308. Real Stories About What's Possible | Interview with Ibrahim

Welcome to the Influency Podcast. I'm Hadar and today we are going to listen to a real life story about English success. You are going to listen to an interview with one of my students who is going to tell you what is possible now that English is no longer an obstacle. Let's listen. Today I have something very exciting for you because you are going to get to meet my student Ibrahim. He is from Turkey. He has an incredible story and very inspiring. So like a little teaser, he spoke with hundreds and hundreds of people. Oneonone. That's his mission, that's his goal. So we're going to help him reach his goal. And also he's going to talk about the mindset work that he's done and the fluency work that he's done. Hi Ibrahim.

Hi.

How are you doing today?

I am really well, thank you. And what about you, Adar? It's been a while. How are you?

I know it's been a while. I've been great. Things are fun, interesting. So I'm always grateful to be able to have the platform to teach and to meet so many incredible people, which is definitely something that you do as well, right?

Yeah, yeah. I am trying my best and because of you, because I learned from you and right now I try to do different things and right now it's going really well. Thank you for this.

Okay, so for those who don't know you, because we have some people who know you, but those most of you who don't know you, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, where you're from. Just give us a background.

I'm from Turkey, as you mentioned and right now I live in Turkey. I live in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. And I am civil engineer. I am structural designer basically. But at the same time, before engineering faculty I studied physics. Yeah. This is my short story about myself. Yeah.

And why, why did you decide to start going on this English journey a few years ago?

Why? Because at university, my university was total English language. But in the time we didn't focus enough about speaking skills. That's why at the end of the education I didn't know how to speak well, even though my technical side was very well. And I can understand very easily when people talking about each other. But it comes to speak, it was a big obstacle for me. And after education graduation actually I had a chance to go abroad to serve different countries. And in that time I realized I need to focus on a bit my speaking skills. And because of that reason, I think it was Four or five years ago I went Malta and I used to live in there almost one year to practice on my speaking skills. But it didn't work even though my level was in the advanced level because you know that kind of English school and they're giving a kind of traditional education and they don't focus enough about speaking skills and they try to teach grammar rules or. And they are focusing just technical way, technical side actually. And of course we need to know that kind of thing. But at the beginning to do like that and it's cutting our power speech of power. And at the same time, in that time I was very shy person. Even though my personal life I don't because of my language period. It was happening like that and I didn't want to put native speakers. And in that time I was thinking if I knew a lot of grammar rules or if I memorize a lot of different vocabularies. And after that I was thinking I will talk like native speakers. But it didn't happen like that, unfortunately. And at the end of the one year I didn't have anything in my hand about my speaking skills. And after came up Malta in Turkey and I searched a bit and what can I do that think? Because as I told you, I am engineered and I my job is to find a solution. And I searched a bit on YouTube or in a social media and I found your YouTube videos. And at the same time I know you from Instagram and I decided to join beyond first of all. And when after beyond and I after I think it was four months or a little more, I started to speak gradually because it was a really good place to improve your speaking skills. And after that, at the same time I felt I need to fix my pronunciation problems. And that's why I decided to join Nissan. And yeah, it was a really great journey. And after that I learned how can I learn language? And it's a kind of for me it was a kind of mindset or learning philosophy, I think. Yeah, I can say like that. Learning philosophy.

Yeah, that's amazing. That's amazing. Like, and it really is a very common and traditional, you know, like conventional study story where you go to school and you learn all the things that you need to learn. And then eventually you're like, okay, you know, how do I use it? How do I actually use it and put it into practice. You joined my program New Sound because of that, because you wanted to work on your pronunciation and you wanted to use English more. Tell me more about what was something that has helped you starting the transformation that has led you to where you are today.

Actually as you mentioned at the beginning my main focus about my pronunciation. But after that, after new sound I got it. I learned a lot of things about learning philosophy and I learned how can I learn. This is really important. And of course basically I was thinking I learned from there, I will learn from there. A kind of pronunciation, I think and maybe American accent or something like that. But it wasn't like that. I learned more because when we tried to learn something, we need to have a method. It's very important. And if you don't have any method and you don't see any progress and if at the same time, if you don't know how to create your actually if you don't feel what is your problem when you are doing. And this is another problem because if you don't see your problem and you can't fix that.

Yeah.

And generally right now I've done more than maybe 700 conversations or something like that. And in there I saw people that don't have that kind of method, this is the problem and they try to do it something but they don't know how to divide their goals or they don't know how to create their goals and that's why they don't see any progress. And after that they are giving up normally and very easy.

