Aaron Nelson: 00:00:00

This week, I'm going to be taking some time to answer another question from one of my listeners.

Erica writes, I'd like to get a good score on the CELPIP exam, and I have tried a lot and in many different ways, and I feel that nothing works for me. I'm a mess and I am really into learning English. Obviously, I'm better than six months ago, but I'm still not good enough. What should I do?

Well, hello there and welcome to the Speak English Fearlessly podcast.

This is the podcast for motivated English learners who want to speak English fearlessly and learn practical tips and strategies to conquer the CELPIP examination.

I also love to feature encouraging interviews with regular people, people just like you, who are working towards becoming fluent in English so we can learn from their experiences together. Who am I?

My name is Aaron Nelson and I'm a certified CELPIP trainer and I've been an English teacher for over 17 years and I now help students prepare for the CELPIP exam through online classes. Erica, thank you so much for writing in. It takes so much courage to admit when you're stuck and that you're not sure of what to do next.

I know I've been in situations like that where, like you wrote, I feel like I've tried everything, but nothing seems to be working. And that's where I'd like to begin with you today. It sure sounds like you've been working hard on trying to get ready for the celpip.

I bet you've taken classes. I bet you've studied every resource you can get your hands on. I bet you've tried watching CELPIP Prep tutorials on YouTube.

Like you said, I bet you've tried everything. A moment ago I said that I'd been in the same spot as you and you were brave enough to be honest with me about it. So I will return the favor. Okay.

Back in July, I shared that my wife and I have been working and working and working, pretty much working on the same exact problem for the past 23 years that we have been married. And that thing that we've been working on is our finances. Yep. I feel embarrassed to admit it to you, but it's the truth.

Like I mentioned in that previous podcast, and I'll link to it in my show notes, we tried everything we could think of from reading books, taking courses, and even talking to people who are better with money than than we were, and nothing helped. Until something did.

As I was reading an article by James Clear which talked about the importance of using the Right system to create the results you need in your life. I suddenly realized what has been missing.

We've never looked at and changed our financial system, the decisions we make and the actions we take each day with our money. And because we never changed our system, our situation also did not change. And I'm sharing this with you, my friend, for three reasons.

Number one, I want you to know I know exactly what it feels like to be trying everything that you can think of but have it not work. You don't get the results you're looking for. It feels so heavy and discouraging. I know what that feels like.

And I want you to know that you're not alone. The second thing I want you to know is that you are moving forward even though it doesn't feel like it.

With every attempt you make and every time you don't get the results you're looking for, you're still making progress. You're now one step closer to finding what will actually start working for you.

For us, it was reading that article by James Clear that kind of started me thinking differently about what we were going through. And because I was starting to think differently, a couple of weeks after that article came across my path, we discovered a course.

And it was by two people who just seemed to speak our language when it came to managing finances.

And that course, together with that article that I was talking about by James Clear, they just kind of came together in this perfect, I don't know what you call it, it wasn't a storm, but in this perfect combination and it just clicked for us. We learned what we were missing, we discovered what we were missing and what we weren't doing correctly. And we began to change that system.

And that leads me to point number three.

I want to share with you that even though my wife and I have started to change our systems when it comes to finances, we still aren't where we want to be yet. But things are changing slowly, very slowly, but they are changing because we're changing our system.

And when you change your system for us, that means the things that we do with our money. Then you will eventually begin to get different results. And the same is true and will be true for you.

It just might take some time to notice the results that you're looking for. So you mentioned that you've tried lots of different things, but nothing seems to work. Here's what I suggest you do.

Number one, think about and then write down your Celpip prep system. Pay attention to what you do each day to practice and get ready for the exam, like actually write it down.

In the case of my wife and I, the only way we started to actually see what we were doing with our finances, our financial system, was when we started writing down every single transaction that we made. What we learned from that activity alone helped us to begin to see where our system, our way of doing things with money, was completely broken.

I think the same thing will happen for you. Write down what you're doing each day to get ready for the exam. And that leads me to point number two. What results are those actions giving you?

