Summary
This article is also about me. Duolingo was just a mirror in front of me, through which I could look at myself again. What I saw in the process cannot be just about me. That's why I don't keep these thoughts to myself. I'm here. I'm paying attention to myself again. If you're with me, I'm happy.
Yesterday was my Duolingo streak day 2000.
5.5 years, an uninterrupted streak.
So in theory I’ve been using Duolingo every day for 5.5 years, without missing a single day.
I’ll be honest. Of course there were days I missed, because there’s a streak-saving feature, so there’s a limited amount of room for “mistakes”. But looking at the big picture, I can say that this app has been present in my life for over 5 years without a break, and otherwise every day for 10 years.
Weeks before day 2000, the idea of writing about it came to me. But as this day approached, I became unsure why I should write about it? Of course I can share my joy, but what could be the purpose of this after all?
Then I realized what my original motivation was.
Learn, learn, learn
Many years ago, I decided to exercise my brain every day in order to keep it fresh as long as possible. An app like Duolingo is a good tool for this – and I still think so -.
I’ve tried several apps. I’ve started, stopped, and started again several other activities. For me, the goal of these exercises is not to be the best at something, or even just good at it. I simply work my brain.
This kind of mental activity – also – makes me who I am. Some of it increases my education, some of it increases my broad outlook. Some of it simply makes me happy. The main thing for me is that no day goes by without me doing something interesting, useful, or useless.
The streak meter is used to measure this habit, which can provide a kind of very serious motivation. After all, the higher the metric, the more one does not want to lose it. It helps, can help, that the action becomes a habit after a while.
Then suddenly the moment comes by itself when I no longer do it because I have decided, but because it would be strange not to.
Something good takes shape in the triangle of streak, habit and usefulness.
A special resource is formed.
Open to the world
I have heard many times in my life that I am open-minded. Many people have expressed this opinion to me in many different ways.
There was a time when I thought that the reason for this was that I was coded this way. There was also a time when I felt this kind of wiring was a curse. Fortunately, this period did not last long, and I was able to return to the usual state when I was completely happy about it.
I was happy and I am happy with myself.
The question of wiring, coding did not arise in my mind by chance!
I have tried to pass on what is inside me to many people. With more, with less success. And in connection with my attempts, the question inevitably arose in me: if who I am is a state decided at birth, then can this thing be passed on, taught, or demonstrated at all?
To this day, I believe that curiosity about the world can be developed. Just as I am certain that people can change themselves. Even in their personality.
I am not sure that I am the most credible advocate of science. But – if only superficially – I have dealt with this topic.
Science records five major personality dimensions. These are openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability (the opposite of neuroticism).
These are basic traits, and they are relatively stable.
If we call this coding, then I am very lucky, because these basic dimensions are skewed towards the strongly positive range for me.
There are some factors that do not change much according to scientists. These are the basic tendency, the direction of emotional reactions and what we are sensitive to.
I do not want to argue about whether these factors can change or not. I do not want to argue about it, because I have no idea what the truth is. Even examining myself, I can’t decide for myself. I think I’m more inclined to think that these are really more permanent parameters.
Finally, according to science, there are things that can be clearly changed. Behavior, habits, how we handle reactions, self-image and identity history about ourselves. I have no doubt that these are truly changeable elements.
And here comes the point! One of the important insights of science is that personality changes slowly but measurably, under the influence of life situations, with conscious practice and long-term repetition
Not overnight, but over years, with small shifts. And these small shifts add up.
So I think that as strange as it sounds, even Duolingo can be a shaper of my life.
My resources
Something shapes.
Simply because it has become a resource.
Energy. Catalyst. Reserve. Passion. Perseverance. Self-esteem is a tool for maintaining self-esteem. And it can certainly play many roles if our thinking wanders in this direction.
I have written about my resources several times on this blog, but maybe now is the time for me to understand why I did this.
“I love what I do”, “How do I read?”, “The role of music in my life” and “My thoughts on singing” were all actually written with the intention of helping.
Because if you ask me how I do it, I will point you to these writings. Like this!
I am lucky because since I was in kindergarten – pretty much as long as I can remember – I have been defined by core values that are twisted in a positive direction. And yes, not everyone has that. Not everyone gets the experience that I have had for the past 46 years. The experience of being happy with me “again”. They noticed me again for who I am.
And besides who I am, my resources also help.
I believe that those who didn’t get what I got can be happy too. They can change their personality and gather resources for themselves.
That’s how I do it.
I see that others have succeeded in this and I believe that even more can succeed.
The world I live in
Now I know that the desire burns inside me to give you the world I live in.
I also begin to feel that this desire has always been me.
And I finally see that this is where I can be hurt the most.
Not being accepted is incompatible with my world.
But I made this statement in the past tense thanks to my realizations. This is perhaps the strongest realization I have had about myself.
First of all, because I know my vulnerable point somewhat better and with the revelation of the secret, the power of the demon has also decreased. Then also because I simply do not allow myself to continue to hurt myself with this. And finally, the realization raises my freedom to the heights.
It is very important for me to realize that everyone has the right not to accept me. However, this also means that I no longer fight for everyone to be everyone.
So maybe this article isn’t for everyone.
But for those who are still curious about the world I live in, I’m happy to continue writing my thoughts.
Maybe someone else will reach the 2000th day of Duolingo.
Duolingo
I’ve made a small gallery to commemorate this big day.
The Duolingo app is designed for language learning.
I’ve been using it to learn Russian for a few years. I’ve been learning German for a few years. Then last year I realized that no matter how many Russian and German people I’ve met in the past few months, I’ve failed miserably.
After saying that I’ve spent years with these two languages, it was very unpleasant to realize that I can’t think in these languages and I can’t speak them either.
So – maybe two months ago – I thought about stopping using this app.
And then, driven by a sudden idea, I started playing chess with Duolingo.
It also achieves its goal. In fact! I’ve been using the app a lot more since then. And I can speak the language of chess a little. I like the way I learn, I’ve already won a few games. The 8×8 board puzzles my brain every day, and I dare to speak this language. LOL.
Where I live now, I had a roommate in the other room. I’m only writing down his name because he simply couldn’t stay incognito. The guy came from Germany, so he was a real Deutsch. And his name was Béla! His parents liked that name.
The night before my millennium, I was talking to Béla, who suddenly took out his phone around 11:30 PM so I wouldn’t get angry, but he still had to do his Duolingo because the day was almost over.
While he was doing his thing, I didn’t shut up and – since Duolingo was on the agenda – I told him how many languages I had encountered, and then I almost gave up, but in the end chess found me.
Then Béla wordlessly turned his phone over so I could look at its screen. At the same time, he also gave me chess.
The power of letting go
Today I was talking to my younger daughter about this topic. He brought this to my attention, and I had a good laugh with him.
In 19 days I’m going to a place where I’ll lose my 2020-day streak.
No problem. That way, in 5.5 years, I’ll have the opportunity to write about a 2000-day streak again.
Buy me a coffee?
If you enjoyed this story, you can buy me a coffee. You don’t have to – but it means a lot and I always turn it into a new adventure.
Buy a coffee for Steve
Linktree
Short introduction