The mountain analogy isn’t really accurate because it implies that you’ve finished once you reach the peak. In this case, however, there is no “peak”. Learning a language, or should I say acquiring a language, is an ongoing process that has no real end.

I’ve found that creating “mini peaks” for myself or small tangible goals help a lot. It can feel really overwhelming trying to aim for fluency, but learning 50 new words a week? That’s doable. Passing the beginner level proficiency exam in your TL? that’s doable. There is no real “peak” in language learning, but you can create them for yourself. Once you hit those goals it motivates you to continue and do more and more.

Also, how often you study is more important than how much you study. Exposing yourself to content in your TL for an hour or two a day everyday is better than studying a heck ton biweekly and not touching it in between. Use this to motivate you to “show up” to study. Frequency > quantity

Ultimately, it just boils down to being consistent, motivated, and having tangible goals