A student of mine recently said , “I don’t feel motivated if I am not making progress”.
Sound familiar?
It’s a natural reaction to a lack of progress.
But is there really no progress? Or do we just not notice it?
Since childhood, we have been taught to focus on our mistakes.
I don’t know about you, but in our school, we were criticized for our mistakes much more often than we were praised for our correct answers.
Our successes were taken for granted, so we stopped noticing them.
So the question is, how can we train our minds to notice the signs of progress so that we stop sabotaging ourselves?
First, stop comparing yourself to native speakers or to your target level.
Many people measure their progress in English on a “yes/no” scale, and this greatly paralyzes their perception of the process.
For example, they ask themselves:
😔 Have I started speaking without stuttering or hesitation?
😔 Have I stopped making mistakes?
😔 Am I no longer afraid of phone conversations with native speakers?
The truth is, progress is not an “on/off” light switch.
Progress is more like dawn, when the next minute seems as dark as the previous one, until after a while you realize that it’s getting brighter outside.
That’s why a more useful approach is to compare yourself not with native speakers or with C2, but with yourself two years ago.
Do you see a difference between your English now and 2 years ago?
If you are not sure, try keeping a progress diary. It will help you to recognize your successes if you do it at least weekly:
✅ ✌ You were able to explain a complex idea. For example, you were able to explain or talk about a complex or detailed process (with or without mistakes – it doesn’t matter) and people understood it.
✅ ✌ You have shown curiosity and interest in English or motivation to learn it. Motivation is a great sign of progress.
✅ ✌ You have started using better phrases or expressions. For example, instead of “I used this opportunity”, you use the phrase “I embraced this opportunity” or “I took advantage of this opportunity”.
✅ ✌ You used a difficult/problematic expression correctly. For example, if there is a mistake you make quite often. Now that you are aware of it, you consciously slow down and avoid it when you are talking to someone or practicing English.
✅ ✌ You had an interesting conversation in English. It doesn’t matter if you made mistakes. If you had fun or took something away, that’s progress.
✅ ✌ Someone complimented you on your English. Your boss or a native speaker said: “Your English is great! Where did you learn it or how did you achieve it?”. Being noticed is a great sign that you have achieved something that others have not.
It sounds simple, but it really does wonders for your motivation if you do it regularly.
Make learning English enjoyable and effective!
