The Monetising Hobbies Argument
Over the last month, being forced to stay home on weekends has made me pick up some new creative hobbies. Not to up-skill but just to put it plainly - keep sane. One was ceramics - it included some break downs and some okay looking incense & candle holders. The other one which I found myself enjoying quite a lot was painting still life from objects around my house so that I could have them as reminders of that time in 2020 when we weren’t allowed to leave the house. Like most things that I do, I shared the process somewhat and the result on social media. What happened after doing so got me thinking - Should I be monetising these hobbies?
The Argument of monetising your Hobbies
As a generation we grew up being told that doing what we loved meant we would never work a day in our lives. (ps. Don’t get me wrong that is a huge fucking privilege) It meant we took anything we were interested in and looked at ways to make money from it. It’s logic that is hard to argue with and I am probably not the one to do it. I have a career doing the thing I love and would do in my spare time if it wasn’t my job. However, monetising your hobby will inevitably change the relationship that you have with that activity. There will be added pressure, you will most likely have less control and you will hate the activity you once loved some days. Those negatives don’t mean I would trade it for a different career but still something to think about.
The flip side of this move to monetise everything you love is the question - are our hobbies rendered a waste of time if we are unable to monetise it? What self isolation has taught me is that these hobbies are essential to me. They are a way for me to explore freely without any judgement or expectation. They are a way for me to creatively let go of everything and truly relax. Even if you don’t have the opportunity to make any money off your hobby, they have huge purpose in each of our lives. They are still so worthy. Remember to try take joy in the process of it all.
Watch your ego
Enough people watching and you can be convinced you are the best thing since sliced bread. I obviously don’t think my first still life paintings are pure shit because I wouldn’t have ever posted an image of them if that was the case. It would have been kept to a funny 24 hour story. I have the privilege to have so many wonderfully supportive and loving humans following me that they encourage and send me very lovely messages. But without self awareness I could also get carried away thinking that I am the next Matisse after reading enough comments. Check yourself - is you work/voice/opinion something that adds value? Is there someone else doing that thing amazingly that you could uplift and support or do you really feel like you have something to add?
Check your passion
One thing that it really bought up for me was passion and authenticity. Do I use paint in a lot of my work? Yes. Have I (before the month of March 2020) ever painted a still life? Nope. There are so many people that spend hours, months, years, decades on their craft so it would be inauthentic for me to spend 3 weekends painting scenes to then start trying to sell them just because I have an audience. For me that feels disrespectful. Who knows, I may keep painting and in the future that could become a focus that I am really passionate about. Would you still be doing that thing if no one was telling you to do it, or selling that thing if people weren’t telling you they would buy it?
You don’t need to be an expert do so something
- but you should to want to be an expert.
In saying all the above I don’t think that you necessarily need all of the expertise or skill to start something. You don’t need that to hold you back because everyone was a beginner at some stage. But you have to want to be an expert. You have to want to dedicate a bunch of time to experimenting, practicing, developing your personal style. For me, I think where some people go wrong is selling something or creating something just because they can not because it is a passion or necessary.
Lastly, I do want to thank each of you who are so loving and encouraging anything and everything that I do. It honestly does mean the world to me. It is important to me that I make myself proud and make all of you proud by staying true to myself and to where my passions lie. For now, I am sure you will keep seeing the still life paintings on my instagram as I continue it as a hobby. Thank you.