Avoid These Critical Mistakes

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without prior written permission from Smart Language Learning Academy, except
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Table of Contents
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 4
MISTAKE #1: Starting for the Sake of Starting ........................................................................... 9
MISTAKE #2: Having Dumb Goals........................................................................................................... 15
MISTAKE #3: Waiting for Inspiration (to Strike) ........................................................................... 20
MISTAKE #4: Suffering From Shiny-Object Syndrome........................................................... 28
MISTAKE #5: Seeking the Holy Grail of Language Learning................................................ 34
MISTAKE #6: When in Doubt, Shhh and Listen............................................................................. 40
MISTAKE #7: Addicted to Grammar..................................................................................................... 47
MISTAKE #8: Listening Too Little............................................................................................................. 54
MISTAKE #9: Drilling and Killing (Your Enthusiasm for Language Learning!)......... 60
MISTAKE #10: Limiting Yourself By Limiting Your Beliefs.......................................................... 67
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................................ 74
About the Author.............................................................................................................................................. 78
About the Smart Language Learning Academy........................................................................ 79
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Introduction
If you’re reading this ebook (or listening to it), then you probably have the same goal as any
language learner: to become fluent in your target language.
However, along the way to fluency you may have discovered a glaring issue - you have no
idea how to actually learn a language.
Maybe you don’t even know how to start, or you have started, and now you’re at a crossroads.
Or perhaps, you’re one of the exceedingly rare people that has reached a significant level
in your target language but you’d like to maximize your efforts.
If you’re struggling with which methods to use, how to manage your time and energy and
even the thoughts you have regarding language learning…then this ebook was built for you!
This guide will let you know exactly what to avoid and how to overcome the self-inflicted
language learning wounds that have prevented plenty of others from reaching fluency.
Before we begin, it’s crucial to understand that language learning is centered around three
phases.
Borrowing from the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages),
you’re going to fall into one of the following categories:
Note: We have simplified these definitions for the sake of brevity and clarity.
BEGINNER (A1-A2)
• Someone who is just starting a language or has very basic knowledge of it.
INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)
• You have a firm grasp of the basics and you can speak about topics you’re familiar with, but
you haven’t mastered any individual aspect of the language.
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ADVANCED (C1-C2)
• You’re comfortable using the language and expressing yourself at a near native-level.
At each stage you’re going to encounter a variety of problems to overcome.
BEGINNER (A1-A2)
• I don’t know how to learn languages!
• I’m so bad at this, I just wasn’t meant for learning another language!
• I’m afraid that the grammar is way too difficult!
INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)
• I can understand so much, but I’m so scared to speak to someone!
• I’ve put in hours and hours of studying and I’m not making any more progress!
• I think I’ll be stuck speaking broken [insert target language] for the rest of my life!
ADVANCED (C1-C2)
• I still have an accent and it’s bothering me!
• I can watch most movies and shows in my target language, but I can’t understand specific
dialects!
• I want to be able to speak like a native!
Do these sound familiar?
That is precisely why we’ve created this ebook (and audiobook) for YOU!
The SMART Language Learning Academy was established by me, Luca Lampariello and my
team of highly motivated language enthusiasts to help anyone learn any language.
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We value high-quality, empowering education to help people acquire a second language on
their own.
Here is what Zachary, an American student of mine who went through all the Academy’s
courses had to say about his path towards fluency.
The Smart Language Learning Academy’s courses are an excellent introduction into the world of
independent language learning. Not only do you learn fantastic and comprehensible strategies
to learn any language but you also learn about the principles of effective learning that make the
journey to fluency much more graspable and timely. I am so glad to say that, thanks to these
courses, I now know exactly what to do when I want to learn new languages in the future.
– Zachary, USA
Testimonials like the one you have just read above are proof that, yes, anybody can learn any
language, including you!
All you need to do is to figure out how by finding what works for you.
By combining the science (the brain) 🧠 and the art (the heart) ♥ ️of language learning, we
offer a holistic approach to reaching fluency via three pivotal pillars:
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1. Mindset 💪
Your purpose for learning a language and how you approach language learning on a daily basis.
2. Skill Set ✍️
The methods and strategies you use and adapt to achieve mastery in your target language.
3. Self-Organization ⌚
Your ability to manage the time, energy and focus required to make language learning a habit
that’s efficient, sustainable and enjoyable.
Language learning has supposedly become easier than ever before, right?
An abundance of resources, apps, AI tutors, flashcards, media in various dubs, and yet the
success rate among language learners seems to remain the same.
WHY!? 🤯
Well, in my humble opinion, those starting out don’t know where to begin, or which resource to
focus on.
Should they speak right away and make as many mistakes as possible?
And what about pronunciation?
It gets a bit overwhelming, doesn’t it?
But wait, what about intermediate level learners!? They’re starving for a new way to over-
come the intermediate plateau.
So good at the basics, yet so far from being fluent.
They were promised fluency in 3 weeks! What happened?
The solution is quite simple - people are not trained to learn effectively on their own.
We’re stuck in the old paradigm of language learning, where we need a teacher to tell us why
to learn, what to learn, and how to learn it.
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The new paradigm is different. Here, the learner is in charge of all of those decisions.
To navigate the learning journey effectively, you must possess the skill to make informed
choices from among the numerous available options.
If you can’t, you’ll inevitably make mistakes, which lead to struggle and uncertainty.
To ensure you don’t fall into the bottomless pit of language learning mistakes, we’ve created
a list of ten ways to bulletproof your language learning experience.
Don’t just work hard at learning your language, work SMART!
Let’s jump in.
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MISTAKE #1
Starting for the Sake

of Starting
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The Story
I’m stuck.
September 2011. After successfully reaching fluency in 10 languages, my 11th was quickly
becoming a never ending migraine.
The once inviting and entrancing Torii gate on the cover of my Assimil Japanese book had
now served as a warning sign, “Don’t even try, go away!”
Friend turned into foe aka the Italian version of ASSIMIL’s Japanese with “Ease”
Only a few months after eagerly starting Japanese, my excitement had waned and I was
making little to no progress. Never had I struggled with a language this much, let alone this
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early in the process.
Blah, don’t listen to the negative voice in your head. Open up the book and just do it!
At the time, that was the best motivational speech I could come up with to quell my doubts.
Fast forward nine months into the future and I would “close the books” on Japanese.
Goodbye. さようなら (Sayonara).
The Lesson
Contrary to the advice I gave myself of “just doing it,” you should never make language
learning a process of sheer force and willpower.
Instead, I should have assessed why it wasn’t working. The answer is often a combination
of internal and external factors.
In my case, I had three major issues:
1. The wrong resource (external)
ASSIMIL is a wonderful resource for most languages, but it is not an ideal resource to start
learning Japanese.
2. Adaptability (internal and external)
This was the first language I was learning with a different syntax (Subject-Object-Verb).
Yet I kept my approach the same. Big mistake.
3. Knowing WHY is half the battle (internal)
Finally, the issue that made the biggest difference in the long run: I never thought about
why I was learning Japanese.
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To elaborate on the third point, I chose Japanese because it was unique and “exotic,” what-
ever that means. I just “did it,” without having a genuine reason for wanting to learn it. It was
an intellectual challenge, but not a personal or emotional one.
I was focused solely on the language, while never showing an ounce of interest towards the
culture, the lifestyle and the history of the Japanese people.
It’s no wonder my experience never “came to life,” because I had never considered involving
my heart and soul in the learning process.
Language learning is a science as much as it is an art.
In other words, to reach fluency, you have to learn with the 🧠 brain as well as the ♥️heart.
The Solution
Always start with a crystal clear idea in mind of why you’re learning a language. Don’t
“just do it for the sake of doing it,” because language learning is a long-term commit-
ment and you need an emotional boost as well as an intellectual one to remain dedicated.
TIPS FOR BEGINNER LEARNERS
This is a non-negotiable for beginners. You have to know and feel your target language by
pursuing it from an emotional and an intellectual standpoint. Take half an hour (or however
long you need) to jot down (yes, pen and paper, please!) why you’re learning your target
language.
❌ Bad example: I need to learn this language because everyone else is doing it, and it
might look good on my resume.
✅ Good example: I’m learning this language because it will open up opportunities to
connect with my partner’s family, understand their culture, and build deeper relationships.
❌ Bad example: I’m learning this language because it seems easy, and I want a quick win
in language learning.
✅ Good example: I’m learning this language because I am genuinely interested in it, as
well as the culture behind it.
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TIPS FOR INTERMEDIATE LEARNERS
Even if you’ve already reached a decent level in your target language, it’s worth it to go back
and reassess why you started learning it in the first place. Consider all of the time you’ve
spent learning the language and how much closer you are to fluency now.
❌ Bad example: I’ve been learning for a while, but I’m not sure why anymore.
✅ Good example: After investing significant time in learning, I’m revisiting my initial
reasons for starting this journey to ensure my motivation remains strong and focused.
❌ Bad example: I’m at an intermediate level, but I’m losing motivation because I don’t see
the point of learning this language anymore.
✅ Good example: To maintain my enthusiasm, I’m reconnecting with the culture, watching
native content, and reminding myself why I fell in love with the language in the first place.
TIPS FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS
If you’ve already become a language user instead of a language learner, then you probably
want to master your language in order to do something specific with it. Maybe it’s giving a
speech in front of native speakers? To work and live in a country where your target language
is spoken? The sky is limit, but take a moment to redefine your why!
❌ Bad example: I’m already fluent; I don’t need further goals.

