Closing the say: do gap

The moment you become aware of the discrepancy between your words and your actions can be a big catalyst for change.

This is how that happened for me.

Last January, I was visiting with family in Panama when one of my Spanish-speaking relatives asked me (in the context of a conversation about learning English): “Have you NEVER been interested in learning Spanish?” The question was almost jarring because I have ALWAYS been interested in learning Spanish.

I took all kinds of action to improve my Spanish proficiency in my teens and early 20s. I took every Spanish class offered in my high school. When I got my own apartment after university, I bought instructional Spanish CDs which I would listen to while doing housework. When I worked in Europe, I went to Spain several times a year and forced myself to fully immerse in the language - even once attempting to listen to three days of Spanish focus groups without the help of a simultaneous translator (perhaps not my finest career moment).

But for the better part of the past two decades – I have heard myself constantly saying “I’d love to improve my Spanish” in all kinds of personal and professional contexts – while, at the same time, doing absolutely nothing about it. Which means that when I'm in a Spanish-speaking setting, I find myself either using the same 8 to 10 poorly pronounced and unsophisticated Spanish phrases over and over again, reverting to a combination of Spanglish and sign language to communicate my point, or forcing the person I’m speaking with to switch to English – none of which feels great for someone who claims to be passionate about the language.

I was a walking say: do gap! And recognizing it so glaringly in that fateful conversation a year ago compelled me to immediately purchase the Duolingo app and vow on the spot to adopt a daily Spanish learning habit. Now, one year later – I can’t believe how much my Spanish has improved and how easy it was to fit that tiny daily habit into my life. In fact, it has become so integrated into my daily routine that I can’t even imagine a time when I’ll stop. (And thank goodness for those precious freezes if a day comes where I ever do forget! IYKYK)

Can you think of an area in your life where there’s a gap between what you say you want (or believe) vs. what you actually do? Is there a tiny but significant daily habit you can adopt to help close the gap and make progress in an area you value?