What if I told you that feeling stuck in English is actually okay, maybe even a good sign?
I know that sounds totally backwards because when you feel stuck, it can feel like failure.
You're putting in the time, you're doing the work, but it's like nothing is changing.
In learning, we call this the plateau.
And I don't want you to stay there, but here's the truth.
That feeling.
It might mean that you're about to take your next big jump forward in your progress, and I want to help you get there.
So today we're going to talk about why these plateaus happen in your English learning, why they don't mean that you're doing it wrong, and three ways to move forward so that your next English breakthrough comes faster.
So first, what exactly is a learning plateau?
I want you to think of hiking a mountain trail like this one near where I live, called the Sobranis Canyon Trail.
You're climbing, your legs are burning, your heart is racing and it's hard work, but you keep going, step by step.
Now, maybe you keep going because you love hiking and you want to get to the top.
Or maybe it's because it's too late to go back.
You've already gone more than halfway.
Either way, you're moving forward.
You might not notice that forward movement with each step, but if you stop to look around you, you can see the view behind you and you can see how far you've come.
You can feel the progress that you've made.
And then after climbing for some time, you hit flat ground, a plateau.
At first, It might feel like you're not really moving forward anymore.
There's no more climbing, no big change.
Your heart isn't racing.
And that's the key.
That flat stretch, it's a relief.
It's where you can catch your breath, look around you and allow your body to recover from the intensity of the climb.
That break that plateau.
It's a necessary part of recovery so that you can be ready to reach the next peak.
Your plateau in english is the same.
On that flat learning ground, it might feel like nothing is happening.
And here's what researchers have discovered.
This plateau feeling is actually predictable.
It follows what researchers call the power law of practice.
It's this idea that we learn quickly at first and then our rate of improvement naturally slows down.
This is not a flaw or an error in your learning.
It's how human brains are designed to work.
It's part of the process.
The plateau is not a dead end.
It's a consolidation zone, a critical space where your brain is organizing everything that you've just learned.
Here's another way to think about it.
I want you to imagine that you're going to the gym every day.
And of course, you might not see physical changes right away or from one day to the next.
But something is happening.
Your muscles are growing.
Your strength is building.
All of that's happening inside where you can't see it yet.
In your brain, something similar is happening with your English.
Neural pathways are strengthening.
Connections between language areas are becoming more efficient.
Skills that used to require a lot of conscious, hard effort are becoming easier and automatic.
Again, progress is happening, even when it doesn't feel visible.
Now, all of this, everything I've just shared with you is absolutely true and accurate.
But here's something most people miss.
Not all plateaus are the same.
Language learning research shows us there are actually two different types of plateaus.
Stagnation plateaus and and consolidation plateaus.
Understanding which one you're experiencing changes everything about how you should respond.
Here's what I mean.
If you're feeling stuck in English, it might be because you've paused your learning or you've stopped your English practice.
Maybe you're staying in your comfort zone.
You're repeating the same routines, the same apps without challenge.
Maybe You're avoiding mistakes and playing it safe.
Or you're focused on passive input like listening and reading without output, speaking or writing.
If any of these are true for you, you might be in what researchers call that stagnation plateau.
You've stopped challenging your brain with new information or skills.
But some plateaus happen because you're doing everything right.
You have continued practicing consistently, even if you don't feel like you're making progress.
And as a result, your brain is adjusting.
You're still moving forward, but maybe you're doing it in recovery mode.
This is what scientists call a consolidation plateau.
And this is actually the plateau that you want to be on.
So take a moment to assess why you're stuck.
It's important to be absolutely honest here, because if you've hit a pause on your learning or doing things that feel too easy, if you're not using your English actively, that can keep you stuck.
So I want you to pause and ask yourself, Why are you stuck right now?
What kind of plateau are you on?
The good news.
Whether you've totally stopped your practice or you've kept going even though it feels like nothing is happening, there are proven strategies that can help you break through.
