TEACHING YOURSELF JAPANESE

Everyone has a success mechanism and a failure mechanism. The failure mechanism goes off by itself. The success mechanism only goes off with a goal. Every time we write down and talk about a goal we push the button to start the success mechanism. – Charlie “Tremendous” Jones

You’ve come a long way, and you’re ready to start learning Japanese. Learning a new language is a really big step, and can be really exciting! However, the adrenaline rush of deciding to do something new and different makes people dive in too deeply and burn out. That’s the last thing I want you to do, and one of the things that makes TextFugu unique.

The first rule of TextFugu is to keep you studying. That’s why TextFugu is the first Japanese textbook designed especially for self-teachers of Japanese (though all manner of Japanese students will find TextFugu useful). I want you to enjoy what you’re doing, get real results, and feel really good about it.

Think about most other Japanese learning methods out there. Textbooks / Japanese learning software (like Rosetta Stone, Rocket Languages, etc)? Once you’ve put down money, they’ve made the sale and no longer care if you continue. Sure, there may be others out there that claim to be great for self-learning, but in the end they are just vessels of information. “Here’s what you should study, now you’re on your own.”

TextFugu’s entire foundation is built around one thing: Keeping you interested and keeping you motivated.

Because of this, you’ll find lessons not only on Japanese, but lessons on time management, efficiency, motivation, and more. Studying something all on your own isn’t all that difficult – but staying motivated and sticking with it is. That being said, there are some housekeeping things we need to go through before you get started. These will help you stay focused on your goal, as well as assist you in finding out if TextFugu is right for you (and if it’s not, I’ll be more than happy to help you find an alternative that’s perfect for you). Not everyone learns the same way, so it makes sense to try it out first. Please do!

QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU START

Before you continue, print out this pdf (or go get a piece of paper) and find something to write with. These steps are very important, even if they seem a bit silly or unnecessary. Something as simple as writing down your goals / intentions can make a big difference. Once you write something down, it becomes “real.” Bare with me while going through these steps, you’ll find that it helps a lot in the end.

There are two big questions I want you to answer, and it shouldn’t take you too much time. Go get your paper now, if you haven’t already. Sorry, no typing these goals out allowed. I think we make up for the tree killing by making the rest of this textbook digital.

Q1. WHY ARE YOU LEARNING JAPANESE?

Write the answer down. Seriously, use a physical piece of paper and a pencil (or pen). Use your hand, don’t type it. It’s really important to actually go and do this, as you’ll be tacking it up on your wall. If you aren’t sure of the answer, then think about it for a little bit. In theory, you don’t necessarily need a reason to learn Japanese, but trust me, it helps a lot, and by writing it down, it helps to solidify that reason in your head. It’s been shown that people who write down their goals are way more successful than those who do not, and I want to leverage that as much as possible. Here are some examples – it’s important to be as specific as possible. “Because I wanna!” doesn’t cut it.

  • I’d like to appear on Japanese television one day as a comedian.
  • I’d like to work in Japan as a traditional woodblock printer.
  • I go to Japan to study the Ainu people.
  • I want to live amongst the Japanese snow monkeys.

Anyways, you get the picture. Why are you learning Japanese? There must be something you really want to do that would be easier / more satisfying if you spoke the Japanese language.

Q2. WHAT EXCUSES HOLD YOU BACK?

Maybe nothing is holding you back (and that’s why you’re here right now), but chances are there are a few things that you’re either afraid of, or would be good reasons not to study Japanese. I’ve been there too. Anytime you make a big change in your life, or choose to do something great, “why I shouldn’t really do this” excuses seem to pop out of nowhere. No matter how rational (or unrational) you are, they’ll come up sooner or later, so it’s better to do a preemptive strike while you’re excited. Here are some possible excuses that could hold you back – figure out what yours are, and write them down. You don’t necessarily need to come up with and “answer” to prevent them – just knowing what they are will prevent them from becoming excuses that you act on later on.

