Hello, and welcome to a mini edition of English Tools. Today I’d just like to share a short twitter post with you that I’ve been thinking about, and I wonder what it will make you think about:
The goal isn’t to change ur life overnight, but to alter trajectory, which, over time will change it. #DontSettle #piop via @travisro
— Carrie Wilkerson (@CarrieWilkerson) February 20, 2012
Altering trajectory can apply to everything you and I undertake, doesn’t it? Are you working towards financial freedom? I am! The pressure I subject myself to to change sometimes really seems to NOT help me. It would be helpful to think about trajectory changes vs. overnight changes. Example: My wife and I are working to pay off some credit card debt. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, and “I’m not making enough progress! It’s taking too long! I’ll never get out!”
Trajectory shift: Identify unnecessary spending and cut it! Stop using the card! Those are small changes, but they will change my trajectory towards paying my cards off, right?
Learning something new? (Like English perhaps?) Most people make the huge mistake of asking, “How fast can I learn this?” Sadly, learning a new language fast doesn’t happen for most people. There are folks out there who have the ability/gift to learn languages quicker than normal. But for most people, it’s a long term – MANY YEARS - commitment. Changing your trajectory can make a huge difference for you.
Trajectory Change Thinking: how can I include more English in my life today? Watching 15 to 20 minutes of English TV (no cheating with those subtitles!) each day, but watching carefully and purposefully to understand, can go a long way towards developing your English ears over time.
What are you doing to adjust your trajectory? And to adjust a trajectory, you have to know where you are going in the first place. Do you?