It feels. Yeah, you're. It's like you're saying things that are in my head always because it's really. It really is about having the right method because we never learn how to. How to learn. We don't like we are just being told what to do and we get used to being told what to do and we get comfortable with it and we don't know how to challenge the things that we learn or anything like that. So I love it that you say that this is what you've been seeing from speaking with non native speakers around the world. And I want to talk more about that. Right. I want to ask you about the fact that you spoke with over 700 people in small conversation groups. Tell me more about this. Why did you even decide to start this incredible mission?

Yeah, when we were in Beyond Community when I'm. When I was in there and you know we had a challenge last October about to talk with people and in there I, I think I reach out, I think 107 people and after that I saw. I improved a lot about my confidence and my fluency and I gained a kind of different thing when I'm talking with people. And after that I Told myself, yeah, this is the right way and you need to do it a little bit bigger. And after that I decided to reach out 1,000 conversation.

Wow.

And yeah, it's helped a lot. Why? Because basically right now I divided my problems a lot of part. For example, at the beginning my goal was about my fluency. And after maybe four months or a little bit more, I got it and I see I improved a lot. And right now I focus on my pronunciation problems and I try to fix that thing. And right now I try to review again new sound course. And I am checking out different things and at the same time I am checking out right now vocal exercises, think or blah, blah, blah. But after that I will focus on my structural problems. I mean, I will practice on my grammar and lastly I will focus on my, how can I say, vocabulary skills. And I will practice on that thing at least one or two years because isn't that very long journey? And I got that thing because I've been working on it that think over then I think 15 years or a little bit more, but I didn't or I did any progress. But after new sound and especially after new sound and after this challenge and I got a lot of think and right now I can see clearly what I need to do and I see my problems and just I try to fix them one by one, step by step, as you mentioned before.

So what would you say the challenge. So apart from not having strategy right. Or not having a method, what would you say the main challenge is for speakers of English as a second language, all the people that you've been speaking with, you know, 700. Over 700 people in my case. I want.

I was thinking I am not enough about my skills to learn language. You know, this is a really, really big obstacle for people. And generally people are thinking that. And another thing, I don't want to say shyness, but of course that thing is affecting to you because if you don't know how to create structures or if you don't know the way and normally this action is creating a kind of shyness, even though maybe you are not shyness per person or something like that. But if you get over this problem and you can easily level up and after that you can gain a kind of joy from this journey.

Yeah, I think I love that. I love that. Would you recommend to people to try out what you did and speak as many people with as many people as possible?

Of course, of course. Just first of all they need to. They need to want and this is a kind of action and after that, they try to do it. And that's it. Of course, at the beginning, it's not easy. I know. And I face the same problems. For example, at the beginning of the Beyond Community, it was, I think, first week, and I told myself, you need to quit. And after that, after one week, and I told myself, yeah, maybe you should go, because maybe it's, it can be work. And after maybe one month or two months, and I told myself, yeah, you need to go through this way. Yeah, yeah, at the beginning, it's not easy. It's not easy. I know, but if you can. How can I say, I don't know if you go through in that way. And they will see it's not a big deal after some level, just they need to be consistent about what they do. It's very important.

Yeah, I agree. Like, I think that when you have a plan and when you want to practice speaking. So first of all, it's the barrier of, like, the resistance. I don't want to do it. And then you have to get past this barrier and do it anyway. Right. So that's the first thing. But then after that, it's also be intentional about what you're trying to improve. So, like you said, I want to work on my pronunciation. So in those conversations, I'm going to focus on the sounds. I want to focus on my grammar. So in those conversations, I'll focus on a specific structure that I struggle with. So you can start layering it. But I think that is a more advanced level of conversation. So if you're not used to having conversations, then first get yourself in the deep water by just speaking to people, opening yourself up, talking about vulnerable things. Right. This is also something that could be hard, like to talk about personal things or vulnerable things or anything that is beyond small talk. And the active practice is really important. And this is something that we do a lot in usam. So I think that when you build up those habits, those habits, you gradually break more and more and more barriers. Right. And then you're able to say to yourself, okay, you know, like, I, I had this fear of communicating. Now I'm, I, I was able to overcome it. Now I'm able to go beyond it. Right. Like, so, so this is, I think that is what makes it interesting when you do it step by step.

Yes. Because what is the problem for people generally? And when we try to learn language and we have a lot of problems, but if we try to fix all of them at the same time, it's not possible. Because, for example, at the beginning, in my case, I had a problem about my fiance and I had a problem about my confidence and I had a lot of fear to talk different people. And I didn't know how can I create a kind of conversation or I don't know how can I create right structures or blah, blah. And at the same time I was thinking, I do a lot of mistakes and it was a kind of, kind of mindset and negative mindset. And it's not easy to find all of them together. This is the problem. And that's why we need to divide that thing one by one and part by part. And after that we can fix it one by one. Otherwise it's not possible, unfortunately. But I'm not talking about, for example, right now I focus on my pronunciation problem and at the same time I try to do shadowing and I try to do reading out loud and I try to analyze movies or series. But right now, basically my main focus about pronunciation.

