Alex Senoner I’ve been using an approach that has really helped me a lot when I struggled with learning a language, especially back then with Japanese or now with Chinese. So, if you also feel like you’re stuck with your language and you’re not really making much progress, then this will hopefully help you.
Your focus will evolve
Our language learning journey isn’t a straight line. Early on, you might need a basic foundation: the script, core grammar, survival phrases. Later, the bottleneck might become listening, then speaking, then reading speed. Instead of forcing the same tool for months, listen to your inner compass and pivot. When your gut says: “I need to hear the language,” lean into listening. When it says: “I need conversations,” book a session. That responsiveness keeps momentum high and frustration low.
Why flexibility beats rigidity
A strict study plan can be useful, but it becomes a problem when it ignores your motivation and mood. Pushing through a task you currently dislike often creates negative emotions that slow learning and breed resentment. Choosing an activity you’re genuinely drawn to like watching a film, reading a short story, or chatting with a tutor on the other hand generates positive emotion and attention, which boosts retention. However, you don’t have to get rid of your study plan. You can and should keep it, but make it flexible enough so your instincts can adapt it.
My personal story with Japanese
When I started Japanese, I had no strategy, I just followed my guts. I learned the basics with the app Human Japanese (which I really enjoyed), then I moved to the textbook Genki for a couple of months (again a great resource), but I didn’t finish the textbook because half way through my instinct told me that I had to listen more. So, I dropped it temporarily and watched film series in Japanese. That shift exposed me to rhythm and tone, and thus showed me a new side of the language that you cannot learn from a textbook. After another few months, I felt it was time to practise speaking more, so I found a language exchange partner online and we spent hours each week alternating Japanese and German. Over time, I got into a new balance: a bit of listening, reading, and speaking each week. But I only found it by following the signal of what felt most needed next and spending time with each activity for several weeks.
If your instinct is quiet
Not everyone hears that inner voice clearly, especially with a first foreign language. In that case, use a simple plan and stick to it for a while. But also interrogate your motivation: Why do you want this language? If you consistently feel no pull, it might not be the right fit right now, and that’s fine. The aim is sustained progress, not perfection through willpower alone.
Where I’m at now
With Chinese, my sticking point recently has been comprehension. So, I’m leaning hard into listening, i.e. more videos and native audio, especially with conversations on the horizon. I’m trying to get my Chinese ready for my trip to Taiwan next week, where I’ll be attending the Polyglot Conference in Taipei. If you’re also around, send me a message on Instagram and let’s meet! 😃
