The Three "hs" of Language Learning: Second h: Habit

  I read on the Internet that, it seems, Aristotle said "we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."

  My dictionary says that habit is "an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary."
  If we should make a Hobby out of our language studies, we should reinforce it by means of Habit. We repeat an action to the point that we do it involuntarily and without effort.
  Examples of habits we should acquire in our language-learning efforts:
1. Checking internet newspaper headlines before starting our work day. We will keep abreast of the news and we will learn new vocabulary and phraseology. And we may have our cup of coffee at the same time.
2. Reading out loud for 5 minutes. Reading slowly, with meaning, savoring the sounds of the language and placing the tongue in the right position. Secretly we are all actors and actresses. Remember that sound is a mechanical skill.
3. Write an e-mail daily to a friend or acquaintance, in your target language. Ask for feedback.
4. Talk to yourself. Have conversations with yourself in the target language, be it English, Spanish or Bambara.
In short, acquire Habits. These are harmless habits that take little of your time but which will keep you in good stead in the long run.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
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