Yeah. What is the most challenging sound for you?

I sound, I think. And at the same time I have a bit problem about sound, even though we are using this sound in Turkish language. And I think because of my teeth position, because before I had a problem about my teeth and right now I fix that thing, but I need to get used to it a bit more. And after that I think it will be fine, I hope.

Sound the sh.

Yes, sure, sure, sure.

Sounds good to me. Ibrahim, don't create issues that you don't.

Have a bit problem. Not too much, maybe. Yeah.

Okay. What was the biggest mental obstacle that you had to overcome? The mindset challenge that you like. You know, in new sound, we talk about mindset and we talk about limiting beliefs. What was one of the limiting beliefs that you've discovered that you had to kind of like reframe and overcome?

First of all, I, because I was very shy person because of my language barrier. And secondly, I had a very wrong thought about learning and how. And I focus on grammar very deeply. And when I was in Malta, I practiced on grammar more than one year. One year. And but this action, of course we need to learn grammar. I know that thing, but we need to ask when it's very important question. And for example, at the beginning, if you focus on biweekly grammar rules and this action is cutting your speech power. And because every time you are thinking grammar structures and at the same time maybe you are fighting a mother tongue because at the same time you're thinking your mother tongue and you try to switch on English language and you have different problems and this actually is getting very big problems for you. But at the beginning, the best idea, I think to talk as much as we can, because we need to learn like a babies. I think this is my personal opinion. And after that, when you create something in your hand and after that you can try to fix that thing. For example, you can focus on your pronunciation problems. And after that you can try to fix your structural problems. But if you don't have anything in your hand and what can. How can you fix that feed? Because you don't know, what do you have? Like that.

Yeah. And I think that this is. It feels crystal clear like this understanding. And it's nice that you're able to look into. It's like looking at a computer screen and seeing all the data happening. Like it feels to me like you're like that. You see everything happening and you're deleting what's not working and you're keeping what's working. You're writing your own code in a way, right?

Yes, of course. And at the same time, I think this habit is coming from my engineering skills because in general we are asking every time why. And actually this is another problem because in my case, every time I try to find a logic, this language or different one at the same time, before I practice a little bit Arabic language. And in that time it was the same. Of course we can do that thing. But again, we need to ask when and at the beginning if you try to do it and it's not possible because we don't have enough experience. But after some level and when you gain some confidence about your speaking, about your, I don't know, fluency or different thing. And after that, yeah, maybe you can search or maybe you can dig little bit more. Not at the beginning, after that. And I mean we need to have a very big patient when we are studying language.

Yeah, oh, absolutely. And. And I think this is something that we. It's hard for anyone with anything, right? Like having patience. So we want results now. So we gotta, we gotta recognize that it like time is of the essence when you talk about anything about pronunciation, about English in general. What is possible for you now that wasn't possible for you before?

I think right now everything is possible for me. Everything. Not just one thing. Everything. Yeah. For example, before I told that thing and I want to take bus drinking usa and first of all I have to pass public exam. And right now I can do it. And at the same time, generally I tend to work a lot. And before it wasn't easy for me. Even though I have really good experience about designing and construction manager, but because of my language obstacle and I couldn't improve or level up in my career. But right now it's not a big deal and I can do it very easily. Yeah, I think, I think I can do it everything right now. That's very easy.

That is a mindset, my friend. And again, English does not have to be an obstacle. You just need to get the right tools to understand how to first of all, make it your friend, improve your relationship with English, but also get the tools to practice effectively, to know how to prioritize and really how to learn. Which again, this is what we do in new sound. And Ibrahim has been a new sound. And I think that this was a big part of his, of his journey. What would you recommend to people who don't know if new sound is for them or if they're on the fence?

Of course I want to tell something about new sound and new sound, it's a kind of tool and it's a kind of key. And after two dead key and you can open a lot of door and at the same time it's a kind of method. And method is really important because if you don't have any method and you can't fix your problems, it's like that. And at the same time, for example, especially about pronunciation and in there we learned a lot of things and at the same time we learned IPA symbols or that kind of thing. And normally, generally people are offering just, you need to listen something, you know, and after that you will improve about your pronunciation, but it's not like that. And after some level, maybe you can catch up something, or if you have a good ear and you can, you can learn a bit. But after some level, I think it's not enough. And you, you need to know a bit in a technical way the thing. And after that you can learn very fastly, otherwise it's not possible, I think. And that's why maybe I, for example, I have a brother and he's living in New York right now and he's been living in there more than maybe 12 years or a little bit more, but he's speaking well. But I can, I can't say he's speaking perfect because first of all, he doesn't cheer. And second problem, after some level, and I think you need to be very conscious about language, otherwise I think you can reach out some level about speaking with people, it's enough, but after that, no, I think you need to dig a little bit more deeply and it takes time and you need to be very conscious. And this, if you want to be like that and New south, it's a kind of queue for you, I can say. Like that.

