I watched a Jiujitsu video on YT and one dude mentioned the 4 stages of learning as a guide to one's journey in learning anything. Basically there are four stages of learning that everyone transitions through when learning a new skill.
Stage 1: Unconscious Incompetence.
Stage 2: Conscious Incompetence.
Stage 3: Conscious Competence.
Stage 4: Unconscious Competence.
I thought about my development in Japanese and I'd have to say that this is an accurate representation of my learning path. I think I am still at Stage 2 and I'm totally fine with it.