#37 | 100 Times, 100 Hours (Part 2) | How to Learn a New Language
Personal:
This week, I’ve been reflecting on the idea of putting in the reps. As a rule of thumb, I like to do something at least 100 times before even thinking about quitting. Whether it’s learning a new skill, sending cold emails, or publishing content, it’s all about showing up consistently. If you’re struggling to stay motivated, here’s a simple brain hack: track your progress by how often you show up, rather than focusing on immediate results. For example, instead of obsessing over podcast views, I focus on uploading episodes weekly. It’s all about building momentum, not chasing instant success.
Following up on last week’s advice—committing 100 hours to learning something new—this week’s challenge is to try 100 times before giving up. Whether it’s cold emails, job applications, learning sessions, or posting content, repetition is what truly matters. Success doesn’t happen overnight. If it did, we’d all be successful. But true success loves patience.
To succeed, you need three things:
a) Faith – believing in yourself and the journey, even when it feels hard.
b) Persistence – the determination to keep going, no matter the obstacles.
c) A bit of luck – which often shows up when you’ve been persistent and consistent.
You’ll often come across two types of people when chasing your dreams:
a) Those who say, "If it’s not working, it’s time to quit."
b) Those who keep going, no matter what.
For me, I’m definitely in camp b. I believe in moving forward and NEVER giving up. As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re
Media:
Jet lag has been hitting me hard lately, and I keep waking up at 4 a.m. Like many, I grabbed my phone and started scrolling through social media (ouch). After 30 minutes of capybara and cat videos (even how to avoid a capybara bite—seriously?!), I found something actually useful.
I came across Georgia Heins' account, which focuses on healthy food and snacks in a fun and engaging way. She breaks down topics like chocolate vs. fruit, explaining what really gives you energy in a visual format. What I love is how she simplifies things without being preachy. Her voice and charisma make learning about your body and nutrition feel like chatting with a friend. If you’re into health and wellness, it’s definitely worth a follow!
Learnings:
I get so frustrated when I hear people say, "I’m just not talented with languages." Like, who told you that? Where did this idea even come from? It doesn’t make sense! At school and university, I was always told I was better with math than languages, but that wasn’t true.
The problem isn’t a lack of talent—it’s a lack of a system. No system = no results.
I learned both Spanish and Chinese the same way, and here’s the approach I swear by:
- Start with a group class. It gives you consistency and a structured system. (This is something many 1:1 lessons lack.)
- After 6 months, ramp it up. You’ve got to commit at least 4 hours a day to the language at this point if you want to see real progress.
- Immerse yourself in the language. If you can, go to a country where the language is spoken and spend at least 6 days a week dedicating 7+ hours a day to speaking and learning it. The longer you stay, the better.
There’s no magic trick here—it’s all about system + consistency. That will help you push through the ups and downs and keep you from giving up.
Any questions?
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I wish you a focused and productive week ahead!
Yana @Pretiosum [ Pretty Awesome ] Ventures.
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