Language, Liquor, and Failing Your Way to Success

A few years ago, I attended a spoken Latin conference held in a beautiful colonial mansion in West Virginia. When I arrived, I noticed that the kitchen had several cases of wine and beer, stacked high against the wall. I wasn’t going to complain but I asked one of the organizers of the conference why they had brought so much alcohol. He told me that research suggests that adults learn foreign languages faster after a drink. His proposed explanation was that the biggest obstacle adults have in speaking a foreign language is the fear of making mistakes. Alcohol reduces inhibitions and makes it easier to practice the language. This TED talk  also makes the same point, arguing that once adults overcome this barrier, they actually learn languages faster than children. 

There may be limits to how far this effect holds. According to the study linked here, “It is important to point out that participants in this study consumed a low dose of alcohol. Higher levels of alcohol consumption might not have beneficial effects on the pronunciation of a foreign language.” I won’t reveal whether my pronunciation was impaired at the conference but I did see that the other participants were more likely to speak in Latin after they had imbibed. 

This reflection reminds me of a quote from Ray Dalio. He says, “If you’re not failing, you’re not pushing your limits, and if you’re not pushing your limits, you’re not maximizing your potential.” As with foreign language acquisition, making progress in anything means risking failure. When we focus on how good we look, we inhibit how much we learn. 

This week, I invite you to ask: 

In what areas of my life is the fear of failure limiting my growth? What are the costs of my not engaging more fully in this area? In what new way could I relate to making mistakes in this area that would give me greater courage? 

God Bless,
Dan