  • I’m too busy with work/school: Boo-hoo-dee-hoo. I know exactly what this is like. I used to be a 16-hours-of-work per day kind of guy. I didn’t have time for anything really important. “Being too busy” is probably the most common excuse out there. Luckily, TextFugu has you covered with awesome time-management techniques that you can apply to whatever’s taking up most of your time (so you have more time for friends, family, and studying Japanese). It’s not about how much time you have, it’s all about how effectively you’re using it. Believe it or not, even the most efficient people can cut their work time down from 16 hours per day to 4 hours per day. I’ve done it, and I’ll show you how.
  • I don’t have the money to study Japanese: This is another common excuse I hear a lot. Sure, the economy isn’t good right now. A lot of people don’t have jobs or steady sources of income. I’ve also been there. Yet, somehow there is always enough money to go to that restaurant every once in a while, or buy that neat gadget you’ve been waiting for. That being said, TextFugu isn’t cheap. It’s a great deal, but it’s not pocket change either. Think of it like an investment. Learning Japanese will open your life to new opportunities. Language learning is one of the single best things you can do for yourself in terms of professional and personal development. Also, with TextFugu’s bounty program, you can actually make your investment back by suggesting improvements. If you really don’t have the money, here are some options.
    • Make money on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk by completing hits.
    • Sell some of your stuff on Craigslist / Ebay. I did this – simplifying your life by simplifying your “things” is a great way to clear your head. It’s difficult at first, but once you get going you’ll find that it feels really great. Be honest with yourself, you probably only really use 80% of your stuff, right?
    • Ask a friend or relative for an investment. If they really care about you they’ll love to see you succeed – plus, this will help you stay motivated. You wouldn’t want to waste someone else’s money, let alone your own!
  • I’ll end up burning out and quitting: I hope you don’t! Like I mentioned earlier, TextFugu was built around a foundation of “keeping you interested.” You can see how that’s already started – you’re figuring out your main objective (i.e. how you’ll use your Japanese), as well as pinpointing the things that could (and won’t!) hold you back.
  • I’m not very good at learning languages: Nobody’s good at languages, unless the information is presented in an easy-to-understand way. It’s really easy to regurgitate content, but TextFugu simplifies everything down to it’s core, which means anyone and everyone should be able to learn Japanese. Think of TextFugu like your Japanese learning Sherpa. I’ll carry your extra baggage, show you the way, and make things a lot easier for you. I’ve spent a lot of time simplifying TextFugu’s Japanese lessons (while not making them “simple”), which should mean a smooth ride for you.

What Else? There are any number of fears out there that you could experience, and they depend on the individual. Whatever they are, write them down (just like you did the previous question). Once written down, read them. Are they really all that bad? Are they just excuses keeping you from getting started? Most likely. Really, most of our fears aren’t that bad, and no matter what it is, you’ll get through them as long as you know, specifically, what they are and what they entail. Once you know the worst case scenario, also write down the answer to this question: “How can I prevent this worst case scenario from happening?” After you do that, nothing else is all that bad, right?

Setting Yourself Up For Success

What does your work area look like? Does it feel open and relaxing? Or, like the image above, does it feel crowded. Do something really quickly for me – Take out four pieces of paper and put them together, side-by-side. Using any layout, can you put these four pieces of paper together in any one area of your desk? If not, then maybe it’s time to do some cleaning. I used to have a crowded desk, and without me knowing it my productivity was being affected. Now, I have an external monitor, a laptop, and a cup of wonderful green tea. What about you?

One thing we have to do before you get started is create a great foundation and environment for your Japanese learning. Like I keep saying, I don’t want you to quit, no matter how you learn Japanese. One really important thing (which will be even more important once we start diving into time-management and efficiency techniques) is your learning environment. Where will you be learning Japanese? If your answer is “hmm, I dunno,” then it’s time to take a step back and view your options. Here are my recommendations, though your individual situations may prevent this to varying degrees. Be flexible!

