Can't commit to hobbies

LegacyUser

This is not really a serious issue but its just something that has been bothering me. I have trouble sticking with different things. What I mean by this is take if I take up an activity or if I plan to do something, I get very enthusiastic at the start but then just give up soon after.

This especially applies to hobbies. Over the years I have picked up many, many hobbies but I cant seem to stick with them. I've played a number of sports, a number of musical instruments, computing, diy, cooking... the list could go on forever.

At the start I say to myself "yes, this seems like great fun" and I go off and buy whatever I need to do the activity, then quickly I become bored of it. I just loose all motivation for it. I dont know why. A lot of my friends are good at certain things, be it football, playing the guitar and so on, where as I've nothing that I'm committed to. I guess you could say I'm a jack of all trades and a master of none!

Is this a bad thing? I would like to have a hooby that I love to do and am good at it but whenever I find something I like, I just give up. Should I just pick one hobbie and stick at it even if I start to get bored of it? (although it seems to defeat the purpose of a hobby).

LegacyUser

I have only found one hobby that I am committed to.

I used to do art and crafts when younger but never felt a desire to pursue it once I left school. Same with sports - I'd be hard pushed to bother with indoor football now or even the gym.

But, the hobby I have I love. I'd do it every day if I could. And I have friends who are the same.

Maybe you need to take up hobbies which are more sociable - so you get of an incentive to keeping them up. Or ones that you really enjoy.

Denerick

Having this hobby 'anxiety' is silly. You should pursue a hobby because you enjoy it. Work is a chore. A hobby should be something you enjoy. Get your priorities right.

18AD

Maybe set some goals for your hobby. Like if you take up running, aim at doing a marathon at some stage, or if you take up an instrument, try out for a band.
Apply it to anything.

All the best.
AD

LegacyUser

The problem is that I see a hobby and think "that sounds awesome" and a little bit into doing the hobby it just loses that initial buzz I guess. Its like I always have to do something different.

This applies to nearly everything I do. I find it boring once I fall into a routine or experience the same thing a number of times. Like a muscial instrument. I played instruments in the past but the practicing felt like a chore. Maybe I do need to set goals and socialise with the hobby more. The hobbies I have done in the past were mostly a thing I did by myself...

18AD

As a musician, practicing is hard work. The rewards are so much better though, since the achievement is there.

Anything worth doing isn't going to be all fun and games, regardless. Everything would be totally boring if it was easy. The exact opposite of how you seem to feel

Set some goals. Or do like some people and try something new every week or month. Don't stop trying new things just because you don't stick with one particular thing. In fact, there's nothing to say that you should just have one or two specific hobbies. Do everything.

I'm on mid-term this week, and I'm an artist. Just for the hell of it.

Good luck.
AD

Overheal

Its more about finding the hobby that you will commit to really. The best thing though is to NOT over-invest in a hobby you don't know you are going to stick with. Just a waste of finances. I started off really small with the WH40k stuff, borrowed a couple plastic troops off a friend and a few jars of paint. Went to town. Slowly and steadily built up supplies and interest. Didn't just rush in, by hundreds of euros of stuff (which is EASY to do) and get lost in it.