Motivation

So I've pointed you in the direction of some resources to get you started, but what about keeping you going? If you haven't already, do check out AJATT, there are a number of useful posts there on motivation. I'll offer a few of my own observations though.

Have a good reason for learning Japanese. Not just, 'It'd be cool' or 'I like anime.' Have a really good reason that you know will keep you going when the novelty wears off. Only you can say what are good enough reasons for you, but make sure you have a clear goal in sight. Yes your goal can be: 'I want to be able to understand Japanese media.' because as long as you have a goal, you have a direction. It helps if you write this down - even better if you figure out how to write it in Japanese. ;) Keep it where you can see it regularly.

Have a direction, have a plan - which matches your goal. I've given you some to start you off: learning kanji and kana. After that, then what? If your goal was to understand Japanese media, then your direction might be to watch anime or play a japanese game, learning the words you don't know. I mean, what's the point in reading a newspaper if you don't like the news and all you want to do is play Japanese RPGs? Newspapers aren't likely to talk about magic spells unless there's a new Harry Potter book out. ;)

Make it fun. I can't stress this enough. You must be having fun! It's not enough to have a strong goal, you have to make the process rewarding as well. Think about it, you suffered through school for a distant payoff (good grades -> good job). And how much of it do you remember now? Even though learning the kanji may seem like an impossible and boring task, you can make it fun. Read the funny stories on Reviewing the Kanji, spend time coming up with funny ones yourself - if you let yourself, this can be an entertaining activity. Take the little highs where you can get them. If you remember all/most of your reviews that day give yourself a big pat on the back (or better yet, bribe yourself with sweeties - one for every 5/10 correct kanji). If you fail a kanji, it doesn't mean you suck, it means you get to make a funnier more memorable story for it. Also check out their reading tool - paste in some Japanese and it will tell you how many kanji you should know in that section of writing. Enjoy seeing the number of kanji grow! Don't think about how little you know so far, get excited about what you know already!*

Don't rely on motivation. I know, funny thing to say when the post is titled motivation... but my life has been plagued by lack of motivation. I always tell myself I *could* do that if I really wanted to... but I don't want to. You need to want to do this, you need to get excited about every little thing you do so you don't NEED motivation. Save your motivation for your job, housework - all the things you absolutely have to do, but don't really want to. There are so many things you can do in Japanese that don't require motivation. Want to listen to music? Listen to some with Japanese lyrics - I've found a load of awesome metal bands this way, and I pick up the occasional new word from clean lyrics. Watch subtitled anime instead of dubbed. Keep a dictionary handy and every time you hear a word and wonder what it means, look it up.

Do something every day. No matter how little, do something towards your goal every day. It is much harder to pick up where you left off after a month's break, than simply doing ONE kanji or watching ONE episode of anime. You may find it hard to motivate yourself some days, but think how much more effort it will take to get started again if you stop now. That's not to say you can't ever take a break if your life gets on top of you, but be sure to keep up with your SRS reviews so you don't waste all the effort you put in.

Small meals often. If you find yourself with 50+ reviews one day, your immediate reaction will probably be panic. Don't. I've had days with 80 or so and it doesn't phase me. Why? Because I break it into little manageable chunks. I'll say to myself, 'OK, I'll do 10 and read this interesting article.' or 'I'll do as many as I can while waiting for the oven to pre-heat.' Before you know it, they're all done and didn't require that much effort or time either. If however I'd tried to do them in one sitting, I would have become annoyed/bored and dragged it much longer than necessary.

To summarise, screw motivation. Be lazy, do fun things in Japanese. Keep yourself going with the thought that it will cost more energy to relearn than to review. I keep fit not because I'm energetic, but because it uses more energy to lug my fat ass around. :P

* I had a little geekgasm watching Mushishi when I recognised the kanji for rain and rainbow (After the rain comes the rainbow)