Why action matters more than desire.

Why action matters more than desire.

Today, while buying coffee at a café, I met a girl named Nastya. She smiled at me and asked, “Do you remember me? I am Nastya. You taught me English, but I haven’t learned it yet.”

I remembered her. She was about 13 when she started attending my classes. She struggled with English in school and took a few lessons before stopping. Then, she told her mom, “Studying English isn’t for me. It’s too difficult.”

This is a common situation. People often begin attending classes with the hope that just a few lessons will enable them to speak English fluently. However, that’s rarely the case.

It is widely known that to start speaking and thinking in English, you need to be exposed to the language as much as possible. It’s not just about attending a few classes; it requires several years of hard work, both at home and in the classroom.

Not everyone is willing to dedicate their spare time to reading, doing homework, and listening to English. Others may find the idea of speaking English exciting but are reluctant to take action. These people often succumb to procrastination and dwell on the need to speak English without actually putting in the effort. They lack the motivation to learn a foreign language or fail to seek out ways to stay motivated. Consequently, they come up with numerous excuses for not becoming active students.

So, let these individuals remain as they are, regardless of their wish to avoid action. I hope that Nastya will choose to continue her English studies one day, but something tells me she might not. And that’s okay.