✅ Good example: At this advanced stage, I’m redefining my purpose. I want to contribute
to global conversations by writing thought-provoking articles and participating in debates
in my target language.
❌ Bad example: I’ve mastered the language; I don’t need to improve.

✅ Good example: Language mastery is a continuous journey. I’m challenging myself to
have a real deep understanding of the culture behind the language.
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Chapter Summary
👉 “Starting for the sake of starting” is a common pitfall in language learning. Simply starting
without a clear goal can lead to frustration and ultimately failure.
👉 The key takeaway is that language learning should not be based solely on sheer force and
willpower. It should be driven by a deep understanding of your purpose (the why) for learning
a language.
👉 If your purpose (the why) is strong, you will keep learning despite the inevitable pitfalls
and periodical motivation dips which are inevitable along such a long journey.
👉 When faced with challenges in learning your target language, it is crucial to conduct a thor-
ough assessment of what isn’t working, considering both internal and external factors.
👉 Beginners should take time to understand and emotionally connect with the target lan-
guage and articulate personally compelling reasons for their learning journey.
👉 Intermediate learners should periodically reevaluate their goals, with a particular focus
on improving specific language skills such as speaking.
👉 Advanced learners should redefine their motives with an eye toward mastering the
language for practical and meaningful purposes such as work or public speaking in the target
language.
👉 Language learning is a blend of science 🧠 ❤

and art , requiring not only intellectual effort
but also a heartfelt connection to the language and its culture.
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MISTAKE #2
Having Dumb Goals
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The Story
“Luca, I’ve been making some dumb goals so far. I can’t believe how naive I was.”
Aleks, a student at the Smart Language Learning Academy, had dreams of becoming a fluent
Spanish speaker.
However, he hadn’t realized that he set himself up for failure when it came to setting goals.
He had been learning Spanish on and off for nearly a decade, but he decided to take it seri-
ously in 2020.
One morning, Aleks took out a piece of paper and wrote down, “I will be a fluent Spanish
speaker in three years!”
Shortly after that he went through the ringer of different applications and learning methods,
from flashcard apps, to techniques that involved only listening and speaking and plenty of
other language learning staples.
He even joined a two-week long bootcamp to boost his Spanish skills.
The experiences with these apps and programs were beneficial, but his problem remained
with being consistent and keeping his language learning sustainable.
Exhausted from being unable to “get over the hump” of making Spanish a part of his daily
life, Aleks decided to give his sueño de aprender español (dream of learning Spanish) one last
chance.
He joined the Overcoming the Intermediate Plateau (OIP) course we had just launched.
After roughly six months of signing up for the course and focusing entirely on input (more
on that later), Aleks had come to the conclusion that his lofty and vague goal felt good but it
didn’t do him any favors.
It was a “dumb” goal.
He…Didn’t specify short-term and long-term learning goals
He was…Unable to measure his progress
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Also, he was…Meandering from one activity (or app/resource) to another
Finally, he…Beat himself up for not reaching his goals
The Lesson
Goal-setting may seem like a quick, trendy win, but it has its place in whatever you do…as
long as you set the proper goals.
Aleks’ original goal was far too vague and it didn’t give him any specific actions to do on a
daily basis. Therefore, his language learning struggled to stay afloat and his results were
minimal at best.
The opposite of having DUMB goals (a term Aleks inadvertently coined) is to create SMART
goals.
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Related.
Let’s go over a few examples of how you can go from goal-setting chump to goal-setting
champ!
The Solution
DUMB goals give us a quick dopamine hit, but they’re unreliable and far too ineffective.
SMART goals clearly outline where we want to go (fluency) and what we have to do (on a
daily basis) to get there (specific actions).
From the get-go, you want to set attainable short-term goals that’ll get you to your long-term
goal eventually. Keep them simple, enjoyable and sustainable.
❌ Bad example: I’m going to become a fluent speaker of my target language in 3 months!
✅ Good example: I’m going to read and listen to my target language every day for 15 minutes.
OnceI can understand 80% of beginner level texts and audio clips, I’ll move on to more
challenging material.
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❌ Bad example: I’m going to learn my target language for 3 hours a day, no matter what.
✅ Good example: I will start learning my target language for 30 minutes a day, at 9 AM
after breakfast and then I will scale up with time.
Your goals at this stage must be adjusted to push you beyond the intermediate plateau.
Therefore, you need to get even more specific with goals in order to master certain aspects
of your target language.
❌ Bad example: I want to improve my listening comprehension.

✅ Good example: I will listen to podcasts (new or old) for at least 30 minutes a day. I will
do this in the afternoon during my jogging session.
❌ Bad example: I want to reach conversational fluency within the next 6 months.
✅ Good example: I am going to speak my target language every day. I will talk to myself
for 5 minutes each day, and every Friday I will have a 45 minute lesson with my tutor.
At this stage, the key is keep yourself motivated enough to actively use the language on
a daily basis. This is also the ideal time to focus on extremely specific parts (or even dialects)
of your target language.
❌ Bad example: I will consume a lot of authentic content to reach native-like fluency.
✅ Good example: I will read 5 pages of books I find interesting and I will watch one or two
movies with subtitles every week.
❌ Bad example: I will speak the language whenever I can.

✅ Good example: I want to find a native speaker to talk to regularly, at least once a week.
If I can’t find a language partner, I will find a tutor and I will engage in casual conversation at
least once or twice a week.
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Chapter Summary
👉 DUMB goals are goals where we Don’t specify a duration, we can’t Measure our progress,
we Meander from one activity to another, and we Beat ourselves up for not achieving our
goals.
👉 On the other hand, SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and
Time-Related.
👉 An example of a SMART goal for beginners might be to read and listen to the target
language for 15 minutes every day.
👉 Intermediate learners might work with a tutor once a week for 30 minutes per session
and read and listen to an audio book every day for 20 minutes.
👉 Advanced learners set SMART goals by scheduling weekly social activities with native
speakers, improving specific vocabulary through videos, books, and articles.
👉 In a nutshell, the adoption of SMART goals plays a pivotal role in facilitating effective
language learning and guaranteeing measurable progress.
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MISTAKE #3
Waiting for Inspiration

(to Strike)
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The Story
Before I was a polyglot (way back when I used to grab a morning coffee with my buddy
😉
Romulus Augustus, who by the way, was the last Roman emperor ), I was another student
who loathed the traditional academic approach.
Tedious.
Arduous.
Monotonous.
All the words ending in -ous that you could come up with to describe something far too dull
for how much time it takes out of one’s day.
After school, I’d usually come home and take a two hour siesta. Yes, my body and my brain
needed that much rest from the daily grind of “education.”
Generally upon waking from my soothing slumber, the only thing I genuinely found exciting,
despite the post-siesta grogginess, was learning a language!
So, instead of doing homework for school, I chose to crack open some De Agostini Il Tedesco
Per Te (De Agostini German For You) booklets.
Yes, my language of choice (and the very first language I learned by myself) at that time was
German and I reveled in the opportunity to learn it on my own.
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One of the booklets of my De Agostini "Il Tedesco per te" Course
De Agostini “Il Tedesco per te” Course - Internal layout
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Even on the days where I was visibly exhausted and experiencing an irrational resistance
towards learning anything, let alone German, I could still summon enough willpower to hit
the books. The odds were stacked against me, but I managed to make it work - wunderbar
(wonderful)!
With the latest booklet in front of me, a pencil in hand, and my computer open to a dedicat-
ed file, I seamlessly transitioned between the physical booklet and my digital journal. Here,
I diligently translated German dialogues, sentences, phrases, and new words into my native
language and then back into German.
I won’t delve into the details here, but this approach to language learning would later become
my go-to method for learning any language from scratch - The Bi-directional Translation
Method.
Coincidentally, this is also the most popular course at the SMART Language Learning Academy.
Suddenly, in the midst of my study session, my mother opened the door to my room and
asked, “Is everything ok, Luca?”
“Yes. Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“You’ve been up here for hours, I wanted to make sure you were still alive.”
“Haha, non preoccuparti, mamma!” (Don’t worry, mom)
I hadn’t even realized it, but I was completely engrossed in my German studies. During my
regular classes, I found myself anxiously waiting for an opportunity to step out of the class-
room.
How could my experiences with learning something be so vastly different?
The Lesson
I learned a valuable lesson from hitting the books in spite of my (groggy) state of mind:
Motivation comes from taking action and not the other way around.
So simple, yet so powerful!
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Listen, it’s not your fault, because we’re all lazy by default. It’s hardwired into our brains to
seek the path of least resistance.
However, you’ll never learn a language by following that path.
After my siesta, regardless of how I felt, I would dig into my German resource and enter
a new world.
I knew that once I got started, I wouldn’t want to stop.
Instead of relying on motivation, which is like relying on a bus or train to be on time in Rome,
you should develop a system.
This is a topic I cover in depth in my book 10 Essential Rules for SMART Language Learning,
but we’ll take a look at some ways you can make this adjustment right now.
To quote the renowned author and speaker, Hal Elrod, “Don’t let motivation be a prerequisite
for action. Flip the formula on its head and let action be a prerequisite for motivation.”
The Solution
A system relies on a series of predictable behaviors that will allow you to naturally enter your
learning state, irrespective of your mood.
Motivation requires for all of the stars to align, the moon to be full, and the winds to be blow-
ing to the east in order to start learning. Yeah, no thanks.
Be consistent with when and where you learn your target language. It may seem pointless,
but you can leverage the time as well as the setting as triggers to tell your brain, “It’s learning
time!” Have all of your necessary materials prepared ahead of time, so you have zero excuses
for not getting started.
❌ Bad example: I like to learn when I get the “urge.” Sometimes that’s after I shower and
other times it’s when I’m cleaning the apartment. It makes learning so fun and mysterious!
✅ Good example: I always anchor language learning with a previous habit. In the morning,
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I always sit down and learn my target language after my daily meditation session.
❌ Bad example: I don’t prepare any materials in advance. I just grab something random when
I decide to learn and I do whatever I feel like doing.
✅ Good example: I learn Serbian every day at 9 AM for one hour. My resource of choice
is ASSIMIL and I apply the Bidirectional Translation Method.
Focus your efforts on integrating language learning into your day as naturally as possible.
At this phase, listening (input) is of the utmost importance. Since you already have a decent
grasp of the language, you don’t need to “sit down and study” like a beginner would.
❌ Bad example: I limit my language learning to just reading or grammar study and never
incorporate listening into my daily routine.
✅ Good example: I listen to podcasts aimed at intermediate learners during, or even

