Here’s What I Learned about Productivity from a 950-Day Streak on Duolingo
Why consistency isn’t enough to get results.
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Duo, you fucking owl - you promised results!
I’m on a 951-day French streak on the language learning platform.
Why don’t the women around me faint from my sexy, vibrating, rolling French R-sound? Why don’t the men try to kill me with envy?
By all accounts, I should be pretty fluent in French by now. Alas, I’m not! What's going on?
I’ve been learning French for the last... let me do the math... two years and 220 days. I haven’t missed a single day, and I finished at least one lesson every day.
Those 950 days are the longest streak of anything ever in my life. Apart from brushing my teeth.
So why is the only thing I can say with utter confidence - and some male childish silliness, this:
“Say ‘huit’.”
“Huit.”
“Je te porte sur ma bite.”
There’s even a rhyme! Duh!
Look it up and excuse my French! 😉
Let’s see what happened.
I took my wife on a honeymoon to Paris in September 2022. At that time, I had been learning French for a little shy of a year. I understood a lot. I even talked to a nice lady in an overpriced gift shop on Île Saint-Louis.
It’s been almost two years since then. I should be pretty fluent in French by now, but I’m not.
How come?
Isn’t consistency the key to achieving results? Doesn’t persistence lead to mastering anything? Why isn’t doing something 5 minutes a day better than not doing anything?
It’s not that simple.
Turns out, consistency is not enough. Here’s what I did wrong and how you can avoid repeating my mistakes.
1. I focused on quantity rather than quality.
I thought constantly finishing a lesson or two every day would be enough to become fluent in French. Isn’t it the pillar of success? Don’t give up and you’ll get there eventually?
It’s an old debate: Which is more important? Quantity or quality? Many say you should focus on quantity when you start. It helps you get into the groove, find your feet, and learn the ropes.
Now the ropes are tightening around my neck and I couldn’t say “help me” in French for the life of it!
—> Find the balance between quantity and quality
✔️ Your actionable advice:
Set clear goals: Determine what you want to achieve with each session or project. Don’t fumble in the dark.
Focus on mastery: Spend extra time on tough concepts until you truly understand them. Don’t be superficial like me.
Mix it up: Alternate between intensive sessions and lighter, more frequent practices. After doing pushups, do legs.
2. I haven’t been listening to the advice of more experienced people.
Many have walked the path I am walking now and know what they are talking about. So why am I trying to reinvent the wheel?
For instance, the app itself stresses the importance of writing down what you remember. Do this after finishing a lesson. It’s a great and proven method for remembering.
I like to say that learning from others is the only “shortcut” to success. So why don’t I make it easier for myself?
—> Learn from others
✔️ Your actionable advice:
Seek mentors: Find people who have achieved what you want to achieve and ask for their guidance. Find your giant to stand on their shoulder.
Engage with the community: Join forums or groups related to your goals to share tips and advice. If you’re on Substack, you’re all set.
Follow best practices: Put in place tried-and-true methods recommended by experts. Don’t waste time on the mistakes someone else has already made.
3. I haven’t blocked the time for learning.
I should have blocked 15 minutes every day for Duolingo. I would have used that time better and learned more. Whatever your poison, writing, learning, creating - blocking the time for it goes a long way.
If it’s important to you, it should have its own time.
—> Do it when you CAN, not when you FEEL LIKE IT.
✔️ Your actionable advice:
Set daily focused work time: Block distractions. Dedicated time = dedicated mind.
Use a timer: Commit to a set period, like 15 or 30 minutes, to maintain focus and prevent burnout. A timer is your accountability buddy.
Create a routine: Add your goal time to your daily schedule to build a habit. Habits are where the true magic lies.
4. I haven’t been enjoying it.
Dedicate the best possible time of the day to your goal. If you do it 5 minutes before your daughter is supposed to come back from school, you will be rushing to finish the lesson. You won’t be focused.
If you try to write between vacuuming the house and cooking dinner, you will be rushing and you won’t enjoy it.
Gamification helps. Some kind of reward system, also. Connect the unpleasant with the pleasant: if I remember five new words, I’m allowed to have one bar of chocolate.
—> Have fun!
✔️ Your actionable advice:
Gamify your work: Use apps and tools that make working on your goals feel like a game with rewards and levels. Duolingo does that best. It’s not it, it’s me.
Reward yourself: Set up a reward system to celebrate small victories. It will keep motivation high. Reward yourself with a chocolate bar, or a beer. I’m not your mom!
Combine work with pleasure: Find ways to make your work enjoyable. For example, listen to your favorite music while you work or take fun breaks. Fun fact: I don’t like jazz, but it’s great while I work.
Being consistent is key. But, putting effort into the work is equally important.
Repetition without cognition is futile, just like resisting the Borg.
So, what now?
I’m going to rethink my bond with my favorite owl. This will make the next 950 days of learning better.
Au revoir, pour l'instant!
Great article. I'm also learning French at the moment and I've found watching French Youtube videos with french subtitles really helps me out. If you have any tips I'd love to hear them. Keep it up man.