Hello "你好" (nǐ hǎo) friends, thank you "谢谢" (xiè xiè) for helping me celebrate my 585 day streak by joining me here!
As professionals, we know the importance of continuously improving our business skills. Whether it’s enhancing communication, learning new technologies, or becoming more effective leaders, we understand that growth doesn’t just magically happen, it takes consistent practice. But despite knowing this, many of us still struggle to make the time or take the steps necessary to be in a state of practice.
As someone who has been committed to learning Mandarin for 585 days in a row on Duolingo, I can attest to the powerful impact of consistency and accountability.
My Mandarin journey has taught me something vital: the act of practicing, even just a little bit everyday, can bring about true change.
The Emotional Hurdles of Practice
We’ve all experienced the emotional pull that makes us hesitate when it comes to practicing something difficult. Maybe it’s the fear of failure, frustration at not being "perfect," or simply feeling overwhelmed by our to-do lists. In business, it’s easy to let other priorities get in the way of developing critical skills that will advance our careers and help us become the leaders we aspire to be.
We all know how easy it is to skip just one day of practice. “I’ll do it tomorrow,” we tell ourselves. Then one day turns into a week, and a week into a month. Before we know it, we’ve missed out on the opportunity to grow, and our goals of self-improvement seem more distant than ever. This is the emotional battle we often face.
The Power of Consistency
What I’ve learned from my Mandarin practice is that consistency is key. The path to fluency—or in the case of business, to leadership—requires a steady commitment to growth, even when the results don’t seem immediately apparent. When I started using Duolingo, I was barely able to string together a sentence. Now, I’m able to recognize characters and understand basic conversations, even though my skills are still far from fluent. The point is, I didn’t give up after a few days or weeks of struggle. I stayed committed, even on the days when it felt like nothing was changing.
In business, this is a critical lesson. Leadership isn’t a trait that’s automatically developed overnight. It requires ongoing practice—whether it’s through public speaking, learning how to give effective feedback, or mastering conflict resolution. The power of small, consistent actions over time leads to profound transformation.
Accountability Built Into Your Practice Platform
One of the reasons I’ve been able to practice Mandarin for so many consecutive days is the built-in accountability system Duolingo provides. Every day, I’m reminded to do my practice. If I skip a day, I lose my streak, and that’s a powerful motivator. The app gives me a clear, measurable goal: to practice every day. There’s no ambiguity, no second-guessing—it’s simply a matter of showing up and doing the work.
In the business world, we can apply the same idea. If we want to develop our leadership skills, we need to seek out accountability, whether it’s through a coach, a colleague, or a professional development community. Having someone or something to keep us on track makes a huge difference. Knowing that others are counting on us to show up, to practice our skills, gives us the motivation to stay consistent, even when the going gets tough.
Commitment To Growth
Whether it’s learning a new language, improving business acumen, or becoming a more effective leader, the key to success is the same: practice, consistency, and accountability. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed or discouraged when progress seems slow, but just like learning Mandarin, the small wins add up. If you’re committed to improving, every small action you take will lead you toward your bigger goal.
If you’re serious about becoming the leader you know you can be, commit to your own practice—just like I’ve committed to learning Mandarin. Find your platform, build in accountability, and stay consistent. The results will follow, and you'll find that the power of practice is more than just a habit—it’s the key to becoming the best version of yourself.
______________________________________________
At Articulated Intelligence, we provide a practice platform, accountability, and resources to help professionals set their own practice streak record! By getting in the reps and being in a state of practice you’ll confidently speak up, level up, without feeling like you're going to throw up.
Let’s go streaking.
Comments