How to Learn English with a Growth Mindset | Real English Conversation Practice

[music] [music] >> Okay, let's start. Hello everyone [music] and welcome back to Mr. English Channel, where learning English is easy and fun. I'm [music] Emily. Hello Emily. It is so good to be here again and I am very happy to talk to you today. How are you doing? I am doing great, [music] Paul. >> [laughter] >> I am very excited because today we are talking about something that helps every student. We are talking about the growth mindset. That is a fantastic topic. Many people think they are born with a certain level of intelligence and they can never change it, but that is not true at all. You are so right, Paul. A growth mindset means you believe you can learn anything if you try. It's like a small plant that grows every day with water and sun. Exactly. It is the idea that our brain is like a muscle. If we exercise it, it gets stronger. I love that idea. When I was younger, I thought I was bad at math. I told myself, "Emily, you are just not a math person." That's a fixed mindset. I understand that feeling. A fixed mindset is like a closed door. You say, "I can't do this." And you stop trying. It's very sad because you have so much potential. But a growth mindset opens the door. Instead of saying, "I can't do this." You say, "I can't do this yet." That one little word changes everything. Yet is a very powerful word in English. It means that success is coming in the future. You are on a journey and you are moving forward every single day. Yes. For our listeners, if you feel like you can't speak English well, just add yet. Say, "I don't speak perfect English yet." Doesn't that feel better? It feels much better. It takes the pressure away. We need to have patience with ourselves. Growth takes time, just like a tree doesn't grow in one night. That is a great point, Paul. Sometimes students want to be perfect in one week, but progress is better than perfection. We must celebrate the small steps. I agree completely. In my life, I try to focus on being a little better than I was yesterday. It's about discipline and having a good heart for the process. So, Paul, why do you think some people learn faster than others? Is it because they're smarter or is it because of their mindset? That is a great question. I think people who learn fast are usually people who are not afraid of challenges. They see a difficult task as a chance to grow, not a reason to quit. Wow, that is so true. When I see a long, difficult word in English, I feel a bit nervous, but then I think, "If I learn this word, I will be smarter than before." That is the spirit. When we face a challenge, our brain creates new connections. It's like building a bridge. Every time you practice, the bridge gets stronger. I often tell my students that mistakes are actually good things, but many people feel ashamed when they make a mistake. How can we change that feeling? We must be humble. Humility is knowing that we don't know everything. When we make a mistake, it is just a sign that we are trying something new. Yes, exactly. I like to say mistakes are proof that you are trying. If you never make a mistake, maybe you are not challenging yourself enough. That is very wise. Imagine a baby learning to walk. The baby falls down many times, but the baby never says, "Well, I guess walking is not for me." That would be very funny. The baby just gets up and tries again. We need to be like that baby when we study English grammar or pronunciation. We really do. We need to have perseverance. That means you keep going even when things are difficult. It's a very important quality for success in life. It is about being kind to yourself, too. If a friend makes a mistake, you don't shout at them. You say, "It's okay. Try again." We should talk to ourselves like a friend. I love that. Instead of saying, "I'm so stupid." Say, "I'm learning something new and it's okay to take my time." Positive words change our energy. Let's talk about talent. Some people say, "Oh, she has a talent for languages." Does talent matter more than hard work? Talent is like a gift, but a gift is useless if you don't use it. Hard work and consistency are much more important. A person with less talent, but more discipline will win. That is very encouraging. It means that everyone listening right now can become fluent. You don't need a special English brain. You just need to keep showing up. Exactly. It's about the power of practice. If you practice for 15 minutes every day, you will see a huge difference after 1 year. Consistency is the key. But Paul, sometimes people say, "I'm too old to learn." Is that part of a fixed mindset? Oh, definitely. That is a very common fixed mindset thought. Your brain can learn at any age. It might be a bit different, but the capacity to grow is always there. Yes. I have students who are 70 years old and they are doing amazing. They have so much joy because they are finally learning something they always wanted. That is beautiful. It shows that learning has no age limit. It is all about your attitude. If you believe you can learn, your brain will follow your belief. If you are enjoying this conversation, don't forget to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and share it with a friend who is learning English. Yes, we love having you here with us. If you are still listening, comment growth below. We want to see who is ready to grow. >> [laughter] >> I can't wait to see the comments. Now, Paul, let's talk about how to change our thoughts. How can we stop the fixed mindset voice in our heads? The first step is to listen to that voice. When you hear yourself say, "I am not good at this." Stop for a second. Recognize that it is just a thought, not the truth. And then we can replace it. If my brain says, "This grammar is too hard." I can say, "This grammar is a puzzle and I'm learning how to solve it." I like that. It makes it feel like a game. Instead of "I failed the test." You can say, "I learned what I need to study more." It's a shift in perspective. It's about being curious instead of being judgmental. When I make a mistake in a conversation, I try to think, "Oh, that's interesting. Why did I say that?" That curiosity is very helpful. It takes the pain away from the error. You are like a scientist studying your own progress. You are looking for data, not for failure. That's a great way to put it. Paul, you mentioned discipline earlier. How does discipline help our mindset when we feel tired or bored? Discipline is doing what you need to do even when you don't feel like it. When we have a purpose, like helping our family or getting a better job, discipline becomes easier. So, having a why is important. My why is that I want to connect with people from all over the world. That makes me want to learn and grow every day. That is a beautiful purpose. When your