At 9, I was foretold I would fail learning Basque properly.

... if we didn't get the series of comics they were selling door to door. They were visually attractive. I would have loved to read them, a lot actually. But it was beyond the reach of our parents' budget, with only one salary at home.

In July 2020, I obtained my C2 accreditation (the highest European level).

3 lessons of a failure foretold

1️⃣ Success is not built in a day

Getting a diploma was never my main goal.

But it is still a public recognition highly appreciated. It's been many years since that prediction. Learning Basque has been a collateral dedication to my main studies (medicine) and even to other collateral studies (music & guitar).

Even in the shade, being curious and eager to learn has benn always there.

2️⃣ Take advantage of each and every opportunity to grow

The best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it.

My parents were not born in the Basque Country, I did my elementary and high school studies in Spanish. Few people used Basque in our town at that time. But I took advantage of every single class in the euskaltegi (Basque academy), I enrolled to study medicine in Basque...

I prioritize(d) radio, TV, press and books in Basque whenever possible.

3️⃣ Consistency beats intelligence

Those who know me often say that I have a flair for languages.

Perhaps this is partly true. But it may also be a way of putting a blindfold on and not seeing the work behind it. Because if everything depends on having (or not) a gift, then personal work is superfluous.

It just isn't.

One of the most common causes of failure is the habit of quitting when one is overtaken by temporary defeat. Napoleon HIll