  • Choose a single location that’s your “Learning Japanese Happy Place.” Preferably, this will be at a desk, with a chair, and have few distractions. You should feel disconnected from the rest of the world. Tell your family / friends / roommate that you don’t want to be distracted when you’re here. This space should be away from food, away from a TV, and away from anything soft and sleepy looking. It should be a designated work area, and nothing else.
  • Don’t listen to music, watch movies, etc., while you’re studying. I don’t know how many people I’ve run into that say “I can study / work with music because I can multitask!” NO YOU CAN’T. 99% of people who say this are just lying to themselves, and that other 1%? Well, maybe I’ll concede that, but I still get a lot more done than them. The only exception to this is classical music, which has been shown (specifically Mozart) to not mess up one’s productivity (though it doesn’t increase productivity either). All other music, especially music that has words in it, will mess things up for you. You’ll need to develop good habits when you’re studying so you can get a lot more done in a shorter amount of time. TV programming, no matter what it is, is off limits.
  • Facebook, Farmville, and other distracting things are a no-go. Just don’t touch them. At least wait until you’re between things. As you go through TextFugu, there will be opportunities to use social networks (“what!?” you say? We’ll get into that later) in order to practice your Japanese. When you’re in study mode, or in your Japanese learning happy place, everything else has to be shut off. We’ll break study sessions up into 30-90 minute increments (just because the human mind can’t focus for longer than 90 minutes for most people) so you’ll have opportunity to take breaks when you need them. It’s been shown that once you get distracted, it takes on average 45 minutes to completely refocus on your original task. That’s a ton of wasted time per distraction, and you want to prevent as many of these as possible.

Telling People About Your Intentions

Another thing I want you to do is to tell a few people that you’re going to be learning Japanese. Nothing like public humiliation to keep you going when times get tough (and I won’t lie, things will get tough every once in a while). I’m sure a lot of you out there are saying “that won’t happen to me. I won’t burn out, I never give up.” Sadly, statistics don’t lie, and although TextFugu does a much better job than anyone when it comes to helping you stay motivated, the Japanese learning success-rate is still pretty darn low. Go right now and tell (or e-mail!) some friends and family to tell them that you’re going to start learning Japanese. Have them keep you accountable and ask you about your progress when they see you. This way, you’ll feel like you need to get more done, which will help you learn more quickly and effectively!

GETTING A TIMER / STOPWATCH

A task will swell in (perceived) importance and complexity in relation to the time allotted for its completion. - Parkinson’s Law

Most cell phones or watches have this feature, but if you don’t have either, go to the store and buy yourself a timer or stopwatch. It shouldn’t cost too much, and it’s an important investment. If you really can’t afford one, you can probably find one you can use via your internet browser (Online-Stopwatch.com works, though I still recommend a physical timer… feels more real that way).

The reason we’ll be using a timer is because when you are given more time to get something done, you’ll spend that much time doing it. By giving yourself less time to complete a task, you’ll find that you’ll become more efficient and start focusing on the more important actionable tasks (you’ll learn more about actionable tasks soon). Just think about it – when you have a nasty deadline coming up, somehow things get done. When you don’t have a deadline, things kind of … slow down. I don’t know about you, but somehow I was able to get all my essays in college done, starting them the night before, no matter how many pages needed to be written. It’s all about peeling away the unimportant and focusing on the things that will help you to progress.

The important thing, right now, is that you make sure you have a timer. If you don’t have one, find one on the internet or run to the store to get one. Physical timers have a better effect, though, because you can look up more easily to check on the time.

LET’S LEARN JAPANESE!

Enough “set-up” talk. It’s time to go in and learn some Japanese! We’re going to start by learning about the different Japanese alphabets available to you, as well as a little more information on how we’re going to learn them in the coming chapters. I’m really excited to get started with you and help you along with your journey to learn Japanese. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and I hope to get a lot done with you in a short amount of time. Think you’re ready to get serious? Consider signing up for membership to get all the content and features, if you haven’t already!

The Japanese Alphabets →