The level of training or intensity you choose when trying to develop a skill significantly impacts your motivation and consistency.
For me, the intensity of any exercise I start to improve my talent varies depending on my mood and energy on that particular day.
Still, it is important for progress to be measurable. For instance, when I go for a run, instead of tracking how many kilometers I’ve covered, I measure how many minutes I ran. Similarly, I pay close attention to how many minutes a day and how many hours a week I dedicate to my foreign language education.
Because in my opinion, instant performance can be affected by countless factors; what truly matters to me is showing up, staying there, and not abandoning the positive habit I have built. And this can be measured by any tool that aligns with a certain rhythm, such as time.
One might sense that these ideas belong to someone who is truly in no rush, and I have no argument against that. Things don’t always work this way for everyone. Some people must achieve success as quickly as possible, or at least they feel they must.
If you feel the wind at your back, there is nothing wrong with being fast and passionate. Being fast and passionate is great, as long as it isn’t causing you harm. Ultimately, the best decision comes from listening to yourself—what are your mind and body telling you?
Is this “positive pursuit” you are engaged in draining you out? Or is it working in a direction that genuinely improves your quality of life?
Sometimes, taking bold steps in an arena where we have no prior habit is like trying to skip four or five steps at once while climbing stairs. It might make you feel like you’re moving fast in the short term, but the risk of injury is incredibly high.
This is why the stages designed for personal growth must be both fulfilling and digestible. In other words, they shouldn’t be so simple that they bore you, nor so exhausting that they feel like a burden. This way, they can be practiced consistently and gradually transform into a vibrant habit in your life.
Within societal culture, we are exposed to far too much comparison. This toxic motivation, which eventually morphs into your own inner voice, works like a trap designed to misdirect your attention. It drags you into exhausting races—yet, the ultimate prize of some races comes through losing.
To win in an arena where you are truly more effective, do not hesitate to lose in a struggle where you are less productive. And while it is a cliché, it’s true: if you need a reference point for your measure of success, just remember who you were yesterday.
Based on my experience during my time teaching, the biggest obstacle to acquiring a new skill—at least in the initial stage—isn’t a lack of access to the right course or study techniques. Rather, it stems from our inability to clear out a space in our lives for this new skill by letting go of less important habits.
And that is exactly what I am doing: researching the underlying causes behind this barrier (mental, technical, and financial) and working to provide practical solutions that will bring value to you, my followers.
You have just read the very first post on this website.
Looking forward to connecting with you again soon!
Semih Akgül