“I know I should study, but I’m just too busy to keep up…”
“By the way, Ichi, can you speak English?”
That was how I used to answer such questions.
Nine years ago, something prompted me to start learning English.
Today, I live in Australia and work in English.
Back then, when I bought my first textbook, I couldn’t have imagined this life.
After all, I used to hate language learning.
Even in school, I couldn’t grasp basic grammar, and every English class felt like torture.
I couldn’t score well on tests, and I would pray not to be called on by the teacher.
And yet, I managed to keep learning for nine years.
In this post, I’d like to share how I’ve been able to continue studying a language for so long.
Please note, this article is for those who want to learn a language in a long-term, steady way.
It’s not intended for those who need quick results for an exam.
For tests, it’s better to check resources from specialists, as each exam has its own strategies.
How I Started Learning a Language
There was an event that changed my life.
It was a trip to Los Angeles when I was 26.
During the trip, I visited UCLA and was struck by how impressive it was.
The beautiful campus, the students studying so hard, their determination—it was all so inspiring and full of life.
I found myself thinking, “I want to study abroad.”
By the end of the trip, that thought had quietly taken root in my mind.
The problem was, I had no idea where to start.
After wandering around the English section of a bookstore, I decided to buy a grammar textbook.
Starting with the basics seemed like the right move.
I wasn’t sure if I could keep studying English while working full-time, but I knew I had to try.
Ignoring that desire and doing nothing would surely become a regret at the end of my life.
The Barriers That Make Continuing Language Learning Hard
Once I started learning a language, I quickly realized how hard it was to keep going.
Work kept me busy, and I wanted to make time for my family as well.
As a result, language study often ended up at the bottom of my to-do list.
There were days when I could study consistently, and other times I would stop for a week or more.
Looking back, there were three main barriers that stood in my way:
1. Goals Set Too High
When goals are too ambitious, daily efforts can feel meaningless.
In my case, I needed to achieve an overall IELTS score of 5.5 to study abroad.
Though it’s considered an intermediate level, at the time it felt like an overwhelming challenge.
I often found myself thinking, “When will I ever reach this goal?”
These doubts sometimes made it hard to stay focused on learning.
2. No Sense of Progress
When you first start, you don’t become fluent overnight.
Language learning involves an enormous amount to absorb, and progress feels invisible at times.
This long, difficult phase can drain motivation, making it hard to keep going.
3. Struggling to Build a Habit
“I’m busy today, maybe I’ll skip just this once…”
The moment you allow an exception, restarting becomes harder.
One skipped day leads to another, and soon, the learning stops altogether.
These small lapses pile up, and before you know it, the habit is gone.
Tips for Keeping Up with Language Learning
So, how can we overcome these barriers and keep learning?
Based on my own experience, I have three key suggestions:
1. Think Long-Term
Set your goals on a 5- to 10-year horizon and approach learning with optimism.
Language learning never truly ends. The more you study, the more new words and expressions you’ll encounter.
Even if today’s progress feels small, remind yourself that in 5 or 10 years, it will amount to something significant.
Personally, I believe that having small, daily action goals is enough. For example:
- Open your textbook every day
- Review your vocabulary list daily
- Chat with an AI to practice conversation
- Use online speaking services daily
Once the habit forms, you can gradually increase the challenge—just like with strength training.
High goals aren’t necessary to start or to keep going.
After all, Michael Jordan began playing basketball simply to impress girls, and he became the greatest player in the world.
2. Create Opportunities to Output
Regularly testing your skills makes it easier to stay motivated.
Without chances to check your progress, it’s hard to identify areas for improvement or to feel motivated to continue.
Here are some examples of output-oriented goals:
- Have conversations online
- Travel abroad and use the language
- Take a proficiency test
I personally took the TOEIC test every six months to track my growth.
Although it cost money, the boost in motivation made it a worthwhile investment.
3. Make It a Habit
The key is to lower the barrier to action.
Humans have a trait called homeostasis, the tendency to maintain internal balance despite external changes.
When starting a new habit, homeostasis works against you, pulling you back to your old state.
However, once you push through and overwrite this tendency, the habit sticks—and it actually feels uncomfortable not to continue.
It’s like a runner who feels uneasy when they skip their run.
So, aim to overwrite your old patterns first; after that, the habit will carry itself forward.
To do this, avoid setting goals that are too demanding.
High barriers increase the risk of burnout before the habit has a chance to take root.
Here are some simple action goals to start with:
- Open your textbook every day
- Look through your vocabulary list daily
- Sit at your desk right after waking up
- Carry your textbook with you so you can review anytime
You might wonder, “Is it okay for the goals to be this easy?”
The answer is yes.
Once the habit forms, your actions will naturally level up.
At first, even opening my textbook felt like a chore, but eventually, I managed to secure two hours of study time every day—while working full-time.
What matters most is to keep going.
To do that, it’s crucial not to make yourself hate the process.
If you push yourself too hard and start to resent it, the effort will backfire.
That’s my personal experience.
I hope this article will be helpful to you.
I’ve also shared my recent study routines in my Vlogs.
I also share my daily study routines on the social media platforms below.
On Instagram, I mainly post in real time, aiming to create a sense that we’re learning together.
On Twitter, I summarize what I’ve learned each day—such as insights from books I’ve read or lessons I’ve picked up from everyday life.
Sayonara.
