Attention! MUET students! 10 Things to kickstart your English speaking life!

To all MUET students in year 2008.

To most students, they do not have confident to speak English in front of public, however, what if, I were to change the language to Mandarin? Now, this is interesting, when talking about Mandarin, they can convey and converse everything in their minds and without hesitant, they speak fluently! But, for English, students are so reluctant to speak up. What happened? They afraid of people's critics? They do not know how to speak? No, actually, they do know how to speak English, just that they do not have the right confident and right words for their topic. What else do they do? They have the words translated directly from Chinese to English.

Here is to help and built your character in speaking English before giving you the information about English speaking.

1. Realise that you can be good at English.

2. Realise that English is easy.

It is something you can achieve. And you can achieve easily. All it takes is a little effort and the right way of thinking. English is easy.

3. Do something you enjoy.

You must love to learn English. You don't see it as work, but as play. To achieve this the key is to do what excites you, but do it in English. Do you have a passion for fishing, or fashion? The latest stock prices or the hottest music? What about your family or children? What gets you going? What's the one thing that if taken away from your life would have the biggest influence on you? Now imagine reading, listening and talking passionately about that subject, but in English.

4. Set a goal.

How good do you want to be? Without a goal, however hard you try you will never achieve anything. You need a decided, specific, written goal. Maybe you have one already? Maybe you need a certain level of English for a promotion or pay rise? Maybe there is a special girl or boy you want to speak to in English? Maybe you have a big business trip coming up? Set that as your goal. See yourself with that promotion, with that pay rise, with that boy or girl or talking effortlessly during that business meeting. Set the goal, work everyday towards it and you will achieve it.

5. Don't mind what other people think.

6. Take responsibility.

We all start from different points in life. Some of us are born rich, some are born poor. Some have influential parents, some have no parents at all. Some have been seemingly been given great chances on a plate, some have had to work extra hard for everything they have achieved. This is life. And there's nothing to do but accept it. If we constantly say "yes, but he was born in America so of course he can speak English", or "Yes, but he went to the best university and had the best teachers" then we are blaming other people. Blaming other people is to make excuses, and making excuses is to open the path to failure. First we must take responsibility ourselves. How good you are at English is all up to you. There are millions of people in underdeveloped countries who have no food, no education and no resources, but they simply decided to learn English and did it. They took responsibility and took action. You are exactly the same, if you take responsibility and take action you will succeed. Maybe you feel you have no time? That you are too busy? But who decides how you spend your time? Don't blame other people. How you choose to spend your time is entirely decided by you. So take responsibility and take control, acknowledge that you control what, when and how you do things, and make the best use of your time to achieve your goals. Take time where you can, five minutes after taking the kids to school? A 20 minute commute to work? An extra 10 minutes while eating lunch? Your time is yours. Five minutes before breakfast? Your time is yours. Everything starts with you. You are the master of your destiny, only you can determine how good you wish to become. Decide today you wish to be brilliant. Take responsibility. Make it happen. Become a brilliant speaker.

7. Work smart, not hard.

8. Take every chance you have.

Every chance is a gift; you'd be a fool not to take it. If you are asked to speak to some people in English, if you see someone lost on the street, if you are on holiday and want to order some food. Take the chance and do it. Speak English. Don't give into the easy path of being embarrassed or afraid. This is the new you and you take every chance you get. Who cares if you make mistakes, you will have learnt something from the experience. Taking every chance you get increases your confidence. And increased confidence leads to more chances and opportunities appearing. People will see how you are eager to help people, you will be asked to help out more and people will respect you for it.

9. You can do it!

Confidence is the key. You are special. You can do it. You are a very clever person, after all you've had the energy to keep reading right to the end of this book. It's not brain surgery, it's not genetic engineering, it's just English, and you can do it. Stay with it, just five minutes a day and you will become better than you every imagined. It's all up to do. Decide to become a great speaker. Believe it will happen, and it will.

10. Do it today!

So you're all geared up ready to be able to speak English today? Well, do it! Don't wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes! Don't think; do it! There's never been a better time for you to start. Whatever you are doing after reading this book, do it in English. If you are going to the shops, call in at a bookstore and buy some CDs. If you are in the house, put the TV on in English. If you are planning what to make for dinner, think about what you would like - in English. If you are listening to this book on CD, then let the English version play. The best time to start is right now! You are the new you, the new you speaks great English and the new you starts now!