Hey there! This is TOP episode 303. Trust the Game: Why Speaking English Is Like a Scavenger Hunt
You read English. You understand English. You’ve been learning for years, but when it’s time to speak—your mind just freezes, and the words don’t come out. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. I’ve been exactly where you are. I’m Ola Mierniczak, and this is the Teacher Ola Podcast. I’m here to help you finally speak out loud—the words, the ideas, the English that have been stuck in your head for too long. This isn’t about perfect grammar or fancy vocabulary. This is about your voice. Your words. Your real English.
Do you remember playing scavenger hunts as a kid? The thrill of running through the forest, not knowing what’s around the corner?
Maybe you were holding a little ribbon or following chalk marks on trees, looking for the next clue. You didn’t have the full map. You didn’t know where the treasure was. But that didn’t stop you. In fact, that was the fun part!
Now, here’s the thing: learning to speak English is exactly like that.
You don’t have all the answers. You don’t know what’s going to happen in the next conversation. You risk misunderstanding. You risk sounding silly. You risk being judged. But if you focus on that risk, you freeze. If you focus on the game, the discovery, the excitement, you move forward.
So today, let’s talk about trust. Trusting yourself. Trusting the process. Trusting the game.
Let’s be honest. There’s a lot at stake, right? Your reputation, your ego, your job, your dreams, maybe even your sense of self. Of course you feel pressure to speak English fluently! But here’s the truth: the more you think about those big, scary stakes, the more stressed you become. And stress kills curiosity. It also slows down learning. A stressed brain learns much slower or in some cases it doesn’t learn at all.
Instead of thinking, “What if they don’t understand me? What if I make a mistake? What if I sound and look stupid?”, what if you thought: “Ooooh, what’s going to happen next? What’s behind that tree? What new word will I discover today?” That’s the energy of a scavenger hunt. That’s the energy I want you to bring to your English.
In a scavenger hunt, you never see the whole plan. You don’t need to. You only need to do your part: follow the clues, take the next step and keep moving.
It’s the same with English. Your job isn’t to have all the answers or predict every word in a conversation.
Your job is to show up and play:
- Join the conversation
- Make the mistakes
- Discover what you don’t know yet
- Laugh when things get awkward
Every attempt, every little “wrong turn”, is still movement forward. Just like in the game, every clue brings you closer to the treasure, even if you have to backtrack from time to time.
And here’s the big truth: doing the thing guarantees the result.
Talking is the path. Listening is the path. Guessing, failing, trying again, that’s your path.
Do you remember that childlike excitement? Running, laughing, not worrying if your shoes got muddy? Bring that energy back. Because that’s exactly what you need for English conversations.
Forget perfection. Oh my! Just forget it! Forget judgment. It’s just a game and it’s made to be fun. When someone doesn’t understand you, smile and try again. Every single misstep is a clue. It means you’re playing the right game. So next time you’re about to speak, say this to yourself:
“This is just a scavenger hunt. Let’s see what I find.”
The more joy you bring to this, the easier it gets. Stress is like carrying a heavy backpack in the forest. But what will help you take that backpack off and run free is… playfulness.
And I’ll say it again: if you do what you’re supposed to do, that is: you speak, I can promise, you will get where you want to go. You don’t need to know the “how.” You just need to keep playing the game.
So here’s my final thoughts. Imagine every conversation as another ribbon tied to a tree, showing you you’re on the right track. Every awkward pause, every moment you hesitate, every silly mistake: those are your clues. They mean you’re moving forward.
Trust. Trust the game. Play the game. And enjoy it. Because that’s the only way to reach your dream of fluent English.
Now, if you want a safe, structured, and fun way to do exactly that—to play, to speak, to practice with support, join my 12-week program that is called: Say It Out Loud. SIOL.
This course is all about speaking. We start on September 11th and finish on December 4th. It’s a guided journey where you’ll speak, practice, and build real confidence in conversations.
Spots are limited, so don’t wait—go to teacherola.com/kurs and fill out the application form today. Again, that’s teacherola.com/kurs.
If you’ve been waiting for the perfect moment, this is it. Let’s play this game together. See you inside!
Now, let’s practice. Listen and repeat out loud, but remember this: repeating sentences and talking to yourself can only take you this far. But if you want crazy confidence, you can take a brave step and start speaking to other people. Please remember! Let’s go!
You don’t have all the answers.
You risk misunderstanding.
You risk sounding silly.
There’s a lot at stake, right?
Your job is to show up and play.
Laugh when things get awkward.
Every clue brings you closer to the treasure.
The more joy you bring to this, the easier it gets.
Mistakes mean you’re moving forward.
The more you think about those big, scary stakes, the more stressed you become.
Alright, before we wrap up, just a quick but important reminder.
Today, we talked about trust. Trusting yourself, the process, and the game. Remember, you don’t need a full map to speak English. You don’t need to know every single word or predict every twist in the conversation. Your job is simple: show up, follow the clues, and keep playing. Keep speaking. That’s how you’ll find the treasure, your fluent, fearless English.
And if you’re ready for a safe and fun space to actually play this game, join my 12-week speaking program Say It Out Loud. It’s designed to help you practice, build confidence, and finally use the English you’ve been keeping in your head. Spots are limited, so don’t wait—go to teacherola.com/kurs and apply today.
If you’ve been waiting for the perfect moment, this is it. Let’s play this game together. See you inside!
And don’t forget your free worksheet for this episode—download it at teacherola.com/303. That’s it for today. I believe in you. I know—and you know—that you can speak English.Stay fearless, take care, and say it out loud. I love you and iI believe in you!
I’m your Teacher Ola, and this was the Teacher Ola Podcast.
Bye for now!