did iconic figures fail towards success?

• Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star Newspaper because he was not creative enough.
• Twelve publishers rejected J.K. Rowling before Harry Potter became a success.
• Teachers told Thomas Edison he was “too stupid to learn anything” and then Edison invented the light bulb, alkaline storage battery, phonograph, and more.

Iconic figures such as these are prime examples of failing with a purpose. Despite being rejected frequently, they each had a dream and stayed focused on it. Failing brings you one step closer to your goal. Making mistakes while learning a language only means you are improving. Mistakes expose weaknesses in your language abilities. These weaknesses show you how to become fluent. The faster you make mistakes, the more quickly you become fluent.

What kind of attitude ensures language learning success?

The attitude a toddler has towards learning to walk is the attitude you must have towards language learning. When a toddler falls, he gets back up and stays propelled by the passion of knowing how to walk. Toddlers persevere towards their goals because they know this is the way towards success.

How do you stay encouraged while failing?

Know that you will fall, and you will make mistakes. However, if you make these mistakes with a purpose you are always moving forward. Go on a quest for mistakes because they are your ally. The more allies you have the faster you learn. Ask your tutor questions! Explore your language abilities! Have meaningful conversations! As a favorite teacher of mine once said, “Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!"