Have you ever done something to improve for a long time without seeing any results?

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I remember struggling for years to learn French, English, and then Nepalí, all without success.

These periods of effort without clear progress are called plateaus (play-toes), the same name for mountains with flat tops... So what gets you to the next level? ... Breakthrough!  

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This word comes from moving through some block or plateau situation so quickly that you break it, and reach a higher level.  Breakthroughs can give you a dramatic transformation almost instantly, like a rocket exploding upward. Unfortunately, breakthroughs are few and far between (rare), and often happen only after struggling with some problem or challenge for years... I can honestly say I've only personally discovered a few breakthroughs in my lifetime.

But here's the GOOD NEWS:

The breakthrough that changes your life can come from ANYWHERE! , Most problems have already been solved, even if indirectly, or in some unrelated area... So the fastest way to succeed is to look for the breakthroughs OTHERS have made, and then apply them in your life! ... This is exactly what Henry Ford did when he created the car assembly line after seeing the DISassembly line that had already been in use for years in the meatpacking industry. Smart, right?

One of my most important breakthroughs was in memory, After struggling with the problem of forgetting my words in conversations, my breakthrough came when I discovered businesses were already using a great solution to make their products memorable.  So I simply applied this idea to language learning and was able to improve MUCH faster because I didn't have to review new vocabulary again and again and again. I now share this breakthrough in How to Remember ANY English Word,