after, my morning run. If it’s after my run, then I typically pop in my airpods and listen away
as I prepare for the rest of the day.
❌ Bad example: I rely heavily on grammar textbooks, drills, and flashcards to learn new
vocabulary, but I rarely engage with the actual use of the language by listening or speaking it.
✅ Good example: I make sure I listen to my target language every day, I occasionally read
and listen to new podcasts, and I engage in a conversation with a tutor once I week.
I spend minimal time looking up grammar rules or reviewing vocabulary.
Believe it or not, even your native language can regress if you don’t use it regularly. To main-
tain your level and make smaller amounts of progress that will add up over time, integrate
language learning into multiple facets of your life. Make a list of activities you enjoy doing and
try them in your target language!
❌ Bad example: I exclusively focus on language learning during dedicated study sessions,
it’s an intellectual challenge and I need to leave my personal tastes and interests aside.
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✅ Good example: I’ll watch my daily yoga videos and even listen to my morning meditation
in Spanish as well. If there’s a book I want to read or listen to, I’ll see if I can get it in my
target language as well as my native language.
❌ Bad example: I don’t read books, watch movies, or engage in hobbies in my target language
because I believe it’s too challenging and I will be disappointed.
✅ Good example: Even if I don’t understand all of it, I enjoy consuming content that I find
compelling. This is especially effective if I’ve already gone through that material (e.g.
a favorite book or movie) in my native language.
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Chapter Summary
👉 Motivation comes from action, not vice versa.
👉 Developing a learning system is more effective than relying on motivation.
👉 A system involves predictable behaviors that help one enter a learning state regardless
of one’s state of mind.
👉 For beginners, consistency in learning times and places and preparation of material is
essential.
👉 Intermediate learners should focus on integrating language learning into their daily
routine, with an emphasis on listening (input).
👉 Advanced learners should also continue to integrate language learning into various
aspects of their lives to maintain fluency and make continuous progress.
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MISTAKE #4
Suffering From
Shiny-Object Syndrome
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The Story
Learning languages on my own was starting to become my calling card.
The acquisitions of German and Spanish were of my own free will, but what came next felt
as if it was predetermined by Venus herself.
Capo D’orso Summer Camp. Sardinia. Summer of 1999.
Sitting shoulder to shoulder on a sandy beach with Lotte, the most enchanting Dutch girl I
had ever met (and the first one!).
I felt a sensation unlike any other in my life.
Love…for wanting to learn yet another language!
I had liked Lotte from the very first moment I saw her.
There was, however, one minor problem - she barely spoke any English.
We managed to communicate with an odd combination of gestures, nods, smiles

and anything else that can accompany a series of broken English here and there.
Naturally, the entire experience left me with one burning desire…to learn Dutch!
Ok, I’ll just learn Dutch. No biggie.
Once back in Rome, at the end of the summer, I rushed over to the one place I knew I could
find some language learning material - La Feltrinelli (a famous Italian bookstore chain).
Thankfully, I managed to find one resource to help me learn Dutch, and it was from a book
series called Teach Yourself.
I devoured that book for a few months until I happened to find a copy of ASSIMIL for learning
Dutch.
Teach Yourself laid out the framework and ASSIMIL allowed me to continue learning beyond
the beginner phase.
This singular focus on one resource at a time helped me far more than I could have imagined.
Can you guess why?
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The Lesson
Quality over quantity.
Unlike in 1999, today, you have plenty of options and resources for learning a wide variety of
languages, save for a few truly esoteric ones.
Year Language Activity Done?
September 1996 (I was 15) 🇩🇪 Started learning German with “Il Tedesco per
te (“German for You”) by De Agostini
✔
September 1998 (I was 17) 🇪🇸 I realized De Agostini had the same course for
Spanish and jumped right into it!
✔
September 1999 (I was 18) 🇳🇱 After a summer camp in Sardinia where

I met a super cute Dutch girl, I decided to learn
the language.
A short story of my language learning between 1996 and 1999
If you’re learning an uber-popular language, you probably have too many resources and
tools to choose from. It might even feel overwhelming knowing which one to stick with for
a certain period of time.
Therefore, adhere to the age old mantra of less is more.
Choose one (yes, only one!) resource (that works for you) to focus on at a time.
When I studied German, Spanish and Dutch, I focused on one resource. It made learning very
easy, because I knew exactly what I was going to use to get closer to my goal of fluency.
If I had walked into that bookstore and there had been a dozen books on how to learn Dutch
- oh boy! I would have guilted myself into buying all 12 books and begun dabbling a bit here
and there without actually making much progress in my learning.
Be decisive or you’ll end up in a situation that’s everlastingly divisive!
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The Solution
Stick to the mantra that less is more.
Simply stated, but often over complicated by even the most dedicated.
It may seem restrictive, but in the beginning you want to rely on one resource at a time. This
limits the amount of friction between you and your learning. When you’re ready to move on,
choose another resource and repeat the process.
❌ Bad example: I’m going to sign up to a language school, buy a subscription to a

platform, and buy a few resources.
✅ Good example: I will do just ONE of the following: either I sign up for an intensive
language course, or else I buy one paper-based resource with audio and learn by myself.
❌ Bad example: I will use multiple language learning apps simultaneously, like Duolingo,
Rosetta Stone, and Memrise.
✅ Good example: I’m going to avoid using apps or on-line platforms and I will choose one
paper-based resource, sticking to that one until I get a solid foundation in my target language.
Once you’ve dominated the basics, you can introduce a few more resources to help boost
your learning efforts. Be careful not to overwhelm yourself or stretch yourself too thin by
using three very time consuming and demanding resources.
❌ Bad example: I’ve got the hang of this, so now I’m going to start doing everything in my
target language.
✅ Good example: I’m going to alternate between two main resources: podcasts and
10-minute long videos. One day I will watch Easy Greek videos and on the following day I
will read and listen to a Greek podcast.
❌ Bad example: I want to do reading, listening, writing and speaking activities every day.
Page 31
✅ Good example: I will set aside specific days or time slots for different skills, like reading
on Mondays, speaking with a language partner on Wednesdays, and watching TV shows on
Fridays.
At this point, you can theoretically consume whatever you’d like, but it’s important to focus
on what you want to improve. Vocabulary? Then read a bit more. Speaking skills? Listen to
great speakers in your target language and imitate them. Listening comprehension? Knock
yourself out with movies, TV shows and the local news.
❌ Bad example: I want to improve my skills in all areas. Every day I will read a book, listen
to the news, watch a movie, write a journal and speak for 20 minutes with my friend in my
target language.
✅ Good example: I want to improve my skills overall but I know I have to deliberately work
on either input or output separately. Therefore, I’ll practice intensive reading of more
difficult material for input and dedicate time to writing and self-talk on another day.
Page 32
Chapter Summary
👉 The quality of the language learning resources you choose is more important than the
quantity.
👉 It is far more effective to focus on one resource at a time to avoid slowing your progress
down or that pesky “decision fatigue.”
👉 The approach for beginners is to rely on one resource for a set period of time and move
on once you’ve thoroughly worked through it.
👉 Intermediate students can introduce more resources, but should avoid overloading
themselves. They can divide resources into input and output based activities.
👉 Advanced learners can choose resources based on their specific goals, such as vocabu-
lary, oral skills, or listening comprehension. Focus on one aspect at a time.
👉 The key is to maintain a focused and deliberate approach to language learning, selecting
and using resources that are in line with your goals and current level of proficiency.
Page 33
MISTAKE #5
Seeking the Holy Grail

