In physics, there is a simple principle every engineer and scientist knows.
It always takes more force to start moving an object than to keep it moving.
The force that resists the beginning is called static friction.
The force that resists motion once something is already moving is kinetic friction.
Static friction is always higher.
This means the moment before movement begins is the point of greatest resistance.
Once motion starts, the required force drops.
Momentum helps.
The system changes state, and everything becomes easier.
This principle translates surprisingly well to the inner experience of learning a language.
Let’s see how all of this unfolds inside the learner.
The inner mechanics of your motivation
Inside every German learner, two opposing desires are always present.
The first desire says, “I want to learn German. I want to improve.”
This desire is real. If it weren’t there, you wouldn’t be reading this email at all.
The second desire says, “Not right now.”
It’s a contrary pull.
And because these two desires move in opposite directions, the learner often feels discomfort.
It is simply what it feels like when two opposing forces coexist.
When the desire to postpone is stronger, learning doesn’t happen.
When the desire to learn is stronger, learning begins.
There is nothing moral about this. It is just how these inner forces work.
This also explains a very familiar experience.
The beginning feels heavy. The continuation feels light.
The heaviness belongs to the moment when the second desire is stronger — when “not now” outweighs “I want to learn.”
The moment the learner begins, the balance shifts.
The desire to learn grows. The contrary desire weakens. And the discomfort starts to disappear.
This shift can happen very quickly.
But the crucial moment is the beginning.
So the real question becomes:
How do you make it easier for the first desire to win?
Here is where the idea of small habits becomes incredibly powerful.
The power of starting small
Most learners carry a vague, large image of “learning German.”
This image often includes the end goal of fluency, confidence, long conversations, understanding everything — and implicitly also the idea of a long period of work that seems unavoidable in order to achieve it.
It is a big picture, a big project.
And because it is big, it can feel heavy.
But if the first desire is given something small, concrete, and immediate, it becomes less heavy and therefore stronger.
Strong enough to create just a slight imbalance.
Strong enough to turn 49% versus 51% into a win.
Here is the key insight: You do not need a dramatic victory. You only need a slight shift.
If the desire to learn reaches even 51%, the experience of effort and discomfort drops.
The action becomes lighter.
And once you are inside the activity, the desire to learn continues to grow on its own.
In that moment, you have moved from static friction to kinetic friction.
This is why the smallest possible step matters.
Instead of “I need to learn German now,” you shrink the beginning to something like:
- I will press play on a podcast.
- I will read the first sentence of a book.
- I will open my learning platform.
- I will read one line of an exercise.
These steps are so small that the contrary desire cannot overpower them.
But the moment you do them, the entire inner balance shifts.
The heavier desire weakens. The learning desire grows. And what felt like tension begins to dissolve.
This is not psychology. This is mechanics.
Two desires. A small imbalance. A moment of beginning. A shift inside.
From static friction to kinetic friction.
That is the whole process.
So here is your action step.
The next time you feel the desire to learn German but also inner resistence, reduce the step to something tiny and specific.
- Press play.
- Read one sentence.
- Open the app.
Then pause for a moment and notice how it feels inside.
Notice if the heaviness drops. Notice if the desire to learn grows stronger once you’ve already begun.
This is the quiet power of starting small. And it makes the whole path much lighter.
Talk to you soon. Bis bald.
Gruß
Manuel
P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are 5 ways I can help you take your German to the next level.