Second language (L2) motivation has long been regarded as one of the requisites for and predictors of success in L2 learning. The scholarship on L2 motivation has grown steadily over the past 60 years, yielding several theories through a range of methods. Building upon this tradition, this paper proposes a methodological contribution to the thriving L2 motivation research arena. Specifically, we suggest a new analytical approach which combines Activity Theory with the methodological lens of 'life capital'. We illustrate this approach through an L2 learner's narrative, taken from a larger study, with a focus on their experience of learning English over thirteen years. We argue that adopting life capital as an additional analytical layer alongside Activity Theory not only allows us to tackle methodological challenges previously associated with Activity Theory, but also offers a more nuanced understanding of motivational trajectories in L2 learning.