of Language Learning
Page 34
The Story
May 22, 2008
I made my YouTube debut with a video called “Polyglot Speaking 8 Languages.”
Doing so opened my eyes to the preexisting world of online polyglots. I had finally found my
tribe, a group of people who were probably just as crazy (or even crazier) about language
learning as I was.
My very first interaction happened to be with Professor Arguelles.
An absolute legend with an endless abundance of passion for languages, he had studied well
over a dozen languages in-depth by the time I stumbled upon him and his videos.
One video in particular made me reconsider my own approach to learning languages, won-
dering if I had been “doing it wrong” all along.
In a video on how to improve one’s pronunciation, Professor Arguelles is walking outside,

listening to a foreign language via headphones and repeating out loud whatever phrases he’s
heard.
While I respect the professor immensely, this struck me as rather odd. I couldn’t picture my-
self incorporating this technique into my language learning routine.
It simply wasn’t the way I learned to master pronunciation.
With that being said, Professor Arguelles had achieved tremendous success with his meth-
ods.
Was it the right method for him? Yes.
Was it the right way for me? No.
But that’s the point, as the age old saying goes, “to each his own.”
The Lesson
We’re all built a little differently, no?
Page 35
Therefore, we should respect these differences and engage in the activities that will garner
us the results we’re seeking.
After meeting hundreds of other polyglots, including one of my favorite people on planet
Earth, Richard Simcott, I’ve realized that none of us have an identical approach to language
learning.
And guess what?
That is fantastic news for you!
In fact, the absence of a one-size-fits-all method means that there are a variety of great
methods you can choose from.
Choose the ones that work for you.
How?
Instead of basing your language learning on methods alone, you should use principles to
guide your learning.
The simplest and the most efficient way to get the most out of your learning is to ask yourself
two quick questions:
Is what I’m doing enjoyable?
If you do not enjoy it, do not employ it.
Is what I’m doing challenging?
Scavenge until you find the proper challenge.
The Solution
Do not seek “the best method of all time,” because there will never be just one solution to
language learning.
Instead, choose a few methods that you find enjoyable and challenging to adapt to your
learning style.
Page 36
Remember, language learning is a collection of skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking)
that require different approaches to reach mastery.
Look for materials that are interesting and combine exposure to the language with tips re-
garding the structure of the language. Do not use materials that spend a majority of their time
over explaining grammar and higher level concepts. Stick to the basics but make sure you’re
having fun!
❌ Bad example: I found a terrific grammar book filled with lots of drills. It’s a bit of a
chore to get through but I think it’ll help me make significant progress.
✅ Good example: I know that one learns grammar from language. So, I will get meaningful
material for beginners that focuses on the language with some simple grammar explanations
on the side.
❌ Bad example: I will start by listening to podcasts or the radio in my target language,
even if I don’t get most of it at first, I’ll get there…eventually.
✅ Good example: I know that first and foremost, I have to build my listening comprehension.
I will listen to podcasts or audio materials designed specifically for beginners, with clear
pronunciation and transcripts to aid comprehension. Anything too challenging won’t be
sustainable or fun.
After establishing a solid foundation and finding great beginner material, your focus should
shift to finding engaging and challenging material at an intermediate level. Consider shorter
books (e.g. The Little Prince) or 10-15 minute videos and podcasts based on topics you’re
familiar with.
❌ Bad example: Now that I have an intermediate level, I will try to read a complex novel
aimed at native speakers.
✅ Good example: I want to read books aimed at natives, but they could still be out of my
range. Therefore, I’ll stick with graded readers intended for intermediate learners until I’m
ready.
Page 37
❌ Bad example: Listening to advanced podcasts or radio programs without subtitles or
transcripts, making it difficult to understand the content.
✅ Good example: I will make sure I listen to podcasts about topics I love, and every time
I listen to a new podcast, I will read the transcript and highlight key words.
You’re ready to take on the more challenging aspects of your language. Focus on activities
that will specifically improve one of the four skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
As always, take your time to choose material that will push you forward while also entertain-
ing you. Maybe it’s time to finally watch a full length film without subtitles!?
❌ Bad example: I will watch lengthy documentaries or films in my target language without
subtitles when I’m not yet comfortable with colloquial speech.
✅ Good example: I will watch movies or documentaries in my target language, gradually

reducing my reliance on subtitles to improve listening comprehension to a native level.
❌ Bad example: I will speak as much as I can to improve my language skills, with tutors
as well as my friends, who are native speakers of my target language.
✅ Good example: I know that while speaking is important and I have to speak a lot, how
I speak also counts. I will hire a tutor to have conversations about complex topics, adding
new vocabulary and phrases to push my speaking skills to near native proficiency.
Page 38
Chapter Summary
👉 Language learning is a highly individualized process, and there is no universal formula
that works for everyone.
👉 Rather than searching for the “best method,” prioritize techniques that you find enjoyable
and personally challenging.
👉 Language acquisition encompasses various skills (listening, reading, writing, speaking), each
requiring a tailored approach.
👉 Beginners are advised to explore engaging materials that provide a blend of language
exposure and insights into its structure, while avoiding resources that excessively empha-
size explanations and grammar drills.
👉 Intermediate learners should engage with engaging and challenging resources, such as
podcasts and videos.
👉 Advanced students should engage with increasingly challenging content to enhance

