Why Learning a Language Is Similar to a Sport

Introduction:

At first glance, sports and languages have virtually no similarities. Sports are, for the most part, team-oriented and require physical fitness; they require constant training and mental fortitude to win. On the other hand, languages are basically dependent upon a single person. They are stationary and require books and vocabulary flashcards to learn, rather than a ball. It does not require body parts, but it does heavily require the mind. While there are some differences, similarities are more common than you may believe, and certain similarities build the foundation of a human and life.

The Connection Between Sports and Languages.

While they may seem like they have practically no relation, sports and languages impose a major similarity: Effort. Effort seems self-explanatory, but it is crucial for development and the ability to stay consistent and progress. Without effort, it is different to improve your skills. Also, sports and languages share the mind aspect. Unlike languages, sports involve the entire body; the mind is a crucial point for driving the body's processes. Think of the brain as an engine, and your body as a car. Without the engine, the car cannot run. You need your mind to run optimally and understand information at its peak to truly capitalize on your goals. Similar to a car’s engine, it needs fuel and maintenance, and that’s for you to work on.

Mindset:

One of the most difficult aspects of learning a skill is having the correct mindset. Languages and sports both share determination and constant pressure to improve. Without a competitive edge to improve, your skills start to peak at a certain level, and improvements are near impossible to achieve. The reason is simple: mindset. When you learn something, you feel compelled to try your hardest, and since it is new, the determination that pushes you to achieve greatness and maximize your skills is expressed. However, as time goes on and your skills start to decelerate, so does your ambition. When results are slow, so is the brain’s willingness to apply more effort. This concept can be applied in sports and languages. 

Sports are mostly fun to learn, and the nature of physically playing with others allows you to be more connected to the activity, but languages are more isolated. It is dependent upon a singular person, the learner. You need to put forth maximum effort. Videos, tutorials, grammar rules, books, and flashcards will help you succeed, but you also need to be motivated to master a language. Languages such as English are difficult, and sports such as basketball are difficult. Both, however, share a user’s determination to grow.

Concentration:

Mindset can be split into two different parts. The first is determination, and the second is concentration and maximum brain output on a certain task. You will need to have motivation to improve, and you need to concentrate and try your hardest every single session. The harsh reality is that it will be nearly impossible to do so every single time. Other variables regarding the environment, peers, and internal factors impair our ability to concentrate. When we see a group of people not trying their hardest, we tend to follow like sheep. When there is a disagreement between us and a learning concept, we tend to skip or not fully concentrate. These aspects impair and seriously impact our learning curve. There will be more discussions of concentration and competitiveness, but the general idea is that people are slowly becoming less tenacious.

Conclusion:

There are dozens of nuances in learning a skill. It seems easy at first: create a schedule, dedicate an hour a day for several years, and you’ll reach a high level of mastery. However, the difficulties of scheduling, contemporary society, and other outside factors impair us and our skills to truly improve. Finding connections between two concepts is important. It allows you to apply your skills to other fields, and allows you to focus more on new skills because you’ve already experienced growth and a peak.