How to battle Imposter syndrome when learning a foreign language

Imposter syndrome is sadly present in many aspects of our lives, whether it’s not feeling productive enough at work or clever enough at college or university. It can make us feel that we don’t belong and that, frankly, we are not good enough. 

Unfortunately, this sneaky wee syndrome can influence our self-perception in learning languages too, whether it’s someone speaking back to us in English after we have crafted a perfectly good sentence in Spanish or making the same grammatical mistake for the umpteenth time. All such things impact our language self-esteem, but here are 5 tips to fight back against this imposter syndrome bastardo ;).

1. Set achievable goals. Progress can often be difficult to chart when learning languages. Set yourself goals of what you want to achieve, e.g. to be able to read basic texts or understand podcasts for beginners. You can then build on these milestones over time. Accomplishing such targets shows that you are progressing. They also help to create a sense of achievement.

2. Reflect back. I am a big fan of reflection in a language sense, it allows you to see that you are progressing. For example, 9 months ago, I could not even form sentences, but now I can hold a basic conversation. 6 months ago, I could not form the past tense, but now I can and, for you German learners out there, that 3 months ago I nearly fainted at having to pronounce 7,254 (Siebentausendzweihundertvierundfünfzig), but now it’s kein Problem. 

3. Don‘t compare. Be careful not to compare yourself with others, many Brits compare themselves to foreigners who often speak excellent English and then think what’s the point when they have such fantastic English skills. However many foreigners will have learnt English intensively since primary school or even nursery, so it is not an equal playing field. Similarly don’t compare your progress with classmates. People learn languages at different paces. Progress depends on the work you put in beyond classes. Therefore, do your best to learn as much as you can and focus on your individual journey. 

4. Celebrate success. Whether it’s an inward pat on the back for ordering in French to a slightly smug smile because you know what the people across from you on the train are saying in Italian, it is important to enjoy these moments. I treated myself in Norway for using a conditional sentence by buying myself a beer, I mean the beer did nearly bankrupt me but it tasted all the sweeter due to having formed that bad boy conditional sentence correctly. 

5. Be kind to yourself. The number of times I have thought what’s the point after another bad language day at the language office. In our minds 1 negative comment can often outweigh 10 positive ones, therefore don’t overthink bad language days, learn from them and try to look objectively at the progress you are making and the enjoyment that language learning is bringing. Remember that language learning is a journey, and it’s a bloody great one.  The coolness of being able to talk to someone in a different language or understanding a language which you never thought you would be able to learn, not to mention exploring a new culture is amazing.

So, the next time you are down on yourself or the imposter syndrome monster rears its ugly head, just take a deep breath, recognise the progress you are making and keep learning. I promise the end goal will be worth it!