Throughout my life, I have found four important ways of increasing and/or maintaining my motivation, and they all work equally well for hobbies, studies, and work.

#1 Break things down into smaller tasks: Big goals, like learning a language, are intimidating! It’s hard to imagine achieving them when you only focus on the final or long-term objective, but when you break them down into smaller tasks, it becomes much easier. Be realistic, make a list of steps you need to take, and work towards your goal a little bit each day. Completing each step will give you the motivation you need to start working on the next one, and getting a little closer to your goal each day helps to build momentum!  

#2 Change it up / take a break: Even if you love what you’re doing or want to do more to improve faster, it’s important to change your routine or take a break sometimes. You need time to process information - to think about what you’ve learned, practice it, and put it into perspective. It can be good to have a couple of projects on the go so that you can take a break from one thing and work on something else for awhile. A change of pace can both refresh and inspire you. Even taking a short break to go for a walk in nature can really help to sort out your thoughts and refocus. 

#3 Find a way to make it personal: It’s hard to really get into something, learn it, remember it, and enjoy doing it unless it has some personal meaning or value to you. Whatever you’re doing, find a way to make it personal or relevant to your life. If you’re learning a language, read and watch things you enjoy and learn vocabulary related to those things. It’s also great to have shared experiences with other people - those connections can make everything more meaningful and worthwhile!