If you're on that stagnation plateau, you've given up and you've stopped your practice.
The solution is simple.
Start again with small, manageable steps.
You haven't lost your English.
It's still there waiting for you.
But if you've been consistent and still feel stuck, if you're showing up doing the work but wondering why doesn't this feel like it's working?
That's what we're going to focus on today.
I'm going to share three methods specifically designed to help you push through that consolidation plateau and see your breakthrough faster.
But first, if you are in that consolidation plateau, I want you to know why your plateau is a sign of progress.
Again.
I know this sounds totally backwards, but progress is happening, even if it's invisible to you right now.
Researchers call this phase, this period of time in that plateau, the consolidation phase in learning.
Studies in cognitive neuroscience show that during these quiet periods your brain continues important consolidation work, even when you're not actively studying.
In fact, brain scans reveal continued activity in language processing areas during rest periods, showing that consolidation work is happening even when you're not consciously practicing.
This is when your brain is processing what you've just recently learned.
It's organizing that information and strengthening everything that you now know.
In fact, here's what's happening under the surface.
Again, You're consolidating.
Your brain is transferring information from short term to long term memory, making it more accessible or easier to use in future moments, future conversations.
You're also automating.
This means that skills that required conscious hard effort are becoming automatic, freeing up the mental space that you need for more complex language tasks.
And you're connecting.
Your brain is building up new neural pathways and strengthening existing ones, creating a more robust language network.
This is not a setback.
It's proof. that you've climbed far and you're ready for your next big breakthrough.
So what can you do if you're at this stage?
If you're showing up, doing the work, but still not seeing results?
That's what we're going to explore next.
I want to talk about three things that you can do now to begin moving forward and get unstuck.
So method number one focus face your fears.
Often, the thing that you've been avoiding is the thing that's going to take you to the next level.
For most of my students, before they start working with me, that thing is speaking speaking english as often as possible.
But there's a lot of fear with speaking and i want you to know this.
Your fear of speaking english is not a weakness, It's actually intelligence.
Your brain is protecting you from potential embarrassment or judgment.
But here's what your brain doesn't know.
That fear never goes away by avoiding it.
It only goes away by proving to yourself that you can handle whatever happens.
I know this can feel intimidating at first and you might worry about making mistakes.
You might feel unsure about what to say, or maybe even think what if I open my mouth and nothing comes out?
Here's the strategic approach that works.
I want you to start with micro speaking moments.
Don't jump into group conversations that feel too overwhelming.
Instead, try a more progressive approach with these steps.
Maybe In week one, you speak to yourself.
You can do this by recording yourself describing your morning routine for two minutes and then listen back to it without judgment, just to get comfortable with how your voice sounds.
You could practice one specific phrase that you want to use in conversations with that approach.
Now, if you want to know more about how to do this, to jumpstart your English confidence, how to record yourself and listen without judgment, I've got a free training on this called How to Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English.
And I'll share a link to that in the episode notes.
But after you do that for one week, the second thing is in week two, start speaking to safe people.
Choose someone. who makes you feel comfortable.
It might be a kind coworker, a friendly neighbor, or someone in your learning community.
Share one opinion or ask one genuine question and notice that the world doesn't end, even if you make a small mistake.
And then in week three, start speaking up in low stakes or low pressure situations.
Maybe order something at a new restaurant or describe what you want instead of pointing at the menu.
You might ask a store employee for help finding something specific or make one comment in a virtual meeting chat before speaking aloud.
The goal here is to build up evidence that you can speak English in a variety of situations and survive, maybe even thrive.
And here's how I know this approach works.
I've used it myself.
In fact, sharing videos online, like this one that you're watching right now, used to terrify me.
I hated being on video.
I hated my voice on video.
And years ago when I first started, my anxiety often got the best of me.
In fact, back in 2015 I was already a very experienced English teacher with my own business, but everything I created at that time was written content only.
It felt safe.
And then one of my students challenged me to start making videos.
And I thought, no, no way, absolutely not.
