I lost interest in photography for several years because of this. And because I’m a slow learner, I did the same thing with woodworking
An extra few bucks doing a random thing or two is nice, but the side hustle gig mentality is toxic
I do not want my customer’s money deciding how I do my favorite things! That’s for ME.
I’ve got extremely good dexterity and my favorite hobby is flow arts which is a visual spectacle. This results in lots of attention and I’m always hearing that I gotta make money with it.
That’s why it’s funny that the bicycling community talks of “dentists” with all their gear. The people best equipped to really pursue that hobby wholeheartedly are the people who make a shitload of money doing something completely different.
As you said, it’s not healthy to turn every hobby into a jobby. The best thing about hobbies is the lack of urgency and technical criteria. The whole point is to do it for fun.
me: does a thing because I like it and I get kinda not shit at it.
Everyone else: HaVe You cOnSIDErEd DoinG ThaT PRofEssIONaLLY? YOu cOULd mAKE so MUCH MOneY.!1!
me: fuck off. I have a job. I do this for me.
everyone else: Do What yOU LOve anD You’lL neVER worK A dAy IN Your life.!
me: turn your hobby into your job and you don’t have a hobby anymore. There’s no faster way to hate your passion than to monetize it.
I lost interest in photography for several years because of this. And because I’m a slow learner, I did the same thing with woodworking An extra few bucks doing a random thing or two is nice, but the side hustle gig mentality is toxic
I feel so seen!
I do not want my customer’s money deciding how I do my favorite things! That’s for ME.
I’ve got extremely good dexterity and my favorite hobby is flow arts which is a visual spectacle. This results in lots of attention and I’m always hearing that I gotta make money with it.
Yep, I do have a business out of my hobbies, but I definitely have lost some fire for a couple of those hobbies I now depend on for income.
That’s why it’s funny that the bicycling community talks of “dentists” with all their gear. The people best equipped to really pursue that hobby wholeheartedly are the people who make a shitload of money doing something completely different.
There’s a word for that: jobby
As you said, it’s not healthy to turn every hobby into a jobby. The best thing about hobbies is the lack of urgency and technical criteria. The whole point is to do it for fun.