Learning a foreign language is frustrating and discouraging sometimes, so what keeps you going?
For me getting encouragment is the best "fuel" to keep me going. With some compliments are a few encouraging words here and there, I feel as though I can accomplish learning another language. Also it's extremely motivating when a native speaker thanks me for studying their language.
The fuel that keeps me going is that I have no choice. I do not give myself an option. I force myself through the pain and schedule lessons for myself when I'd rather be doing something else. I force myself to get out my book and go through my exercises even when I don't want to.
That's the only way. Any thoughts or dreams of happiness will soon fade if you have them. The better you get at a language the worse native speakers will treat you. You receive no reward and no gratitude for this.
When you start out, you'll get the smiles, and "wows" and the thanks. Start mastering the language and you get the eye rolls, the dirty looks, and the blank stares. You might get insults as well. It's a lonely road.
Hope you're ready for it. And oh, if you're looking to get a pay raise or advance a career, then it's faster and easier to go get a PhD than to learn Asian languages as a native English speaker.
I like travelling.
But travelling a lot would cost much money.
There is a way to learn the culture in different place.Learn the language first before getting to know the culture well.And make friends with language learners is good for life.
The current thing that motivates me right now that if I reach a high level in the german language, I will win a scholarship to travel to Germany.
A few months ago when I was just gaining confidence to start speaking my target language (French) I was elated each time I was given a compliment or an impressed look. This was my motivation back then.
Fast forward 6 months and it's a hard slog, I have a couple of French friends and my feelings on the subject of my level are positive or negative on any given day. What motivates me now is that I have chosen a location independent lifestyle and I know I have got this far, I am not going to quit now. It's frustrating as hell when you feel like you aren't making any progress. You have to evolve your learning routines and look for new ways to keep it fresh and fun.
I've started a blog and sometimes post about my language discoveries. So that's a good source of motivation, but mainly I do it for somewhere to store interesting examples of language that I haven't found elsewhere.
Handling the Asian Market is motivation enough to continue learnng. Although English is always the choice in negotiations. Fluency is always a plus and when a situation gets a bit complicated an interpreter helps out.