But I kept thinking about it.
I was thinking about the risks that I needed to take as a French learner.
And I was thinking about the risks I was asking my students to take as English speakers.
If I want to help my students grow, I have to try.
So I started exactly like I just described to you.
I started with micro speaking moments.
My first YouTube videos back in 2015 were all private.
The only way to view them was through my weekly email lessons.
I was way too nervous to share them publicly.
And then in June 2016, I took the leap and made them public.
Was it scary?
Absolutely.
Do I still get nervous today?
Yes.
Every single Wednesday I wake up with just a little bit of panic when I know that there's a new video out.
But that anxiety no longer controls me.
It doesn't stop me.
Now, if I'm honest with you, I really don't like those early videos.
I think they're awful, but they also let me see how far I've come in my own speaking.
In fact, facing that fear has given me multiple gifts.
I can analyze my own strengths and weaknesses as a speaker.
I've developed my voice, improved my clarity, and sharpened my teaching.
Another benefit is that it gave me a new strategy to improve my own fluency and confidence and my second language.
And, most importantly, doing these videos allows me to help you and thousands of students who, just like me, need to see that you can be nervous and still show up.
You can still speak. with confidence and clarity.
So here's a specific action step for you this week.
I want you to choose just one of these micro speaking moments.
Practice what you're going to say at home first.
Remember, the goal here is not perfection.
It's proof that you can do it.
And if you're not sure where to start, ask yourself this.
What is one English speaking situation you've been avoiding?
And If you tried it just once, would you be able to prove to yourself that you're braver than you think?
And now method number two, shake things up.
The truth is doing the same thing over and over can feel safe, but It can also keep you stuck.
Here's why this happens to perfectionists specifically.
You might have found a routine that feels manageable for your life, so you stick to it to avoid the discomfort of not knowing what to expect.
But here's the insight your brain is missing.
Your comfort zone isn't actually comfortable anymore.
It's boring.
And boredom kills motivation.
Your brain needs variety to stay engaged and create new neural pathways.
So here's a strategic shake-up approach.
Instead of changing everything in your language practice at once, which is super chaotic and overwhelming, make just one small change each week.
In week number one, maybe change your input method.
Here's what I mean.
Passive learning, like reading and listening, feels productive.
But it keeps you stuck because your brain isn't practicing retrieval.
It's not using what it's learned.
In other words, your brain is only absorbing information.
It's not using English.
So try this.
If you usually read silently, read one paragraph out loud each day.
If you watch TV shows with subtitles, try them for 10 minutes without subtitles.
If you listen to podcasts passively, pause every five minutes and summarize what you've heard.
Then in week two, change your practice context.
When you always practice in the same environment, your brain can become context dependent, making it harder to transfer skills to new situations.
But real English happens everywhere.
Noisy offices, busy stores, and stressful meetings.
If you can only access your English in your quiet study space, Your skills won't transfer when you need them the most.
If you always study at your desk, try learning vocabulary while you're walking.
If you practice alone, invite one person to join you for 15 minutes.
If you study in silence, try some background music or a coffee shop.
And if you consistently speak with just one person or one group, try speaking with someone else.
Maybe change up your speaking group.
And then in week three, I want you to change your challenge level.
Here's why.
Your brain adapts to whatever level you consistently practice.
If you only engage with comfortable, familiar English, your skills plateau dramatically because there's no growth pressure.
Think of it like physical exercise.
If you only lift the same light weights day after day, your muscles stop getting stronger.
So if you stick to the same familiar topics, try exploring a new one.
Pick a new subject area.
If you avoid idioms, try learning a new idiomatic expression and use it three times this week.
If you never write, send one email or text without looking up any of the words.
Each small change proves to your brain that you can handle uncertainty.
This builds up your tolerance for discomfort. that comes with real language growth.
So for this week, I want you to ask yourself what's one small change to your routine that would make English feel fresh and interesting again.
That one change that feels 70% comfortable and 30% challenging.