Pay attention to what you're doing and what results they're bringing you?

W Edward Deming, who was an economist and a business theorist, is quoted as saying, every system is perfectly designed to get the results that it does. You mentioned that though you've tried everything.

And to be fair, I'm not sure what you mean by everything, but whatever it is that you've tried, it's not working. To help you get the results you need, it's your system that isn't working. So here are some questions you need to ask yourself about your system.

Number one, what exactly am I doing? Number two, what results are my actions giving me?

Number three are my actions, my system, actually the right things that I should be doing to get the results that I need. And I'm going to give you a hint, something isn't right. That's why you're not getting the right results. Number four.

And if you are doing the right things, have you been doing them consistently and long enough in order to get results? This is where my wife and I are at with our systems work and improving our finances.

I think we're finally doing the right things, or we're beginning to. But now we need to consistently begin doing those right things in order for us to begin to see long lasting effects and changes in our finances.

We're already seeing some change because we're doing things differently.

But in order for us to get to where we're wanting to get and be where we're wanting to be, financially speaking, it's going to take consistent and patient work. I've talked about this before, but it is vital. The celloph exam will show you what your current level of English is.

And studying for the exam will not magically bump your English level up. It will just help you to know what to expect on the exam.

The only way to get a stronger score on this LPIP is to actually be doing the right things on a daily basis to improve your English skills. And that, my friend, takes a long time. And that leads me to my final question. What is your current level of English?

If you're at a beginner level, then you can't expect to score a 9 or above on the exam, which is roughly an upper intermediate level of English. Before you score that nine, you need to build your English level more.

And that, to be totally honest with you, can take quite a lot of time and hard work.

I'm going to reference a recent episode I did talking about this, but it can take a year or more to bump your level up and the higher the level you need, the longer you can expect it to take. Now, I'm not telling you this to discourage you.

On the contrary, I'm hoping to help you have an accurate idea of what you can expect from yourself on the celpip.

If you do have an upper intermediate level of English and you're sure that that is your level and you're still not getting the score you need on the exam, then likely some focused practice and test prep will help you. And if that's you today, guess what? You can come and work with me.

I'll help you work on your exam prep system so that it will help you begin to get the results you need in the CELPIP Success School. I help people like you build and follow the right systems as they prepare for the celpip.

I help you practice the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills that the exam will test you on. And I do it with unlimited one on one friendly, encouraging, personalized feedback and support. Come and join me.

If you're tired of not getting the results you need on the exam and you already have the English level you need, then I want to work with you.

To enroll, please go to celpipsuccess.com listener podcast listeners that's you get a 25% discount for as long as they decide to continue working with me. Now, I didn't mean to turn this into a commercial, but I know how to help you build the right systems to prepare for the exam. So let's work together.

To summarize, Erica, this is what I hope you walk away with today and anyone else who's in Erica's shoes. Number one, know that you are not alone with this.

I've been in similar shoes as you and I know exactly what it feels like to have tried everything and still not gotten the results. Hang in there. You can do this. Number two, you are still making progress. Even though it doesn't seem like it.

You're farther ahead today than you were a few weeks ago. A few months ago, a few years ago. Again, you might not notice it, but you are growing. You are making progress. Please don't give up. Hang in there.

You can do this. Number three, it takes time to create change even when you're following the right system. Practice consistently and you will begin to see results.

Like I just said, hang in there. You can do this. And finally, number four, what's your celpip prep system and is it giving you the right results?

It's important for you to stand back and look at the things that you are doing each day to try to get you ready for the exam. Is it the right things? Are they the right things? If not, let's change it. Come and work with me and I'll help you build the right kind of prep system.

Thanks so much for listening to this week's episode and I hope that you will come back and join me next Tuesday.

And if you have a question that you would like me to feature in an upcoming episode, please send me an email@aaronalpipsuccess.com that's Aaron a a r o n@celpipsuccess.com I would love to hear from you and I hope you have a great week. Bye.