their specific language skills, choosing materials that both push them forward and entertain
them.
👉 The key is to discover what suits you best and relish the journey of language learning.
Page 39
MISTAKE #6
When in Doubt,
Shhh and Listen
Page 40
The Story
“How are you speaking English so well? That’s grand.”
In July of 1996, Ireland was the first English speaking country I had ever visited. My host fam-
ily was amazing, but it was their neighbor who filled my heart with a sense of elation.
He was the one who uttered the words at the beginning of this story. It was the ultimate sign
of appreciation towards my efforts.
I had already gotten a huge ego boost regarding my language skills but what followed next
made my day.
I still remember it vividly.
As we were chatting away, a friendly boy who was riding his bicycle stopped by to say hi to
the neighbor. We engaged in some small talk and then the boy said something that catapult-
ed me into another stratosphere.
“Are you an American?”
Me? American!?
You have got to be kidding me. The thought of getting mistaken as an American was unthink-
able at the beginning of my journey.
Three years prior to that fateful day, I should have been arrested and thrown in language jail
for the way I was butchering and massacring words in English.
My private English tutor at the time, Susan, was bewildered by my pronunciation. Her words
were kind and supportive, but her eyes conveyed another story.
This kid is cray-cray!
However, we both remained committed and over time my pronunciation became better and
clearer. In some ways I consider Susan a miracle worker, because after 730 days of working
with her...I was a brand new Luca - an American Luca.
Page 41
The Lesson
You might think that this was a result of just speaking over and over again with Susan and
you’d be partially right.
I say partially, because the most important part was not the speaking, it was the listening!
Truth be told, I only met with Susan once a week for an hour and a half.
Speaking with her was the “cherry on top,” but the real difference maker was what I did
outside of our sessions.
I spent hours and hours (sometimes between 2-3 per day) reading and watching movies in
English. Oftentimes I’d combine the two activities by reading the subtitles while watching
the movie.
Here is a simple, seemingly counterintuitive but rather powerful truth: If you struggle with
speaking and pronunciation, you need to focus on INPUT rather than on output.
The Solution
The bottom line is that input should be the top priority when it comes to language learning.
Listen as much as you can.
When you develop “an ear” for the language, you’re going to be able to produce and mimic
those sounds a lot better than if you had spent all of your time blabbering away.
Page 42
The Language Learning Pyramid
This pyramid is a simple visual representation of the main language activities you should
engage in.
The base of the pyramid (input) represents the absolutely essential kind of activity: listening,
reading, listening and reading at the same time, or watching.
The second layer is output (speaking and writing) and the last one, the “cherry on top”, rep-
resents study activities.
Study activities are tasks centered around grammar, verb conjugations and memorization of
vocabulary.
A great language learning plan consists of 80% input, 15% output and only 5% of study
activities. This balance slightly varies according to level and personal preference.
Page 43
Adhere to an input only diet for a few months. This means listening, reading, and of course,
listening and reading at the same time. Do not worry about output at all. Take in as much of
the language as you can.
❌ Bad example: I’m going to start speaking from day one and talk, talk, talk until I’m
magically fluent!
✅ Good example: I will commit to a period of input-only (or at the very least, minimal
output) learning for a few months, emphasizing listening, reading, and a combination
of the two to enhance comprehension.
❌ Bad example: I will start with input, but I will spend the majority of my time building
flashcards and repeating grammar drills to boost.
✅ Good example: I will mostly read and listen to material meant for beginners, but along
the way, I can highlight interesting words and phrases in context. The following day, I will
review the previous material before moving onto something new.
By this point you can begin introducing output into your language learning plan. A healthy
ratio would be 80% input to 20% output. This is the stage where you should start watching
short videos with subtitles and begin practicing speaking with a tutor.
❌ Bad example: Who needs to listen when speaking is so sexy? I’m going to speak with
two different tutors twice a week and rely on WhatsApp chats in my target language.
✅ Good example: I’m going to read, listen and/or watch my preferred podcast and/or
video series for at least 15 minutes per day. I’ll meet with my tutor on a weekly basis for
up to an hour per session, with respect to the 80/20 input to output ratio.
❌ Bad example: I am going to get my input by relying on out of context sentence drills
accompanied by audio from Google Translate.
✅ Good example: I will keep relying on massive input, especially listening to podcasts and
watching videos, and I will occasionally write down words and phrases I find interesting
and that I want to reuse in conversation.
Page 44
To maintain and gradually improve your skills, you can slightly adjust the 80/20 ratio but keep
the focus on input by listening to your target language for 15-30 minutes per day (podcasts,
news, YouTube etc.). Make sure to use your target language in meaningful ways by sending
messages to friends, speaking with a tutor or getting together with native speakers to enjoy
an activity.
❌ Bad example: I already spent so much time listening to podcasts, I’m going to ditch that
and start speaking Chinese 24/7. By talking more, I’ll eventually speak like a native!
✅ Good example: I will expand upon my output by speaking and writing with more detail
than I am used to. In order to find which manner of output works best for me, I’ll continue
challenging myself with enjoyable and high-level input.
❌ Bad example: I can finally stick to reading and writing in my target language and avoid
the social anxiety that comes with speaking to natives. I’ve never liked talking to people
too much anyway.
✅ Good example: I know that if I want to improve my overall language skills, I need to
read books, listen to authentic content (movies, news, debates) first and foremost. Then,
I will make sure that I also actively participate in conversations with friends, tutors, or
native speakers to ensure meaningful use of my target language.
Page 45
Chapter Summary
👉 It is important to focus on input, including reading, listening, and watching content in your
target language.
👉 The learning pyramid highlights the priority of input for language learners.
👉 Beginners should primarily focus on input, keeping output to a minimum.
👉 Intermediate learners can introduce some output while maintaining a ratio of 80% input
to 20% output.
👉 Advanced students are advised to maintain skills with a continued emphasis on input,
starting to use their target language in meaningful ways.
👉 Effective language learning involves prioritizing listening and input in the beginning,
gradually incorporating output at intermediate levels, and continuing to emphasize input
even at advanced levels.
Page 46
MISTAKE #7
Addicted to Grammar
Page 47
The Story
A war many have forgotten, but one that has never vanished from my memory.
August of ‘96, a Roman soldier was sent into the battlefields against a formidable foe that
created casualties among even its native speakers - German grammar!
My grandmother’s library contained an assortment of books.
Amidst the collection was a dusty old grammar book. Much to my amusement, it happened
to be in Gothic.
Example of a book with Gothic script similar to the one my grandmother had.
Page 48
The book featured a series of grammar explanations and exercises. I applied the age-old approach of:
1. Read how the grammar works
2. Do the practice exercises
3. Apply the exercises to my language learning
4. I am now learning the language!
Worst. Strategy. Ever.
Can you already tell what happened over the next few days? I gave up.
The Roman soldier was bruised, battered and beaten by German grammar.
It was by complete happenstance that only a few days later I would see an ad on TV that
introduced me to a revolutionary approach to language learning.
Remember "Il Tedesco per te (German For You)" from earlier? That magical resource had sim-
plified language learning by focusing on dialogues.
And it did something ingenious with grammar.
It kept it to a bare minimum!
Alongside the dialogues were informative tips and bits of grammar that helped explain any
rules and exceptions I hadn’t known up to that point. Nothing too complex or overbearing.
The Gods looked down on the Roman soldier and chose to bless him with a renewed sense
of strength. For only with the blessing of the Grammar Gods was the Roman soldier ready to
go toe-to-toe with German grammar one more time.
The Lesson
The harsh reality is that I would have given up on German had I only studied grammar.
Page 49
I’m not allergic to grammar, far from it, but that shouldn’t be your focus when you’re learning
a language.
It’s how the typical classroom approaches language learning, but that’s why most people
also get TCR (Typical-Classroom-Results), meaning they don’t remember anything they’ve
learned.
Grammar does have its place and it is important, but think of it like dessert.
Would you eat some tiramisu before your healthy salad, soup and savory pasta?
Well, maybe some of you would, but the point is that grammar can’t be the main meal you’re
consuming.
It has to supplement your learning.
The Solution
Focusing massively or even exclusively on grammar is detrimental to your language learning.
Instead, find material that you enjoy and that is comprehensible.
To clarify, comprehensible means that it’s material approximately at (or slightly above) your
current level and which you can fully understand with the help of some grammar explana-
tions (or translations).
Too many people have given up on language learning because they’ve approached it from a
grammar-first point of view.
The fun and enjoyment should come first, then you can sprinkle some grammar on top to help
you take in the various forms of the language.
Avoid materials that focus entirely on grammar or that are too grammar-heavy. Find some-
thing enjoyable that offers you exposure to the language with brief and helpful grammar
notes.
Page 50
❌ Bad example: I’ve picked up a textbook that has very short stories in my target language,
but then I have to go through at least 10 questions of grammar exercises before moving on.
✅ Good example: I’ve picked up a copy of ASSIMIL (or something similar) for my target
language. It focuses on simple dialogues that are enjoyable to read and listen to. It provides a
translated version of the text in my native language and features brief notes about the grammar.
❌ Bad example: I have bought a ginormous grammar book and I plan on learning through
extensive grammar exercises without focusing on natural dialogue and gradual exposure
to my target language.
✅ Good example: I will expose myself to real, practical language through the proper
language learning materials. Once I’ve figured out how the language works through plenty
of exposure via meaningful content, I will purchase a simple grammar book and go through it.
Get as much exposure to your target language via input (podcasts or videos) as possible. Fo-
cus on content that uses the language as locals would on a daily basis. Make sure you have
a transcript that you can translate into your native language.
❌ Bad example: I’m still not understanding the difference between the preterite and
imperfect tenses in Spanish, I will read lengthy and detailed grammar rules while doing as
many grammar exercises as possible.
✅ Good example: To understand the difference between the preterite and imperfect
tenses, I will focus on reading and listening to lots of short stories. As a I start to become
aware of certain patterns, I’ll watch a short YouTube video or two regarding the past tense
in Spanish to help solidify my understanding.
❌ Bad example: To challenge myself, I will dedicate the majority of my time on extensive
grammar exercises while reducing the amount of time I spend on input and output.
✅ Good example: To challenge myself, I am going to sign up for a B1 level certification

exam in my target language. In addition to my daily dose of input and output, I will study
specific grammar related aspects of my target language to help me pass the exam.
Page 51
It may sound counterintuitive but the first rule to keep improving your grammar is to expose
yourself to content that is slightly higher than your level. At this stage, watching documenta-
ries, debates, movies and reading fiction and non-fiction books is important. On top of that,
you can occasionally do specific grammar drills with a tutor or sign up to language exams to
push your limits.
❌ Bad example: I’m already fluent and I just need to speak more in order to improve my
grammar. It will all come naturally to me.
✅ Good example: I will use my time with my tutor to engage in specific exercises, such as
describing images in detail or giving in-depth speeches about specific topics. The tutor
will give me extensive feedback, both orally and in writing, aimed at improving my grammar.
❌ Bad example: I speak fluently but now I want to speak eloquently. As a result, I will
focus on intensive grammar study and create personal flashcards for the most advanced
vocabulary I can think of.
✅ Good example: I am going to sign up for a C1 certification exam. I will buy a specific
preparation book and go through it with my tutor, highlighting the most practical and
applicable key phrases, vocabulary and chunks of language appropriate for me.
Page 52
Chapter Summary
👉 A grammar-centered approach can backfire and lead to frustration and abandonment.
👉 It’s important to find enjoyable and understandable materials to supplement grammar

learning.
👉 Grammar is the dessert 🎂, not the main course 🥘.

