Our prime source of motivation : The story of a language learner

On the way home from a tiring day at work, you stumble across a picture hanging on the outside wall of a dilapidated coffee shop. 

You have passed that shop many times before, but this time it was different. Maybe you had a peaceful night of rest, and all your senses were sharp enough to capture elements that you were oblivious to before.
The picture depicts a woman in a traditional dress, delicately holding a wineglass before her ample bosom with one knee thrust forward revealing a tanned leg and elegant pair shoes.
The picture is quaint, but there is something about it that injected equanimity into your being, causing your breathing to slow down, and your mouth to open into a kid-like, almost silly smile.
Under the picture are faded letters that read "Spain".
You became intrigued by that place and starts to learn about this country, its customs, and its language.
You start your journey into studying Spanish, dipping your toes in its complexities, each day discovering new facets that makes you excited about learning more.
As time goes on, people started congratulating you on your command of the language.
Business opportunities that require a certain command of Spanish start to show up, and people interested in your method of learning start requesting your hard gained expertise.

Beyond the obvious emotionally barren benefits, our brain needs to wander, imagining ourself engrossed in a conversation while eating mediterranean food, soaked in olive oil aroma under the warm sun of a clear Spanish sky.

We imagine ourselves walking the barroque, cobbled streets under the dim light of the side lantern hanging from a mouldy stone wall.

When we start learning a new skill, we need a story, real or imagined, we need a valid reason that goes beyond the direct, practical benefits that we might reap from leaning it.