Pre-P.S. You have 1 more day to take advantage of my Black Friday week deals and make a commitment to unblocking your English and speaking it with confidence in 2024. Here's the announcement in case you missed it, and the answers to your most frequently asked questions. You can see the full details of both deals for Rocket Fuel and Rocket Fuel Plus here. Hey Reader, If you ask my students (like I have), Rocket Fuel works. It helps students unblock their English, feel more confident, and speak...
about 1 year agoΒ β’Β 3 min read
Hey Reader, My best students think long-term, but act daily. They focus on slow growth and build a language practice so that when the right opportunity presents itself, they're ready. Some of these students are disciplined by nature. Others are not. But regardless of which of the two you are, you can manufacture the discipline and motivation you need with commitment devices. As James Clear says, a commitment device is "a choice you make in the present that controls your actions in the...
about 1 year agoΒ β’Β 2 min read
Hey Reader, Speaking a second language is an art, so if your English feels blocked, you have to treat it like a creative block. Thankfully, there's a teacher who has spent the last 30 years solving creative blocks. Her name is Julia Cameron, and she's the author of the timeless book, The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. The Artist's Way has sold over 5 million copies and been translated into 40 languages. Today, I'll share the most actionable takeaways from The Artist's...
about 1 year agoΒ β’Β 9 min read
Hey Reader, Want to start speaking English with confidence and flow? Stop using time as an excuse. Back in 2011, when I first started teaching in SΓ£o Paulo, 90% of my students would tell me they didn't have the time to practice their English outside of class. Between work, exercise, family, friends, travel, and traffic, they couldn't figure out how to squeeze English into their day. I didn't know any better, so I accepted time as a valid excuse. But it's hard to make any progress in a...
about 1 year agoΒ β’Β 5 min read
Hey Reader, How conscious are you of the impact that your environments have on your actions? If you're interested in personal growth, you've heard a version of the following: "You're the average of the 5 people that you spend the most time with."β Jim Rohn, author/entrepreneur But the places you spend the most time in, both digital and physical, are just as influential on your actions. That means you're also the average of: the 5 rooms you're mostly in the 5 apps you're mostly on the 5 visual...
over 1 year agoΒ β’Β 6 min read
Hey Reader, Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your to-do list? Or too busy for the non-urgent projects most important to you? If your answer to either of these questions is yes, you might have a toxic relationship with time. Nurturing your relationship with time can change those answers. It can make you a better learner, creator, and traveler, too. All you have to do is forget everything you've been told about efficiency, productivity, and time management. That's no small task. But you can give...
over 1 year agoΒ β’Β 7 min read
Hey Reader, Can you think in your target language? Or do you still depend on translation? You probably don't think about thinking in your target language very often. But you should. It's the missing link between knowing the language and writing or speaking it well. "Writing is thinking on paper. Anyone who thinks clearly should be able to write clearlyβabout any subject at all."β William Zinsser, Writing to Learn And until you start thinking in your target language, you have to depend on the...
over 1 year agoΒ β’Β 4 min read
Hey Reader, Language learning is a trojan horse for self-mastery. To succeed in your second language, you need to: Have the courage to take action Develop your self-awareness Keep a growth mindset Conquer your habits Trust the process These are the same things required to become your best self. And by the end of this email, language learning will be your trojan horse for working with artificial intelligence (AI), too. As an early adopter, techno-optimist, and overall futurist, I've always...
over 1 year agoΒ β’Β 5 min read
Hey Reader, Once you have clarity on what language habits you need to do, the next step is to decide when you'll do them. This isn't as simple as it seems. There are many people competing for your time and attention every day. And while language habits are an important part of being a successful learner, they're not as urgent as the obligations you have at work or home. If that wasn't enough, you also have to deal with the unexpected: The internet goes out Your business flight gets delayed A...
over 1 year agoΒ β’Β 6 min read