@brandonwilson wrote about finding three hobbies you love:

One to make you money,

One to keep you in shape,

One to be creative.

I love the powerful simplicity behind such life advice. It feels a bit similar to the Venn diagrams that’s so popularly related to ikigai, where a fulfilling, happy life happens at the intersection of:

• What you love (your passion)
• What the world needs (your mission)
• What you are good at (your vocation)
• What you can get paid for (your profession)

But with ikigai, I often use it as a lens to evaluate my career, while the three hobbies have no bearing on just career. In fact, career is probably just the hobby that “makes you money”. I like that by stating them as THREE hobbies, it can be separate, unrelated activities. That feels like an important point, because it is haaard to find a career that encapsulates all three hobbies. I know, because I tried. Besides, what’s wrong with having some variety? We’re complex creatures and shouldn’t have to feel that our career and work has to be this all-encompassing, singular identity that provides everything bit of self-esteem and fulfilment we need in life. (In fact, we should be wary of anyone or company that says so, because they can probably profit off your corporate warrior martyrdom that comes from your over-identifying with your work. But that’s a post for another day.) The best part about the framing as “hobbies” is how play and fun are implied. 

So what are my three hobbies? 

Hobby that makes me money:

Design and innovation for the public good. I really had a good run in the past seven years doing work at the intersection of design and government. It was fun, it makes me money, and it tapped on a lot of my innate talents. But I’m feeling ready to move on to being a location-independent indie maker, in a company of one, making (eventually) $1mil. That would be my next money-making hobby. 

Hobby that keeps me in shape:

Back in school I had loads of such hobbies, mostly sports, like basketball, football, running, rock climbing. So many that I never thought I would stop having them. But in the end, work and career happened, and it did stop. Now it’s hard to say that I have a hobby that keeps me in shape. I run three times a week, but that’s hardly a hobby. Most days, it feels like work. I do long for the fun of playing team sports, or some sort of impact sports, like martial arts, muay thai or MMA. Doing this thought exercise makes me want to find one again! Probably an opportune moment now as I’m planning for big changes in a new season of life. 

Hobby to be creative:

Recently, it’s kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. I went to Kyoto recently to learn just that, but since returning, I had set up my equipment but not yet started on restoring my pieces (leftover homework from the Kyoto course). I should probably get on with it! (Otherwise, the spark might die off and I have to find another one!) Of course, writing daily here on 200wad feels like a hobby too - it’s something I enjoy, and helps me on my creative journey.  

So in summary, one hobby is known but in transition, another is lost and should be found again, and the last is known but I should keep at it. Not too bad, isn’t it?!