purpose is about others and about being a better person, you find a lot of strength. You don't give up easily. What about the people around us? Does our environment affect our growth mindset? Absolutely. If you are around people who always complain and say life is hard, it is difficult to grow. You need to find people who encourage you. That is why our community here is so great. We are all here to support each other. We want to see everyone succeed in their English journey. Yes, surrounding yourself with positive influences is like putting your plant in good soil. You will grow much faster and much taller. Sometimes I feel like I am not improving at all. I look back at my notes from last month and I feel like I am in the same place. Is that normal? It is very normal. Progress is not a straight line. Sometimes you go up. Sometimes you stay flat for a while, but as long as you don't stop, you are still moving. That is very comforting to hear. I call those flat moments plateaus. It feels like nothing is happening, but your brain is actually organizing the information. Exactly. It's like a building. You don't see the progress when they're working on the foundation underground, but it's the most important part. Wow, I never thought of it that way. The underground work is the hard study and the listening practice that we do every day. Yes, and one day suddenly you will realize you can understand a movie or have a conversation without thinking too much. That's when the building appears. That is the best feeling in the world. It makes all the hard work worth it. We just have to trust the process and have faith in ourselves. Having faith is very important. You have to believe that the seeds you are planting today will become flowers tomorrow. You just need to keep watering them. So, for our listeners who want to start today, what is one simple thing they can do to practice a growth mindset? I suggest writing down one fixed thought they have. For example, I will never understand phrasal verbs. Then cross it out and write the growth version. Oh, like I'm learning phrasal verbs slowly but surely, or I'm getting better at phrasal verbs every time I use them. Yes, put that paper on your wall or your mirror and read the growth version every morning. It sounds simple, but it really changes how your brain works. That is a powerful exercise. I will do that, too. I want to grow in my patience. I will write, I am becoming a more patient person every day. That is a great one. >> [laughter] >> And I will write, I am learning to listen better to the people I love. We can all grow in many ways, not just in English. That is so true. A growth mindset helps in your career, in your relationships, and in your health. It is a way of living life with hope. Hope is a very strong word. It means looking at the future with a smile. With a growth mindset, the future is always full of possibilities. I love that. The future is full of possibilities. That is a great phrase for our students to remember. It really is. Even if today was a hard day for your English studies, tomorrow is a new chance to try again. The sun always rises. Paul, do you have any stories of when you had to use a growth mindset? Maybe something that was very difficult for you? Hmm, let me think. Yes, when I first started public speaking, I was terrified. My hands were shaking and I forgot my words. I felt like a failure. Oh, no. What did you do? Did you want to quit? I did want to quit. I told myself, Paul, you are not a speaker. Stop doing this. But then I remembered that everyone starts at the beginning. Yes, even the best speakers were beginners once. Exactly. So, I decided to treat every speech like a lesson. I watched videos of myself and instead of being angry, I looked for one thing to improve next time. That is the perfect example of a growth mindset. You analyzed your mistakes without destroying yourself emotionally. You used them to get better. It took time, but now I actually enjoy speaking. If I had stayed in my fixed mindset, I would have missed so many amazing opportunities to help people. That is so inspiring, Paul. It shows that our weaknesses can actually become our strengths if we have the right attitude. They really can. It just takes courage to be a beginner. Many people are afraid to look silly or stupid, so they never try anything new. We must lose the fear of looking silly. When I speak a new language, I know I sound a bit funny sometimes, but I just laugh and keep talking. >> [laughter] >> That is the best way to do it. A sense of humor is a great tool for growth. If you can laugh at your mistakes, they lose their power over you. Yes. Oops, I said the wrong word. How funny. And then you move on. It is much better than being stressed and worried all the time. Stress kills learning. When we are stressed, our brain closes. When we are relaxed and happy, we learn much faster. So, have fun with your English. That is our main goal here at Mr. English Channel. We want you to enjoy the journey. Learning is a gift, not a punishment. Very well said, Emily. It is a privilege to be able to learn and expand our minds. We should be thankful for every new word we learn. I am thankful for this conversation. I feel very motivated now. I hope our listeners feel the same way, too. I'm sure they do. You all have the power to change your mindset. You're capable. You are strong and you are growing. Before we go, let's review a few growth phrases our listeners can use. Paul, can you give us one? Sure. Instead of this is too hard, say, this may take some time and effort. Good one. And instead of I made a mistake, say, mistakes help me learn. Great. How about this one? Instead of I'm not good at this, say, I am training my brain to do this. I love that. Training my brain. It makes us sound like athletes. >> [laughter] >> We are English athletes. We practice every day to become better and stronger. I am going to use that from now on. I am an English athlete. It gives me so much confidence. It should. You are doing something amazing. Learning a second language is a big challenge and you should be proud of yourself. We are very proud of all of you. Remember, don't compare your chapter one to someone else's chapter 20. Your journey is unique. That is very important. Focus on your own progress. Be patient, be consistent, and keep that growth mindset shining bright. Well, that is all for today's episode. Thank you so much for listening and for being part of our English family. It was a pleasure as always. Don't forget to practice what we talked about today. You can do it. Yes, if you enjoyed this, please like the video and subscribe to Mr. English Channel. [music] It helps us a lot. And share it with your friends. Let's help everyone [music] develop a growth mindset together. See you in the next episode. Bye-bye, everyone. Goodbye. Keep growing. [music] >> [music]