Many language learners struggle to stay motivated and engaged. It is not enough to know that you need Norwegian. Convincing our hearts to fully embrace our language learning goals requires more than a logical rationale. It is a matter of feeling. What if you just can't be bothered? Fortunately, we are not slaves to our whims and emotions. You can train your heart to genuinely want things that are good for you, like learning a language. In this article, I will explain you what it takes to develop lasting motivation to learn Norwegian.

Convince your heart

People learn Norwegian for a variety of reasons. Some do it because they feel they have to, treating it as just another task to get done. Others see mastering the language as a deeply meaningful goal that is integrated with their broader vision for life. People from these two groups learn very differently and achieve different results. Your motivation for learning the language will determine the quality of your engagement. You will put in more effort and achieve better results if you learn Norwegian wholeheartedly.

Wholeheartedness in language learning means an inner drive to put all your energy into it. It is about engaging all parts of your being in learning. Wholehearted language learning is not just another activity on the side of your career, family and hobbies, but an integral part of your life. If learning Norwegian remains isolated from other things you do, it will sooner or later be eclipsed by more pressing matters. It is therefore important to integrate Norwegian into relevant activities and projects that make up your daily life. Such a holistic approach makes learning meaningful and enables you to put all your energy into it. 

The key principle of wholeheartedness in language learning is to connect the learning process with something that already motivates you. You need to find a bridge between learning Norwegian and something that actually excites you. You can convince your heart to fully embrace your language learning project by integrating it with other relevant activities. If you link it to your passion or an important life goal, you will tap into deep inner motivational resources. In the following sections, I will suggest some ideas on how to do this.

Things you enjoy

We do not have to force ourselves to do things we enjoy. The enjoyment of the activity itself is reason enough to do it. Fun is a powerful source of motivation. If you learn Norwegian by doing something you enjoy, you will learn the language almost effortlessly.

You can train your heart to really enjoy learning Norwegian by combining it with entertainment. Instead of focusing on studying the language for its own sake, use Norwegian to do activities you like. Do you like to read? Read books in Norwegian! Do you enjoy watching movies and TV series? Watch them in Norwegian! Do you like video games? Find one that has a Norwegian version and play it! All of these activities require a basic knowledge of the language, but if you understand at least the gist, you will acquire new words and structures while having fun.

Another way to add some fun to your language learning is to join interest-based groups. Norway is known for its strong tradition of clubs and associations offering a wide range of activities, from sports to hobbies such as photography, hiking or even knitting. Such groups can serve as a natural environment for practicing Norwegian, where you need to speak and listen to the language in real, spontaneous situations. Whether you play board games, join a book club or sing in a choir, doing it in a group will challenge and improve your conversational skills while helping you connect with the local community and make new friends.

If you are at the very beginning of your journey with Norwegian, authentic content and native interest-based groups may not be available to you because they are too difficult for your language level. At this stage, you need focused study that prioritizes language acquisition over fun. However, you do not have to wait until you are fluent before you start using Norwegian for something you really like doing. You need some time to learn the basics, and then you can start enjoying your new language skills. With a little self-discipline, you can quickly get to the point where interesting content and activities are available to you. Then you can continue to learn Norwegian by doing things you enjoy, and be motivated by the joy of the activity itself. 

Things of importance

Wholeheartedness in language learning is not just about having fun. It is also about integrating your target language into the "serious" aspects of your life. When you see how knowing Norwegian can help you achieve your important goals, the whole enterprise of learning this language becomes more meaningful and satisfying. Such a holistic approach builds motivation that can sustain the effort in the long run, especially in moments when it does not feel so fun. When your language learning is connected to something you value, you will see it as worthy of your time and energy.

Why do you need Norwegian? It is important to find a specific answer to this question. Of course everyone wants to be able to communicate freely in this language, but what does it mean for you? Who do you want to communicate with? What problems do you want to solve using Norwegian? Clarifying your goals will enable you to see the value of knowing Norwegian, which is essential for long-term motivation to learn.

Reflecting on your goals may help, but thinking is not enough. Developing wholeheartedness requires action. Do not wait too long to use Norwegian for important things you really want to do with the language! Start using Norwegian for something real as soon as you can. If any opportunity does not arise, try to create meaningful occasions for using the language. Do you have a specific career in mind? Even if you are not ready to work there now, you can research it and use Norwegian resources. Do you want to master a specific skill or expand your knowledge in a particular area? Take a live or online course in Norwegian or read a book written in Norwegian on the subject. Want to connect with others who share your interests or values? You can join an association that works on an issue that is relevant to you.

The above steps are not learning methods, but meaningful ways of using the language. We learn Norwegian to do these things, not to place verbs in the right position or add the right suffixes. If you cannot think of anything important you can do with Norwegian, then there is probably no point in learning it, unless you are a linguistic nerd who studies new languages for fun. If there is something you want to do that requires the use of Norwegian, do not put it off forever! One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a learner is to wait too long to actually use the language.

Many people think that their Norwegian is not good enough and that they need to study more to be able to use it for real communication. The truth is the opposite - you need to use Norwegian at your current level to get better at it. Otherwise you will never feel good enough. No matter how bad your Norwegian is, you have to use it for something real to improve it. It is fine to focus on studying the language itself for a while, but if you only study and never use your language skills, you will never become fluent! 

Developing strong motivation to learn requires bringing some reality to the learning process. So, whatever you want to do with Norwegian, find a way to do it. In doing so, you will convince yourself of the value of learning Norwegian, so you will put your heart into it. 

Your vision of a good life

All of our particular goals, values, and interests are rooted in a deeper picture of what our existence is all about. You might call it "the meaning of life. If you learn a language with the sense that you are somehow contributing to the realization of this broader vision, your motivation will be very high.

Now I am talking about something that is experienced in a different register than logical reasoning. Very often we cannot put these deepest longings into words. Nevertheless, we feel them intuitively. Our imagination presents us with images of the good life that form a more or less coherent vision that drives us on a more fundamental level than specific goals or desires. This image of the good life is an underlying purpose of all our activities. It determines our general orientation to the world and to ourselves.

What do you often daydream about? Getting rich? A happy family? Eternal glory? Whatever it is, that big dream is a powerful source of lasting motivation. If you can integrate learning Norwegian into this vision in a meaningful way, it will ignite a wholehearted commitment to learning. If not, you may want to consider whether it is really worth the effort. Becoming proficient in any language takes a lot of time and energy. Why waste it on something that will not make your life better? 

If you do not know what I am talking about, that is okay. This deeper sense of the meaning of life lies in the realm of the unconscious rather than the conscious mind. It defies clear logical formulations. But as you become more aware of what a good life means to you, you will gain access to a powerful source of motivation and be able to direct it toward things that really matter. If learning Norwegian is really important to you, you will benefit greatly from figuring out its place in the big picture of your life.

Learning for life

The key to high quality motivation is to connect the learning process with things worth living for, so that language learning becomes an integral part of your life rather than something you do on the side. It cannot be just a study of the Norwegian, where the focus is on the language itself. You have to use it for something real. You will be motivated to learn if you feel that you are learning the language for life, not just for the sake of learning. By integrating Norwegian into activities you enjoy and value, in a way that fits into your broader vision of life, you can convince your heart to fully embrace your language learning project and maintain high quality motivation to learn.

Getting your heart on board requires more than just changing your mind. It can be very helpful to have the support of someone who understands both you and the nature of language learning. If you would like personal guidance in combining your Norwegian language learning with things you enjoy and value, check out my tutoring service on iTalki.