It’s Not the Path, It’s the Destination
4 July, 2021
A few of my friends are very keen on learning languages. Aside from studying, practicing, reviewing flashcards, and all of that they also frequent the various language learning blogs and forums that have cropped up on the internet.
From what I’ve heard my friends say, that little world is a microcosm of our wider one. The blogs and forums are at times inspiring, annoying, petty, uplifting, edifying, and downright infuriating. Just like a lot of other communities of the internet.
One never-ending debate seems to revolve around which system or method espoused by which polyglot is the best way to learn a language. The discussions and arguments can get quite heated, I’m told.
That debate (if you want to call it that) doesn’t seem to take into account that different people do things differently. They learn differently. They see things differently. They all take a different path.
What works for one person might not necessarily work for another one. And that doesn’t just apply to learning languages. It goes for productivity, fitness, learning to code, writing blog posts, playing chess, ad infinitum.
The path that you take towards what you want to do isn’t important. What’s important is your destination. Don’t worry about others and their ways of doing things. Follow the path that’s right for you. Do what works for you. Ignore the backbiters and whiners. Ignore the skeptics and naysayers. Block out the negativity, even from your own community. Ignore the infighting and specious debates.
Worry about yourself. And only yourself. Focus on your goals. That’s the only way to improve and to do and achieve what you want.