> This makes endeavours like learning to speak a language, to play an instrument, or getting buff unsustainable for me.
I think your goals are just far too abstract, you're thinking years into the future instead of something more immediate. Here's how I'd "atomize" them:
- Learning to speak a language → Being able to answer some basic everyday questions: What time is it? What's the weather like outside? How am I feeling? When's my birthday?
- Playing an instrument → Being able to play one popular song of my choice to a reasonable degree.
- Getting buff → Being able to look myself in the mirror and see progress.
Suddenly all of them are very achieveable within a month or two. I then either lose interest or set myself some "higher" goal. Can I up that to three songs? Can I describe my work or hobbies in $targetLanguage? Is there a body part I'm especially interested in improving? Then that becomes my new "project" for the next couple of months.
Rinse and repeat, all the way until I can speak German (not quite, but I can point to my A2 certificate and call myself an advanced beginner), or play a piano (not quite, but enough to easily impress anyone that never tried), or until I feel good about the way I look (not quite, but it is an indisputable fact that I look better than ever before).
I think your goals are just far too abstract, you're thinking years into the future instead of something more immediate. Here's how I'd "atomize" them:
- Learning to speak a language → Being able to answer some basic everyday questions: What time is it? What's the weather like outside? How am I feeling? When's my birthday?
- Playing an instrument → Being able to play one popular song of my choice to a reasonable degree.
- Getting buff → Being able to look myself in the mirror and see progress.
Suddenly all of them are very achieveable within a month or two. I then either lose interest or set myself some "higher" goal. Can I up that to three songs? Can I describe my work or hobbies in $targetLanguage? Is there a body part I'm especially interested in improving? Then that becomes my new "project" for the next couple of months.
Rinse and repeat, all the way until I can speak German (not quite, but I can point to my A2 certificate and call myself an advanced beginner), or play a piano (not quite, but enough to easily impress anyone that never tried), or until I feel good about the way I look (not quite, but it is an indisputable fact that I look better than ever before).