Mastering the basics of a new language is an exciting milestone in your learning journey. You quickly start recognizing words in conversations and may even try reading books or watching films in the target language. However, if the material feels overwhelming, it can dampen your motivation. On the other hand, sticking with exercises you’ve already mastered may lead to stagnation, as repeating familiar tasks provides little challenge or growth.

To truly enjoy the process and make steady progress, seek content that is slightly above your current skill level. This concept, known as comprehensible input by learning professionals, emphasizes material that stretches your abilities just enough to keep you engaged without causing frustration. For instance, a beginner learning Hindi might find it easier to start with children’s movies, where the language is simpler, and sentences are shorter.

The same principle applies when learning code. At first, you focus on understanding one syntax element at a time, experimenting, and learning from mistakes. Gradually, you progress to seeing how individual pieces fit into larger systems.

You know you’re advancing when you realize that understanding every single word isn’t necessary to grasp the overall meaning. If your learning feels stagnant, challenge yourself with harder content. It’s in these moments of productive struggle that new opportunities for growth and motivation emerge.