👉 Beginners should avoid materials that contain complex explanations and too many
grammar exercises.
👉 Intermediate learners should focus on content that uses the language as locals would,
accompanied by transcripts, such as podcasts and videos. They can occasionally sign up for
language exams to force themselves to improve their grammar.
👉 Advanced learners should focus on content that is slightly above their current level.
They can continue to use transcripts and subtitles to further their learning, but now they’re
allocating more time to the grammatical aspects of language learning.
👉 The key message is that balancing grammar with fun language learning materials and
activities leads to better results.
Page 53
MISTAKE #8
Listening Too Little
Page 54
The Story
May 2018.
My Hungarian was coming along nicely as I had been studying it for roughly 3 years by that
point.
An ongoing concoction of ASSIMIL, Hungarian Pod 101 and my tutor, Petra, had me flying
sky high.
I stayed within the confines of my comfort zone when it came to Hungarian, but one day
I decided to try my hand at some more authentic material.
What better way to test one’s language skills than to listen to the news in your target
language, no?
After 5 minutes of doing so, I realized that I hadn’t understood a damn thing.
Not to worry, you’ll get there eventually. After all, it’s the news and that’s quite advanced
- I told myself.
And you know what? It worked. I was ready to move on to something else, no sweat off of
my back.
An intermediate level podcast would do the trick. It would give me my much needed confi-
dence boost and stroke my ego a little bit.
The sounds coming out of the speakers’ mouths might as well have been clicks from the
predator (the Arnold Schwarzenegger one), because yet again, I failed to comprehend much,
if not all of what was being said.
This time that calm and soothing voice in my head was screaming at me.
DANGER! 💣
PERICOLO!💣
Hyperpolyglot failing to understand native level communication. Abandon ship. Save the
women and children. Sacrifice the able bodied men. We’re going down!
Page 55
My head was spinning and I was stunned. Three years of Hungarian and this is what I have
to show for it!?
How could my seemingly infallible methods betray me?
I had studied the beginner materials thoroughly and I had spoken so much with Petra.
This didn’t make any sense.
Look at the sentence that starts with “I had studied…,” can you guess which part of it reveals
the root of all of my problems?
The Lesson
“I had spoken so much,” would be the correct answer.
My time spent with Hungarian was focused predominantly on speaking. I had barely listened
to the language as much as I should have. The result? A good understanding of the basics
and of everyday conversation, but a horrible comprehension of, well, anything above that.
By listening too little, I was hurting my overall learning experience.
It’s also why people who never train legs when working out, develop knee and hip issues as
they age. Their upper bodies have increased in mass, but their lower bodies have remained
the same or even atrophied.
Well, my upper body in this case was my speaking ability and my lower body was my listen-
ing comprehension.
I needed to switch things up and to do so fast!
The Solution
Make listening the core activity of your language learning strategy.
It is the priority above all else.
That’s why one of the previous sections was titled, “When in Doubt, Shhh and Listen!”
Page 56
In order to repeat what you’ve heard or even respond accordingly, you need to be able to un-
derstand what’s being said to you.
Speaking may be sexier, but listening is what will make the biggest difference in your lan-
guage learning journey.
Listen to your target language as much as you can. Period.
At this stage, you should be listening while reading as much as possible. You can do those
two activities separately, but ideally, you’ll be listening and reading to your material of choice
as much as possible.
❌ Bad example: I’ve picked up a textbook with a few short audio samples. I do some
reading and listening, but I’m mostly writing sentences in my target language and conjugating
verbs.
✅ Good example: I’ve picked up a copy of my favorite children’s stories in my target language.
Also, I found the audiobook versions online. As I read and listen at the same time,
I underline any words or phrases that I’m unfamiliar with, so that I can look them up later
and translate them into my native language using the Bidirectional Translation Method.
❌ Bad example: I spend most of my time reading and doing grammar drills, because
I think that this will give me the quickest possible results.
✅ Good example: I am reading while listening to dialogues for beginners and I’ll review
by simply listening to this content repeatedly. I spend roughly 95% of my time reading
and listening to content, the other 5% is used for learning grammar rules to better my
understanding of the language and the content.
Similar to the beginner stage, you’re going to read and listen as much as possible with the
added suggestion to listen and then review. This means, once you’ve read and listened to
a piece of content, re-listen to it a few days later when you’re partaking in other activities.
❌ Bad example: I am going to read and listen to new podcasts every single day.
Page 57
✅ Good example: I am going to read and listen to two new podcast episodes every
week. Before moving on from one podcast episode to another, I will listen to and review
the previous episode extensively.
❌ Bad example: I am going to start listening to audiobooks for 30 minutes a day while
I go jogging.
✅ Good example: I’m going to read and listen to Harry Potter in my target language once
a day for half an hour. During that session, I’ll underline and write down any words or
phrases I don’t understand. After looking them up, I’ll re-listen to the material while going
for a walk, doing the dishes, jogging etc.
It’s quite simple, listen, listen and then…listen! Continuously listen to your target language
to catch all of the tiny details you may have missed at the beginner and intermediate phases.
You can do this by either listening to podcasts, watching videos, documentaries or movies.
It may sound counterintuitive but make sure everything you consume has some sort of tran-
script or subtitles. Even if you think you’re past that point, they always come in handy. Tran-
scripts allow you to “see” words and therefore, you can highlight and save them.
❌ Bad example: I’ve moved on from reading transcripts. It’s time to just watch movies
without subtitles and pray to the gods that I understand everything. I would feel like
a cheater if I used subtitles!
✅ Good example: I love listening to the news and watching Netflix shows in my target
language. Most of the time, I can do so without the need for subtitles. However, if there’s
ever a topic or a theme I’m not familiar with, I’ll put the subtitles on and study the unknown
phrases and words being used.
❌ Bad example: I’ve spent so much time in the past reading and writing, that I just want
to talk to my friends and tutors without the hassle of taking notes. I don’t care if I don’t get
a new word or phrase, because it won’t matter in the long run.
✅ Good example: Whenever I speak with my native friends I will pay attention to the way
they talk, I will ask them to teach me new idioms and slang, and I will jot down everything
in my notebook so I can go over it at a later time.
Page 58
Chapter Summary
👉 Although speaking may sound more appealing to reach fluency, listening is the key to
making significant progress.
👉 Make sure to avoid relying heavily on speaking to the detriment of listening.
👉 Beginners should focus on both listening and reading. A very effective strategy is to read
and listen simultaneously.
👉 Intermediate learners should continue to read and listen, but also use downtime to listen
again to previously learned material, so that they can maximize the time they spend listen-
ing to their target language.
👉 Advanced learners are strongly advised to increase the amount of their time listening.
A meaningful and fun activity is welcome, ranging from watching movies to listening to the
radio, from watching documentaries to listening to audiobooks.
👉 Consistent listening practice is key to language improvement at all levels.
Page 59
MISTAKE # 9
Drilling and Killing

(Your Enthusiasm for
Language Learning!)
Page 60
The Story
2019.
It was the last year of my private coaching sessions.
My first student for the year was someone who had just started learning Japanese and des-
perately needed guidance.
All of a sudden he asked me, “How many kanji (Japanese characters) do I have to learn every
day?
Oh, and how many (kanji) do I have to know in order to speak fluently?”
Although harmless, this question was the equivalent of asking how many syllables one needs
to know to speak a language fluently.
You see, kanji are parts of words.
For example, “Japan” (日本 ‘nihon’) is composed of the two kanji 日 (nichi = the sun) + 本 (hon,
‘origin’), which means where the sun originates, and is often translated as the Land of the
Rising Sun.
I knew my student’s heart was in the right place, but he was approaching language learning
with the wrong mindset.
“Do the Japanese count kanji?
Do they learn them at school?”
I asked myself rhetorically.
And then I continued:
“Sure, as a part of their schooling Japanese kids definitely keep track of how many kanji they
can recognize and write, but before they do all that, they absorb their language naturally at
an early age never noticing or counting which kanji to learn.”
My student was baffled, but also intrigued.
Page 61
“It makes sense,” he replied.
It was a provocative move on my behalf, I admit.
However, I think a dramatic example is sometimes necessary to shake us out of our misguid-
ed beliefs.
With that being said, let me ask YOU a provocative question.
Please stop reading (or listening) and write down on a piece of paper everything that comes
to your mind in regards to learning words in a foreign language.
It can be anything from “I need to learn 5,000 words to speak a language fluently” to “I need
to make word lists to memorize.”
Go ahead.
I am not going anywhere.
Have you done it? Ready to move on? Great.
I bet you $100 that most of the things you’ve written down have to do with memorizing,
learning by heart, making lists and relying on your ever-so-fickle memory.
Allow me to say, it has nothing to do with your memory.
It has a lot more to do with exposure, repetition and context!
No one truly learns words deliberately.
Rather, you get familiar with them over time and consistent exposure.
School systems may have you thinking otherwise, but it’s also why we forget most of what
we learn from school. (TCR syndrome, which stands for Typical-Classroom-Results!)
High intensity studying over a short period to try and cram as much information into your
head as possible.
Grammar drills, flashcards, vocabulary lists, etc.
Page 62
You might as well call it the pump-and-dump technique, because overloading your brain with
too much short-term information will lead to a lot of lost knowledge (aka dumping) over the
long-term.
You are not learning thanks to this method, but rather, despite this inefficient system.
The Lesson
Numbers don’t matter, experiences do.
An emphasis on the “drill and kill” approach will drill holes into your brain so that it eventually
kills all of your enthusiasm.
Do not forcefully try to learn a language, it never works.
How often have you forgotten vocabulary even though you’ve excessively drilled it a hundred
times in the past?
Too many to count, right?
The answer lies in exposure.
Tons and tons of exposure.
Your brain needs to make contextual associations with words in order for them to stick in your
long-term memory.
We need emotions, experiences, errors and elation to help solidify a word or phrase into our
minds for good.
The Solution
To paraphrase a famous Muhammad Ali quote, “Don’t count the [words], make the [words]
count!”
Your goal is to familiarize yourself with words through compelling and comprehensible re-
sources, not rote memorization.
Page 63
When you start learning a language, your language infrastructure will be quite small, so re-
membering words will be more difficult. You should focus mainly on understanding the core
structure of your target language rather than memorizing it. At the beginner’s stage, I use
my Birectional Translation Method (BDT) to get a grasp of the way a language works, not
to memorize bits and pieces. In fact, when I translate a text from my native language (Italian)
back into my target language, I make a concentrated effort to reconstruct in my mind the
syntax, vocabulary and pronunciation of a given sentence.
❌ Bad example: I will make vocabulary lists of 50 words per day and I’ll try to keep up
with them, ignoring the risk of burning myself out in the near future.
✅ Good example: I will learn vocabulary words from interesting content, creating associations
and context for words, sentences and each of the phrases I choose to study.
❌ Bad example: I’m going to use flashcards to memorize the 500 most frequent words in
my target language out of context.
✅ Good example: I’m going to translate simple sentences (from compelling and comprehensive
material) from my native into my target language.
Once you have a handle on how your target language works, you can focus on quantity.
Massive exposure to interesting and comprehensible content is the key to increasing your
vocabulary, naturally and effortlessly. Vary your content as much as you’d like, but remember
to ensure that it’s interesting and engaging. For this approach, I highly recommend printing
out any text you want to analyze and use the magic of pen and paper to mark new interesting
phrases and words.
❌ Bad example: I will passively listening to podcasts in the target language.