Yeah, that is great. What would you recommend for people who are just starting out learning English?

Yeah, first of all, generally people are having a lot of fear about. To do mistakes and mix things is very important. And if you can feel your mistakes, it means your level is very high. And after that you can fix your, you can fix your problems. Otherwise if you don't feel your mistakes or if you don't do mistakes, it means you don't learn, unfortunately.

Yeah, no, but it's a good, it's a really good point. First of all, mistakes, yes, it's the only way to learn. But when you notice your mistake and mistakes and I think that a lot of times people feel very self conscious about make when they make mistakes. But hey, like just reframe it and think about it like you were able to notice it. Which means that you're already at a higher level of consciousness like of understanding how you use the language and where you need to be. And now it's just a matter of, of developing the right habits because your brain knows what it, what needs to happen. Your mouth is just going back to old habits, which is perfectly fine. So it's just a matter of creating that new habit. But being in a position where you recognize a mistake, I think. And again, mistake. It's also something that who defines what is a mistake? And for some people one thing would be a mistake and for others that's how they speak. So also we need to take it with a grain of salt when people talk about mistakes in English because it really depends on the speaker and the dialect and where they're coming from. And I'm not talking about like very clear grammatical mistakes. I'm talking more about, let's say pronunciation because there are many, many different dialects. There are words that could be pronounced different ways. So sometimes there isn't one clear cut way to say things.

Yeah, yes you are. And at the same time, of course, to be aware of our mistakes is very important and because after that we can fix them and we can when we peel them and we can fix them easily. And another thing, it's very important to create goals. And at the same time when we create a kind of goals and we need to know, we need to divide that quote a lot of different parts because it's not easy to reach out something very easy or in a short time. And we need to divide that kind of thing, that think in a lot of part. Otherwise you can feel a kind of overwhelming think. And after that you can give up very easily. It's very important. And I mean as you mentioned again and again in New south or in beyond, and we need to be very clear about. About goals. It's very important. And after that we need to be consistent about our goals.

Exactly. So you need to set goals, you need to be clear so you know where you're going. But you need to build a habit to be able to show up daily for your practice to be. To get to your goals. Because having a goal and motivation is not enough. Right? You need a goal, you need your motivation and you need the habit set in place which will help you get there. I think like without impossible to succeed. And we teach you that in New Sound. So it's not something that you have to figure out on your own. Ibrahim, I want to say thank you so much for your time. I really admire your dedication and the way you think and the way you really went about your entire experience inside of New Sound and beyond your dedication. But most importantly, how you opened yourself up to the beyond community. Starting with a sessions, the one on one conversations and then with the team and then you expanded it and now you're like talking to people all around the world and always sharing something interesting about what you've learned from them. Because you don't do it just for English. You do it really to open yourself up to the world. Which is why we have English for to begin with right now as you.

Mentioned, it's a kind of more than to learn language right now this action because as you mentioned, and I talk a lot of different people in the world and. And I mean maybe before I was looking like that, but right now I am looking like this because I learned different cultures, different things and different knowledges about different ideas. And at the same time, unconsciously I learned a lot of different vocabularies. It's very important. And generally people are complaining about their vocabularies and they tend to memorize generally. But when you are talking with people unconsciously, you're absorbing a lot of things, a lot of different things. And it's very important to talk different people because every people has got different skills and different habits or different ideas. And at the same time, every time you need to give different response for them. And I mean you are. You are forcing your brain and that's why it's working a lot. And especially I am suggesting for New Sounder and they should open their account and they should try to talk each other one by one. One to one. Sorry, not one by. It's helping a lot.

So are you looking for more speaking partners, Ibrahim?

Yes.

So my friends, if you want to speak with Ibrahim and enjoy an excellent speaking practice, then reach out to him. Can they contact you on DM on a private message?

Yes, yes, of course, of course.

Send him a private message on Instagram and he's going to share with you his talently link and you'll be able to sign up for a conversation session with Ibrahim. I have no doubt that you are going to really benefit from it. Amazing. All right, Ibrahim, thank you so, so much for your time and thank you everyone for watching and thank you for all the new sounders who participated and sent us their love. So we love you back. All right, take care. Yes.

One thing I want to thank you, Padar, and at the same time your team, because I learned from you a lot and you're a really, really good teacher and you know how to teach really perfectly. And this is really important detailing for students and they. They have to know that thing. Thank you again.

Thank you so much. The privilege, the privilege to teach you. Thank you, Ibrahim. I wish you all the best and take care.

Thank you. Other, see you and bye bye.

Bye bye everyone.