Hey Bob,

So it's January 2nd.

The excitement of New Year is fading.

Reality is creeping back in.

And if you're learning a language, that little voice might be starting up...

"What if I mess up?"

"What if I embarrass myself?"

Let me tell you a quick story.

Paris, 2001. I was working the night shift at a hostel.

Two French guys asked me for something.

I nodded, went to the storeroom, and came back with a stack of blankets.

They stared at me like I'd lost my mind.

Turns out they'd asked for cutlery. Not blankets.

(Couverts, not couvertures.)

Their pasta was stone cold by the time I figured it out.

I wanted the ground to swallow me whole.

But here's the thing...

I still remember those two words.

Over 20 years later. Crystal clear.

That's the power of mistakes.

They stick in a way that textbooks never will.

So if you're worried about messing up?

Mess up more.

Seriously.

Talk to yourself in your target language. Out loud.

Narrate your commute.

Argue with yourself about what to cook for dinner.

Sounds weird, but it works.

You get used to the messiness of real speech.

The stumbling. The forgetting words mid-sentence. Using the wrong verb.

And when you do speak to actual humans?

Focus on communicating, not being perfect.

Your job is to get your message across...

Not to impress anyone with flawless grammar.

Most people are just glad you're trying.

Olly