Begin with the
past
What is your previous experience with successful learning?  Do you
  • like to read?  solve problems?  memorize?  recite?  interpret?   speak to groups?
  • know how to summarize?
  • ask questions about what you studied?
  • review?
  • have access to information from a variety of sources?
  • like quiet or study groups?
  • need several brief study sessions, or one longer one?

What are your study habits?  How did they evolve?  Which worked best?   What was the worst thing?

How did you communicate what you had learnt best?  Through a written test, a term paper, an interview?


Proceed to the
present
How interested are you in learning English?
How much time do you want to spend learning English?
What competes for your attention?

Are the circumstances right for success?  
What can you control, and what is outside your control? 
Can you change these conditions for success? What affects your dedication to learning English?

Do you have a learning plan? 
Does your plan consider your past experience and learning style?


Consider the
process

What is your main aim for learning English?
Do you know any other second languages?

What English do you know already?

What kinds of resources and information will help you?
Will you only rely on one source (for example, a textbook) for information?
Will you need to look for additional sources?

As you study, do you ask yourself whether you understand? 
Should you go more quickly or more slowly?
If  you don't understand, do you ask why?

Do you stop and summarize?
Do you stop and evaluate?

Do you just need time to think it over and return later?
Do you need to discuss it with other "learners" in order to process the information?
Do you need to find an authority, such as a teacher, a librarian, or a subject-matter expert?


Build in
review
What did you do right?
What could you do better?
Did your plan coincide with how you work with your strengths and weaknesses?

Did you choose the right conditions?
Did you follow through; were you disciplined with yourself?

Did you succeed?
Did you celebrate your success?