Out of all the world's languages, Japanese is usually considered to be one of the hardest. It is not easy, especially for speakers of Western languages who are not accustomed to the subtleties and almost musical quality of Japanese. As you learn, however, you start to pick up on the subtleties of this beautiful language. Many people are afraid to learn Japanese, thinking that it will just be too difficult. The good news is this: anybody can learn a new language! It is only necessary to put forth a certain amount of time and effort. With enough time and effort you could be fluent in Japanese before you know what is happening. Here are some tricks you can use to make the process just a little bit easier on yourself.
The best way to learn Japanese is to become immersed in that language. Going to Japan on your own, without any guide, would be the best solution if it's possible. When you are there, you will be forced to rely on any studying you've done and this will enable you to learn quite a bit more out of necessity. This is the best way for many people to completely immerse themselves in Japanese. Doing this compels one to temporarily give up their native language and communicate in the new one. The next best solution, if you can't go to Japan, is to find a Japanese neighborhood where the language is spoken a lot. If none of this is possible, you can still give yourself a kind of immersion by buying or renting many Japanese movies and shows; don't use the subtitles, but only listen to them in Japanese. You'll start to pick up on vocabulary pretty quickly.
Start off with uncomplicated material. Work on getting a functioning vocabulary first and then work on more subtle nuances later. Every language that has multiple words that mean the same thing. Many words people don't use in everyday day language or sound strange when used in a conversation so your job is to use a small few of the most common words that gets your thoughts across. Once you have a working knowledge of the language down and are able to communicate on a basic level you can start working on expanding your vocabulary. When you reach the point where you can tell the minor differences between words that stand for the same thing means that you have reached an advanced level and can start to do more advanced things without worry.
You should also play any Japanese audio programs you are using at times when you aren't consciously trying to learn. Yes, there is quite a lot to be said to learning a language directly through lessons and practice drills. The subconscious also absorbs information, however, even when you aren't aware of it. You have nothing to lose by trying this method; simply let your programs play on your drive to work, when you're at home or anytime. Every time the vocabulary and phrases are repeated, a part of your mind is taking this in and remembering it. You may be surprised at how much you can recall from these sessions! Taking this a step further, you could also try having the programs play while you are asleep! There are lots of different ways to learn a language. You don't have to use methods that don't appeal to you; do what works for you. Just remember: you can learn Japanese. You can even become fluent one day if you just learn a little more every day!