✅ Good example: I will listen to podcasts in my target language while I read the transcript.
This allows me to see and extract newer, more interesting words and phrases.
❌ Bad example: I will have 3 lessons a week with my tutor. This way I will improve my
speaking skills and my active vocabulary.
Page 64
✅ Good example: I will have one lesson a week with my tutor. I will record the lesson and
then, while listening to it, I will jot down meaningful words, phrases and sentences to use
in future lessons.
Your job is very simple: find content that you love (content that a native speaker would con-
sume) and on top of that, find creative ways to use the language. Speak with people, friends,
send messages etc. Every new word, phrase, and sentence that you acquire naturally through
exposure and heavy use of the language serves to reinforce and consolidate the vocabulary
you already know. Deliberate vocabulary building is only necessary when you are preparing
for a specific exercise (e.g., writing a paper, giving a speech, etc.).
❌ Bad example: I will reading tons of books passively.

✅ Good example: I will read tons of books but I will make sure to underline any unknown
words with a pencil and come back to them after my initial read through of a chapter or
selection.
❌ Bad example: I have to write a paper in my target language for a monthly challenge I’m
doing with the Smart Language Learning Academy. The topic is about the advancement
of medicinal treatments over the last century. It would feel like “cheating,” if I looked up any
new terms, so I’m going to stick with what I know.
✅ Good example: I will write a paper about an interesting topic and will make sure I think
of 10 or 20 terms or phrases that I do NOT know in my target language. Then, I will look
them up, study them and apply them within my work.
Page 65
Chapter Summary
👉 Language learning should focus on exposure, repetition, and context, not memorization.
👉 The number of words you know doesn’t matter; learning from context and making asso-
ciations are critical to memory.
👉 The solution is to familiarize yourself with new vocabulary through compelling and com-
prehensible resources rather than through rote memorization.
👉 Beginners should focus on understanding how their target language works first, rather
than memorizing its vocabulary.
👉 Intermediate learners should focus on massive exposure to interesting and comprehen-

sible content by listening, reading, having interesting conversations, making sure to jot down
new words and phrases in a notebook.
👉 Advanced learners should consume content they love and find creative ways to use
language in everyday life. Deliberate vocabulary building is necessary only for specific pur-
poses or areas, not as a general approach.
Page 66
MISTAKE #10
Limiting Yourself By
Limiting Your Beliefs
Page 67
The Story
The polyglot that I’ve become was at one point in my mind completely inconceivable.
30 years ago, I was struggling with the basics of English.
My accent was horrific, my use of proper grammar was nonexistent and worst of all, I was
getting bad grades.
I laugh at it now, but back then, I was a straight A student looking to impress my parents as
well as my grandparents.
English was an embarrassing and painful experience.
Two years of making miniscule progress in my first foreign language had shattered my con-
fidence.
I’m terrible at learning languages!
If I were Pinocchio, Geppeto would throw me into his fireplace!
I must have the worst memory of any human being ever…in the entire universe!
As you can see, my inner dialogue was about as toxic as it could get.
And somehow, someway, those thoughts were transformed from highly destructive to highly
productive.
It’s never easy and it never happens over night, but if you want something bad enough (and
you’re willing to put the work into it) you’ll reach your goal in an unexpected manner.
14 languages later, I must say that my thoughts sound more like this:
Wooooo! I can’t wait to learn another language!
If I was Pinnochio, Geppetto would have to remind me to stick to Italian, because he can’t
speak any other languages!
My memory isn’t good or bad, it just needs to be trained and conditioned properly.
Page 68
To put it rather bluntly, I’ll echo the words of Henry Ford.
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t - you’re right.”
The lesson
We’re all susceptible to the beliefs and thoughts that come from society, peers, our upbring-
ing and at times the most damning of them all - traditional schooling.
If you tell yourself something enough times, you’ll eventually begin internalizing it.
It takes a lot of work to undo that process and replace those negative thoughts with positive
or even realistic ones.
So what is one to do?
Well, it is simple.
Talk back to your limiting beliefs!
Question them.
Challenge them.
Most of all, punch them right in their silly little mouths.
You can learn any language you want to, but developing (and maintaining) a positive mindset
is the key to learning any skill that you consider worthwhile.
The Solution
Take the time to process your limiting beliefs, become aware of what they are and how they’re
holding you back.
Once you’ve done that, you can design a way to prove them wrong and redefine them as
liberating truths.
Page 69
“If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into
your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not
stay there, you must go beyond them.”
– Bruce Lee
A very common limiting belief that plagues most beginning language learners is, “I’m not
good at learning languages.” Well, it’s time to talk back to that pesky limiting belief by tearing
it to pieces - bit by bit.
Is this really true?
How much effort have you put into language learning so far?
Have you tried out various methods and failed with all of them?
What does it actually mean to be good or bad at learning languages?
What has stopped you in the past and how can you try something different?
❌ A limiting belief such as “I’m bad at language learning”

transforms into…
✅ A liberating truth such as: “I haven’t succeeded in the past, but I also never believed
I could. Now, I know that there are efficient and inefficient methods, and I will give
language learning an earnest effort by applying Luca’s SMART techniques.”
❌ A limiting belief such as “Learning a language is only for young people; it’s too late for me.”
transforms into…
✅ A liberating truth such as: “It’s never too late to start learning a new language, and my
life experience can be an advantage.”
Page 70
Once you’ve hit this point in your language learning journey, the question about learning a
language goes away but a new one creeps in. “Will I ever become fluent in my target lan-
guage?” It’s important to realize that what got you to an intermediate level won’t be enough
to get you past it. You must adapt your methods in order to reach the next level.
❌ A limiting belief such as “I will never become fluent in my target language”

transforms into…
✅ A liberating truth such as: “I have gotten past the basics and I’ve made wonderful
progress, but I’m still not satisfied with my current level. I can get to fluency, but I need
to focus on consuming more content and applying the 80/20 input to output ratio in order
to make my next breakthrough.”
❌ A limiting belief such as: “I will never be able to keep up with a native speaker when
they speak at their natural rate and tempo.”
transforms into…
✅ A liberating truth such as: “Now I understand that listening comprehension can be
improved with gradual exposure over time. I have to deliberately break down chunks of
language in order to understand it as a whole.”
You’ve reached the “final boss stage” of language learning and there’s this nagging thought
eating away at you - “I’ll never speak like a native!” You have to keep in perspective that
mastery of anything takes a considerable amount of time. In order to make the final leap to
native-like proficiency, you’re going to have to put in a lot more effort for a lot less reward.
❌ A limiting belief such as “I’ll never speak like a native”

transforms into…
✅ A liberating truth such as “I can speak like a native if I focus on consuming higher level
material in my target language. The process is more important than the goal. Therefore,
I will also model my speech patterns after great orators to develop my transitions and
vocabulary. It is just a matter of time and commitment.”
Page 71
❌ A limiting belief such as “I’ll never fully understand the culture behind my target language.”
transforms into…
✅ A liberating truth such as “I can deepen my understanding of the target language by

