Would you like to learn something new and would you like to learn it fast? Here is one simple secret, that will make everything easier: simply dive in!
Research shows it again and again. The fastest way to learn, something new is to practice it for at least 20 hours in a row. Sure… it may look like a huge investment on your time, but… at the end you’ll notice that it will be the most efficient use of your time.
For mastering Dutch, the solution is exactly the same. If you want to master it fast, then simply dive in.
Here is a strange paradox: many people believe that somehow it will go faster if you only do little pieces at a time, let’s say 2 hours per week. Then if you do it, a couple of months in a row, it should lead to permanent results, but… unfortunately it isn’t true…
If you learn something new and then if you do other things again, then chances are high that it will take you a long time to really get the hang of it. Before you know it, you’ll forget what you just learned, and then somehow, over time you’ll notice that the low results that you get, are only disappointing you and then, it is hard to feel excited about the new skill that you wanted to learn. It is also the moment that most people easily give up.
Let’s compare learning Dutch to swimming in a Dutch sea. What would be the best way to do it? You could tip your toe in the water and feel if you like the temperature of the water, but then before you know it, you would suffer from something that Dutch people call koudwatervrees (fear of the cold water). Here is a funny thing: people that immediately jump into the water, genuinly enjoy swimming. But those who wait and observe often find, that much later they will not swim after all…
Therefore, if you really like to learn fast, then make sure that you focus on Dutch for a couple of days. Make sure that for a couple of days, you only focus on Dutch. And then, a miraculous thing starts to happen. Sure, it may feel uneasy at first, but… before you know it, you just know that you get the hang of it. All of a sudden, many more things start to make sense and making more progress is a lot easier.
By the way, I am talking from my own experience. On the picture you see me in the sea close to Castricum. I have found out for myself that it is a lot easier to swim in a Dutch sea if I just jump into it. The same thing is true when I work with people that like to learn Dutch. Diving in always works, it gives great results. So why wait, if great things could happen right now?
Brain
on 04 Apr 2016