How to Learn Any Language (Unconventionally)

Language learning and personal growth have been lifelong pursuits. With a background in linguistics and experience exploring multiple languages independently, certain patterns and insights have become clear to me.

Plenty of conventional language guides exist, but this one takes a different approach—unconventional methods that make the process more effective and enjoyable.

For anyone learning a language or stuck on a plateau, this guide offers a new perspective.

Start with WHY

A therapist once asked me at the beginning of every session to rate how I'm feeling on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is "don't feel like getting out of bed" and 10 is "feel like dancing." When I'm engaged in any activity, I want it to feel like dancing, not like I'm asleep.

To get there, I believe it's important to dig deep to uncover a meaningful WHY to your language learning. It's easy to come up with a goal like sounding like a native, but does that move you? Do you really connect with that goal? Is it meaningful?

I started learning Japanese just before the beginning of 2025, and I'm going to Japan in a matter of days for a month+. My short-term goal is to find speaking partners to practice and exchange both language and culture. My longer-term goal, what really moves me, is the idea of connecting to the spiritual traditions of Japan and getting to a place where I can read ancient exts. That's exciting; that makes me want to dance.

So, what's on your dance card?

Find a Hook

Once you're clear on why you're motivated to learn a language, finding a hook to get you to show up consistently and learn is a good next step.

My fascination is with the way human speech organs work and produce comprehsible sounds that are unique for each of us. This is my hook: when I start to learn a language, I use the International Phonetic Alphabet to to dive into the phonetics and phonotactics of the language. This excites me, and gives me a solid foundation in the window of maximal opportunity.

When I start to pick up sound differences, it gets me excited. It feels like I've unlocked an ability to discern things much more precisely.

Your hook may not be as academic and analytical as mine. Perhaps it's one of these:

• Deepening connections with family or friends who speak the language
• Watching movies / TV shows / anime
• Playing video games that immerse you
• Cooking recipes from the culture
• Engaging in online forums or Discord communities
• Creating pneumonics / memory tricks for tricky vocabulary
• Studying history, folklore, and traditions
• Participating in language immersion challenges
• Ordering food or making small talk at cafés

Gather Resources

To learn a language effectively, you'll need to gather resources that will help you, and I always recommend using preferred media.

I build a Notion system around the language I'm learning and expand it to fit the needs as I go. Far more important than any software you use are the systems you build around it. The times you'll study, how you'll study, how you'll review, what environment you'll be in, etc.

While you're gathering resources, pay special attention to finding ones that you can see yourself sitting down with for long periods of time; ones that excite you. Focus on creating a portfolio of resources that exercise all your language senses—speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

Cultivate Mindset

Cultivating a healthy mindset is paramount. Creating a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset can significantly transform your learning.

An interesting facet of our mythical lizard brains is we're really good at identifying fears and responding to them, often opting for the response that requires the least mental effort.

Here are a few thoughts that usually come up in our minds and simple mindset shifts to make the best of them:

• Learning languages is hard → I welcome the challenge to grow and expand
• There's too much to learn → Every word I learn adds value to my journey
• I'm not good at it yet → I'm getting better with every attempt
• Mistakes are embarrassing → Mistakes are opportunities
• I don't have enough time → I will improve with small, consistent steps
• I need to be perfect before speaking → Communication is about connection, not perfection

This is leverage: small shifts in mindsets make a big difference.

Do What Moves You

Coming back to this idea about making your study feel like dancing, why not do what moves you? Find a rhythm in your study that makes you enjoy the process, and keeps you wanting more.

For me, I pace around while I practice, especially with memorizing lists of things. I use my hands to divide the visual space around me and locate certain words. I use a small notebook with a digestible amount of pratice material and practice while I pace.

This is what I mean by having resources for practice paired with a system. The above is a method I've developed bringing together spoken language, sign language, and a little bit of math. I'll post a video here talking about the method when I record it.

Be Honest with Yourself

Sometimes, things stop working. Maybe it feels boring, or you lose interest. That's a sign to switch things up.

Repetition is a tool you'll need in language learning, but without engagement, it feels like a chore. When motivation fades, revisit your WHY, refine your hook, and try a new approach.

Specific Methods

With all this in mind, you're probably here because you're looking for specific methods to boost your language study. Below are some specific methods you can use.

Final Thoughts

Langauge learning doesn't have to feel like work; you probably get enough work at work. By finding a meaningful connection and cultivating healthy mindsets, it can become something exciting; something that moves you.

So what's your next step? I'd love to hear how you make language learning your own!