February 20, 2022

Why your message is more important than your mistakes

“I’m worried about making mistakes”

“What if I say something wrong?”

“They won’t take me seriously if I don’t speak English perfectly”

Have you ever had these thoughts?

You’re not alone!

When clients first come to me, they don’t feel good enough because they make mistakes in English.

But often it’s focussing too much on mistakes that actually stops them from achieving their goals.

In this blog post, I explain why you should focus on your message, not your mistakes.

We are taught to focus on mistakes

If you studied English at school, then it is likely that you had to complete grammar exercises. The aim was to get all the questions correct; this equalled a good level of English.

There is no surprise then that you focus on your mistakes!

But when you focus on mistakes, it distracts you from what is really important:

  •  you don’t express what you REALLY want to say; you just say what you can express accurately
  • you worry so much about getting the language perfect that you don’t listen properly in conversations
  • you miss your turn in group conversations as you try to make a grammatically perfect sentence

It is not the mistake, it is the focus on mistakes that is really stopping you from achieving your potential.

Message first

So today, I want you to shift your focus from your mistakes to your message.

Ultimately, language is a tool for communication so delivering your message clearly is the most important.

If you use the wrong preposition or accidentally use the wrong tense, people will still understand you.

In fact, most people won’t even realise! As long as your message is clear…and interesting, people will enjoy speaking with you.

Find a balance

Now, I’m not saying grammar isn’t important – grammar provides structure and helps us to convey our message clearly.

And I’m not saying don’t work on mistakes – we can always improve our skills.

However, when you’re having a conversation, giving a presentation, or speaking in a meeting, focus on your message.

When you do this, you’ll communicate more naturally; you’ll express what you really want to say, and you’ll connect with your listener.

This is what really matters.

Because people want to know you and what you have to say…not your perfect grammar!

Are you ready to shift your focus?

This may be just what you need to boost your confidence in English.

Do you always worry about making mistakes? My 121 coaching course will help you to shift your focus and boost your confidence so you can achieve your goals in the UK.

Book your free 1-hour trial lesson here: https://calendly.com/sarah-theenglishcoach/121

READ MORE BLOG POSTS