I just published a new piece breaking down why memorising vocabulary lists feels productive but rarely translates into actually speaking with confidence — and what to do instead (hint: it's harder, but it's the thing that actually moves the needle). I want to hear from you though: 👉 Be honest — how many word lists have you made in the past year? And how many of those words can you actually use in a sentence, right now, without thinking? Drop your number in the comments. No judgment — I've made hundreds of them too. I just want us to start being honest about what's actually working and what's just busywork that feels safe. (And if you haven't read the piece yet, it explains exactly why this happens and what to do differently — link below 👇)

If the answer is yes then you'll want to stay tuned for tomorrow's Substack, cause we'll talk exactly about this. What do you think? Is it useful to memorise lists of words by heart? Does it help with fluency? Let me know in the comments 👇👇👇

New week, new focus — and this one's personal for me, because it's the exact realisation that changed everything in my own English journey. Here's the challenge for this week: I'd like each one of you to name ONE thing about your English journey that you only discovered after years of doing it the "traditional" way. Not the polished version — the real one. I'll go first in the comments. I'd love to see this thread full 😍 Let's make this the most active thread of the month. 💪

At the beginning of our language-learning journey, we focus on grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. And that’s exactly what we should do. But there comes a point when learning more words isn’t what makes the biggest difference. The real question becomes: Who do you want to be when you speak English? Not which words you want to know. Not which accent you want to have. But what kind of person you want others to experience. Do you want to come across as calm? Curious? Thoughtful? Direct? Warm? Humorous? Professional? Your language should reflect your identity—not someone else’s. There’s no point learning dozens of sophisticated expressions if they don’t sound like you. True fluency isn’t about having the biggest vocabulary. It’s about expressing your thoughts, values, and personality with confidence. 💭 So here’s this week’s reflection: Choose three qualities you want people to experience when they interact with you in English. Then ask yourself: Does the way I currently communicate reflect those qualities? If not, what could I change? I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments.

💭 Have you ever explained something to someone and thought: “I couldn’t have been any clearer…” …only to realise they understood something completely different? Sometimes communication problems are not caused by different values. They are caused by different assumptions. A simple model that I find fascinating: Value → Assumption → Expectation → Judgement Two people can share the same value (for example, clear communication) but have completely different ideas about what that means. One person might think: ➡️ “Being clear means getting straight to the point.” Another might think: ➡️ “Being clear means providing enough context.” Same value. Different assumptions. Different expectations. Different interpretations. The next time someone communicates in a way that frustrates you, try asking: Are we actually disagreeing on values, or are we seeing the situation through different assumptions? I’d love to hear your thoughts 👇