Getting rid of perfectionism

That’s what I needed.. to release myself from perfectionism in learning languages. Perhaps it sounds strange but just think about it.

May be I’m exaggerating the situation a bit, however before I used to think: How can I begin reading books in the original if I haven’t learnt English-Russian Dictionary by heart yet? And therewith I don’t remember all the meanings of every word.. And How can I listen to radio in English if I can’t catch every third word? Weeelllllll.. At first I had better do a thousand more exercises and read grammar and.. and.. when I’m absolutely ready I will begin.. Rubbish! It turned out to be a torment, while I should have turned that into pleasure..

Not always and not everything must be ideal.. Now I try to apprehend new languages like a child who has just begun to understand and to speak. I’m try to listen even if I can’t catch every word – just to get used to accent and speed of speech. I read and when a new word occurs – I don’t hurry to look for it in a dictionary, but try to get it out of the context. On the contrary before I would always translate every word on every page.. and you know, if you find fifteen new words on only one page and check it pretty carefully you get bored and neglect the book.. and so on, it concerns not only reading. Now I don’t clutch new words so much, I know that they will still occur many times, though it doesn’t mean I don’t pay attention to new words at all – of course I do, I just limit the quantity in order not to confuse myself.

Learning must be a pleasure!