That's your sweet spot for growth without overwhelm.
And finally, method number three, is to focus on growth, not perfection.
In fact, here's what perfectionists don't realize, and I'm including myself here.
The reason you feel stuck isn't because you're not making progress.
It's because you're only looking for the wrong kind of progress.
You're waiting for fluency or confidence to feel like a light switch off one day and then on the next.
But fluency is more like a sunrise.
It happens gradually and then suddenly you realize it's bright outside.
Progress often feels quiet because the biggest improvements happen below the surface.
In fact, here's the internal progress you might not notice because you're too focused on perfection.
You understand a conversation without translating every word in your head.
You say a sentence and realize that you didn't plan it.
It just came out naturally.
Or you make a mistake and you don't panic and you don't stop talking.
You just keep going.
Maybe you use a new word without consciously thinking about it first.
These are actually massive breakthroughs disguised as ordinary moments.
So to better recognize your progress, I want you to use this growth recognition system.
First, every day, take a moment for the easier than practice.
For example every day in the evening.
I want you to complete this sentence.
Today felt easier in English than it used to.
Some examples that you might use here could be understanding my coworker's email, or explaining my weekend plans, or asking for help at the store.
And then every week, I want you to schedule a few moments for the evidence collection.
This is where you write down three specific examples of your progress, no matter how small they might feel or seem.
It might be a word that you used confidently that you couldn't use six months ago, or a conversation that felt less stressful than it would have before, or a moment when you chose the right word without thinking about it.
And then monthly, I want you to set aside a little bit of time for the growth goal setting.
Instead of setting performance goals like speaking perfectly, set growth goals.
This might be a goal to notice when you use new vocabulary naturally, or when you catch yourself thinking in English instead of translating first or feeling comfortable making a mistake in a conversation.
When you focus on recognizing small progress, you actually accelerate your improvement.
This happens because you start taking more speaking risks when you see evidence that you're growing.
So let me ask you What's one small sign of progress that you've been dismissing as not good enough, but that actually shows that you're moving forward?
And don't forget, I want you to start that easier than practice tonight.
Set a phone reminder for 8 p.m. every day this week.
After seven days, you'll be amazed at how much progress you were already making.
Now that you've taken a deep look at what a plateau is, why it happens and how to move forward, I want to zoom out a bit.
And I want to go back to that idea of the mountain trail.
There are, of course, steep climbs.
There are valleys and there are plateaus.
Each one is part of the journey.
And when it comes to speaking, even expert speakers have been through this more than once.
I want you to remember this.
If you've been showing up regularly and you're in a plateau right now, you're not stuck.
You're getting stronger.
Wherever you are right now, today, this isn't the end.
It's not your forever.
It's a rest stop.
It's a recovery zone.
And your next climb, it can start today.
It might start next week.
So with that in mind, let's talk about what comes next.
First, I want you to tell me what is one thing that has helped you move forward when you felt stuck in English.
Share it with me in the comments because your story might help someone else keep going.
And second, if you've been nodding along to this thinking, this is exactly where I am right now.
I want you to know that you don't have to figure out your next breakthrough alone.
In fact, this is exactly why I created Fluency School.
It's for non-native English speakers who already know the language but want to speak with more confidence, clarity and freedom in everyday conversations.
Inside Fluency School, you learn how to manage fear and self-doubt so that you can speak with calm, natural fluency.
You also practice real conversations, the kinds of conversations that you have at work, in your community and with friends.
And you build a consistent speaking routine that helps you grow at every stage of your journey.
So if you're tired of working hard and not seeing results, If you're craving structure, support and a safe place to grow, fluency school is your next step.
You can find all the details about my next session over at speakconfidentenglishcom.
Slash fluency school.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
And if you found this helpful, I would love to know.
Don't forget to subscribe or follow wherever you're listening or watching today.
Or share it with someone you care about who might be feeling stuck too.
This could be exactly what they need.
Thanks again, and I look forward to next time.
