Many people in our world speak more than one language. Whether they've learned it by the book in school, grew up learning a language at home or have traveled/worked abroad extensively, these people make up a unique percentage of the world's population.

Think about it. These people think in more than one language. They process the same information in two different ways, often simultaneously. Sounds crazy, right?

This, my friend, can be you too!

In the US, most of us end up taking at least a year or two of a foreign language (typically Spanish, French or German) for either a graduation or university admissions requirement. However, given the number of people I've talked with over the years who have told me they remember zero, zilch, nada from their language studies, it's clear that something isn't working.

From my high school graduating class of about 200 (what's good, B-Town?), I think maybe three or four of us truly continued language studies into college. For whatever reason, the vast majority of Millennials have had a really hard time having any desire to learn a foreign language. Know why?

There's not an end goal to justify the means; a lot of high school students in the U.S. see no reason to learn another language because they already speak perhaps the most coveted language of the world: English. Our school systems teach foreign language like science and history (often without clear, expressed reason for why the information is necessary) and students simply don't care.

However, let me give you the main reason and the ultimate end goal why it behooves each and every one of us to learn an additional language.

One word.

JOBS.

The more our world connects with itself, the greater the market for bilingualism will become. I recently did some research and discovered that a 29% increase (that's a LOT, y'all) in interpreter and translator jobs will be created between 2014 and 2024 in the US alone.* And that's in the job sector for people who want to primarily use their language skills as their career base. But perhaps that's not for you. That's totally cool. But think, if that kind of job growth is expected for the interpreter/translator sector, just think what career advancement a bilingual you in the business, social work, science, etc... world could bring! Bilingualism sets people apart. Companies view the ability to function in more than one language as an investment of time, money and future company growth.

So now you may be thinking, okay..."well I'm 20-something (or 30-something or 60-something, etc...), have already tried learning a language and/or have no time to commit to such a huge feat...."

Fear not!!

I'm going to share the best possible way (in my opinion) you can acquire another language for personal or professional reasons. It encompasses two of the most proven aids in accomplishing a goal: a clear end goal and accountability.

Here we go:

1.) Grab a friend, family member or significant other who is willing/able to join you on your journey.

2.) Chose a non-English speaking (that is, the native language is not English) travel destination the both of you would LOVE to go to.

3.) Figure out what language they speak in that country. For example, if y'all want to go to The Netherlands, they speak Dutch. Fun fact.

4. Plan a vacation to that destination at a date at least one year from now; also, start saving now! Set aside a little money here and there and you'll be surprised how it adds up.

5. Commit to learning as much of that language during the time before your trip as you possibly can by choosing one of these three options:

- Download Duolingo. (Click here for iPhone and click here for Android) and commit at least 15 minutes a day to practicing and learning. It's fun, intuitive and you will be surprised what you'll learn.

- Take classes. If you're in college, this one is usually super doable. Keep in mind, most universities will offer classes in the major languages of the world though some less widely used may not be personally instructed.

- Buy a language learning program like Rosetta Stone. If you're really committed, split the cost of the program with your friend and spend daily time learning and practicing. Though expensive, this method has, in fact, proven to work with many people and major companies.

Whenever you feel like giving up or quitting, remember the language you're learning isn't for your health; it's to use your skills on your trip and to give you an arm up in the crazy job market.

Well there you have it! A goal-based-vacation-destination plan to learn another language! Now, full discloser, you're not going to be fluent in a year (unless you outright move abroad — which you should if at all possible) but you'll definitely have a working knowledge that you'll actually be able to use on your trip! Think about how cool it'd be to walk through the streets of Paris being able to communicate with native Parisians because of the time you spent during the year!

It's possible, friends, and I wish you all the luck in the world.

Cheers,

ZER

*http://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/int...

**P.S. I have spent nearly eight years learning Spanish including two summers abroad in Barcelona, Spain and a B.A. in Spanish and I fully believe in everything I have written above. It's taken time and dedication but I am so glad I invested in another language.