Mastering a Foreign Language: How To Become A Brilliant Speaker, Part 4 of 7

by Teresa Bolen

‘Envision Your Way To Fluency’

You probably already know that this is one of the most powerful training tools used by great athletes, musicians, and performers of all kinds. As a speaker of foreign languages, you are also a performer! Have you incorporated this powerful training tool in to your foreign language mastery repertoire yet? Here’s what you do:

Envision that you are already a brilliant speaker of that language. What do you sound like? What does it feel like to be able to understand any question that someone sends your way? How does it feel to be able to use the foreign language with the same amount of savvy and finesse that you use your own native language? The better you can envision this in your mind, the better you will be able to create it as your reality. As you envision yourself to be this brilliant speaker, bring it alive in your senses and experience this thought in rich, minute detail.

In addition to the visual image or yourself speaking fluently, try to imagine the physical sensations in your body, in your face, and in your vocal cords. Notice any sights around you. Are there any particular smells? Is there a certain taste in your mouth? What do you hear? Envision this as vividly as you possibly can, and do it often.

To help spark your imagination, you can choose someone (preferably a native speaker of that language) to model. Who do you know who uses the language brilliantly? Who do you most want to sound like? When you’ve chosen your model, simply pretend to be that person. What would she say in this situation? How does he use words in this case? How does she incorporate facial expression and body movements to really convey meaning beyond the words? When you pretend to be your model you’ll notice an immediate leap in your abilities, and the more you envision it you’ll be amazed at how quickly those skills will become your own.

Here's to Your Success!

Teresa Bolen

Copyright 2006 by Teresa Bolen. All Rights Reserved.