immersing myself in the culture, reading fascinating texts about the history of my target
language, spending a lot of time with native speakers across a wide variety of situations
and of course, enjoying my time in-country.”
Page 72
Chapter Summary
👉 Our beliefs and thoughts about language learning can be influenced by society, peers,
education and schooling.
👉 To overcome limiting beliefs, it is important to challenge them and replace them with lib-
erating truths aka positive and realistic thoughts.
👉 The solution for beginners is to break down the belief that they are not good at language
learning by finding a system and approach that are appropriate for them.
👉 Intermediate learners need to realize that progressing in the language and achieving
fluency requires adapting methods and focusing on more challenging content as you con-
tinue to learn the language. Deliberate practice (and intensive practice) becomes a lot more
important for both input and output.
👉 Advanced learners need to recognize that achieving native-like proficiency takes time
and commitment, while also requiring a shift in focus and practice strategies.
👉 One’s language learning success is not only about acquiring skills, but also about chang-
ing mindsets and beliefs.
Page 73
Conclusion
Learning a language to fluency comes down to many factors, but the main one is to have as
many experiences as possible in your target language.
Your mindset, skill set and ability to organize yourself will determine how far (and how quickly)
you’ll achieve your ultimate goal.
Do not be deterred by mistakes, learn from them and you’ll see growth in yourself that was
at one point unfathomable.
After all, each of the mistakes I’ve mentioned above come from personal experiences and
those of the thousands upon thousands of language learners I’ve interacted with over the
last three decades.
There is no shortcut to fluency and no, you will not get there in a matter of weeks or months.
The sooner you can accept that, the sooner you’ll uncover the purest form of joy while learn-
ing a language.
Try and think of language learning as a long and winding path filled with three major stepping
stones, each one representing the level of mastery you’ve achieved up to that point.
Your path to fluency from beginner, to intermediate, and ultimately to advanced, will take
many twists and turns along the way. You may stall at some points longer than you’d like, but
that’s all a part of the journey.
Take one step at a time and you’ll reach your goal eventually by avoiding the most common
pitfalls and roadblocks outlined in this ebook.
To help you on your journey, we at the Smart Language Learning Academy would like to give
you the best possible resources:
For practical advice on language learning as a whole, regardless of your current level please
check out: ⭐ 10 Essential Rules for SMART Language Learning
Appropriate for ALL LEVELS (A1-C2).
This eBook and audiobook combination can be taken as a course to help you maximize your
Page 74
approach to language learning in a cost effective manner.
Each of the 10 chapters build off of the 10 mistakes we’ve outlined here, giving you precise
examples of what to do (not just what to avoid) and how to do it.
✍️
📓📔 The Bi-Directional Translation Method (BDT)
Appropriate for BEGINNERS (A1-A2).
The method which Luca has used to start learning each of his languages. Based on the princi-
ples learned from Luca’s experiences with De Agostini’s booklets, you’ll learn how using your
native language can help you establish a terrific foundation in your target language.
Following a six-step process, you’ll uncover the magic of using one resource to launch a suc-
cessful journey of language learning. Whether you’re a complete beginner or you have some
experience with your target language, you’ll see incredible value in applying the Bidirectional
Translation Method to your language of choice.
🧗📈 Overcoming the Intermediate Plateau (OIP)
Appropriate for INTERMEDIATE LEARNERS (B1-B2).
A comprehensive and robust course designed to help high level beginners and lower level
intermediate learners make the breakthrough of a lifetime. Overcoming the Intermediate Pla-
teau provides learners with an abundance of techniques and strategies to take their language
skills to the next level.
This course goes into depth regarding the three pillars (mindset, skill set, self-organization)
and provides a plethora of methods and resources to take your language skills from interme-
diate to an advanced level.
Want to:
• Discover how to create your own resources?
• Revolutionize your tutoring sessions?
• Structure your language learning like never before?
This is the course for you.
Page 75
To bring this helpful document to a close, we’d like to share with you an inspirational story
from one of our very own students at the Smart Language Learning Academy.
At 80 years old, Susan was on the edge of giving up on her language learning adventure. She
was frustrated, exhausted and lingering in limbo for what seemed like ages.
Here’s how she went from nearly throwing in the towel to making her biggest language
learning breakthrough.
SUSAN BRICKEN
I have been studying Spanish on my own for 2 1/2 years. Learning another lan-
guage has made me a better person and has opened my mind and heart in many
ways. It has brought me great joy and enriched my life.
But. I reached the place that you talk about [the intermediate plateau], although
I did not realize that it was a “thing.” I was discouraged and disheartened and con-
cluded that I was too old, too inept, too horrible at everything to really learn another
language. I began to consider what else I could do with my time, how I could use
the space where I stored my many grammar books. I saw your course and was ini-
tially very reluctant to sign up. I am on a fixed income and need to be careful about
expenditures. Besides, how in the world could you help me, really?
I heard you speak in both English and Spanish, without a hint of an accent, with
complete fluidity. You seemed kind and passionate about learning, and more im-
portantly to me, about helping others.
Oh, Luca, I am so grateful. You have restored the joy I felt in learning, you have
given me self-confidence, and restored my passion - within three weeks!
Page 76
I am well aware that my time is very limited and I want to be sure that I am spend-
ing it in the ways that bring me pleasure. You have made an enormous difference.
Also, I went to a small restaurant here in the small town in which I Live, (one devoid
of Spanish speakers), and the restaurant workers were from El Salvador. I, with
new-found confidence. spoke to them in Spanish. As a result, they told me how
hard it was for them to live here without English, so I am now enrolled in an ESL
teachers’ program and will start helping them with English next week!
See what you have done!
I tried to learn for a long time without realizing how important the method of learn-
ing is, I just copied the way language has been taught in schools, hence all my
grammar books. You have given me a path, a structure that is effective and fun and
I am very, very grateful.
Susan’s message sent goosebumps sprawling up my arms and back and it touched me so
much that I couldn’t help but shed a few tears when I read her message.
It is never too late to learn a language, nor it is too late to get rid of your limiting beliefs and
make a real difference in your learning.
You can reach fluency in whatever language you want to learn.
You, my dear reader and learner, can do much, much more than you think you can.
I wish you the best of luck with your language learning endeavors!
– Luca
Page 77
About the Author
Luca Lampariello is an expert language learner from Rome, Italy, and founder of the Smart
Language Learning Academy. Currently, he speaks fifteen languages, ten of which are at a
fluent level. Since 2008, he has shared his language learning techniques and methods via
his personal YouTube channel and his website LucaLampariello.com. Luca has also spent
the last twelve years working independently as a language coach and building courses on
how to learn foreign languages, helping hundreds of thousands of language learners achieve
their goals. Altogether, his teachings have attracted hundreds of thousands of followers, and
inspired people from all around the world to become proficient in foreign languages.
Page 78
About the Smart Language
Learning Academy
Founded by noted polyglot Luca Lampariello, the Smart Language Learning Academy is an
online platform dedicated to helping language learners reach their full potential in any—or
as many—languages as they want. This is done through the sharing of Luca’s tried and test-
ed learning methods, developed over decades of learning and teaching foreign languages.
Those who wish to learn from the Academy can do so through enrolling in online courses,
reading blog posts, articles, and guides, participating in expert webinars, and signing up
to receive one-on-one language coaching sessions from coaches trained in Luca’s methods.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Academy, feel free to visit:
https://www.lucalampariello.com
Page 79

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No part of this publication may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever

MISTAKE #1: Starting for the Sake of Starting ........................................................................... 9

MISTAKE #2: Having Dumb Goals........................................................................................................... 15

MISTAKE #3: Waiting for Inspiration (to Strike) ........................................................................... 20

MISTAKE #4: Suffering From Shiny-Object Syndrome........................................................... 28

MISTAKE #5: Seeking the Holy Grail of Language Learning................................................ 34

MISTAKE #6: When in Doubt, Shhh and Listen............................................................................. 40

MISTAKE #7: Addicted to Grammar..................................................................................................... 47

MISTAKE #8: Listening Too Little............................................................................................................. 54

MISTAKE #10: Limiting Yourself By Limiting Your Beliefs.......................................................... 67

About the Author.............................................................................................................................................. 78

About the Smart Language Learning Academy........................................................................ 79

At each stage you’re going to encounter a variety of problems to overcome.

• I don’t know how to learn languages!

• I’m afraid that the grammar is way too difficult!

• I can understand so much, but I’m so scared to speak to someone!

• I still have an accent and it’s bothering me!

• I want to be able to speak like a native!

Do these sound familiar?

And what about pronunciation?

It gets a bit overwhelming, doesn’t it?

So good at the basics, yet so far from being fluent.

They were promised fluency in 3 weeks! What happened?

Don’t just work hard at learning your language, work SMART!

Let’s jump in.

Starting for the Sake

Goodbye. さようなら (Sayonara).

In my case, I had three major issues:

1. The wrong resource (external)

2. Adaptability (internal and external)

3. Knowing WHY is half the battle (internal)

Language learning is a science as much as it is an art.

TIPS FOR BEGINNER LEARNERS

TIPS FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS

❌ Bad example: I’m already fluent; I don’t need further goals.

❌ Bad example: I’ve mastered the language; I don’t need to improve.

👉 Language learning is a blend of science 🧠 ❤

Having Dumb Goals

He even joined a two-week long bootcamp to boost his Spanish skills.

It was a “dumb” goal.

He…Didn’t specify short-term and long-term learning goals

He was…Unable to measure his progress

Finally, he…Beat himself up for not reaching his goals

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Related.

TIPS FOR BEGINNER LEARNERS

TIPS FOR INTERMEDIATE LEARNERS

❌ Bad example: I want to improve my listening comprehension.

TIPS FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS

❌ Bad example: I will speak the language whenever I can.

Waiting for Inspiration

De Agostini “Il Tedesco per te” Course - Internal layout

“Yes. Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Haha, non preoccuparti, mamma!” (Don’t worry, mom)

How could my experiences with learning something be so vastly different?

So simple, yet so powerful!

However, you’ll never learn a language by following that path.

I knew that once I got started, I wouldn’t want to stop.