Start Small, and Be Bad At It
It is safe to say that every person in the world, at one point or another, has been very curious about a hobby they do not do, or a skill they do not have. Maybe this is you: You searched online about what it is, or the history of it, or you simply enjoy watching videos of other folks performing their talents very successfully.
Maybe your interest is art, even though you never learned how to paint well. Maybe you love to watch soccer or hockey, but you have not played either sport since you were small. There are entire channels and networks committed to cooking food, but think of how many viewers would ruin recipes if they tried cooking them in their kitchen.
We have such an interest in the work of others, and yet so often all we do is observe from the side. There is nothing wrong with observing and appreciating a master at their craft, and you should not hide your support of these masters lest they stop gifting the world the display of their talent. It is perfectly okay to sit back and be entertained by the work of others, until you feel left out or longing to be part of it.
When you feel left out and wonder why you cannot do such a thing, think about where these people got started: They were not always masters. Very few prodigies are born, but even those gifted souls still take great effort to better themselves and elevate their abilities. The best singer you have ever heard had to practice. The best meal you have ever eaten came from a chef who went through training, whether from school or passed down through family (or both). The most satisfying home renovation video you have ever seen featured a seasoned professional; and the video itself was likely edited by another seasoned professional, of another admirable craft.
There is no such thing as an overnight success, or an overnight master. I am reminded of my late grandfathers, both of whom were award winning hobbyists in their retirement. One was a painter, and one was a winemaker. They each made considerable investments of their time, energy, and money (for equipment and materials) to grow their skills in the passions that excited them. They read books, they practiced, they failed, and they got better and better.
Each of them, in their own time and with a great deal of pride, entered their work into local competitions. From curiosity to certificates, from rags to ribbons, they were prize winners in their crafts. But the real prize wasn’t the award, or even the recognition; rather, it was the satisfaction that they themselves realized from taking a curious interest into a fulfilling effort, a finished project.
And they did not keep it to themselves, either. They were not shy about what they did, and in fact were eager to share their work with those around them. Many, if not all, family parties growing up featured bottles of wine from my Grandpa. And many, if not all, houses of my immediate and extended families feature artwork from my Jaunpaps (A Latvian title, and a story for another day). We all took great joy in what they gave us.
However, you do not need to be an award winner to create something beautiful and share it with those around you. I am reminded of my late grandmother, my Vecmam (Latvian, again), who was known and deeply beloved by all those around her. One of the many beautiful things she shared with the world was her garden. I must say, gardening for her was more a way of life than it was a hobby, however it was still a craft she spent countless hours at.
Her garden did not win awards, but it did not need to. What it did win was the hearts of anyone who saw it. Beautiful flowers, thriving bushes, and hearty vegetables made her small, suburban backyard feel like a hidden gem just for you. She grew so much of everything that she was eager to give it away to anyone who could enjoy it, be it food or flower. Everyone wanted to know her secrets, how her garden grew so well even in seasons where other harvests suffered. She had no “secrets” to share. She simply had a green thumb, a lifetime of trial and error, and a loving effort for her garden with her bare hands. Among the countless and lovely attributes she had, anyone who knew my Vecmam well would have a hard time thinking about her without thinking of her garden, too.
You do not need to be an award winner to create something beautiful. You do not need to be an award winner to share it with those around you.
Maybe the hobby that interests you is an expensive one to start. What is the small trial? What is the cheap version? Start there, build from there, and commit to spend more when you feel ready, or can afford it. If you cannot afford it, maybe there is a generous community of hobbyists with ample supplies they would be happy to share. People love their hobbies, and communities thrive when they welcome new members. Someone would welcome you to their club, but you would never know if you do not reach out and ask.
Maybe the hobby that interests you is time consuming, and there just is not enough time in your day. Well, five minutes is better than zero minutes. If you can commit just a few minutes each day, with baby steps of progress, it will add up. Then, it will be easier to let go of other things that take up your time, and commit more and more minutes to more and more progress. One stroke of the pen soon multiplies into many. One block on top of another grows tall. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
Maybe the hobby that interests you, for lack of any other obstacle, is extremely difficult to learn and master, and that scares you. It is okay to be afraid, but once you acknowledge your fear, that is the time to be brave and give it a try anyways. Many would-be golfers avoid going out because they don’t want to be embarrassed in front of friends or colleagues. Well, avoiding the golf course is the best way to never get better. That is true of any new skill in need of practice. So whatever it is that scares you, be brave, go be bad at it, and get better. You will not get better by staying afraid of it.
Maybe, unfortunately, the hobby that interests you also embarrasses you. It is nerdy, it is lame, and no one that you know does it. So what? If it does no harm, and it provides you with some joy in this often-difficult life we live, why should you be embarrassed? Own your passions. Be proud of your passions. Because you aren’t alone: There are countless people who love the same thing you do, but you will never find them if you are embarrassed to join them. And if less people were embarrassed to be themselves, to do what makes them happy, we would all be a lot better for it. We need more nerds.
Whether your hobby is like an old friend you have not spoken to in years, or more like the interesting person across the room you have not met yet, stop wondering what could be: Go give it a try. Go get your paint brush, or your skateboard, or your spatula, or your work-bench, or your yarn, or your pack of cards, or your cleats, or your keyboard, or whatever thing you have been thinking of and waiting for me to list - you know what it is. Whether you still have to take the tags off, or you have to literally wipe the dust off, it has been waiting for you, and it is happy you found it. What better time than right now? Or, maybe this weekend, if that’s more convenient.
You will be bad at it, at first. So start small and simple. Work hard until it gets easier. Let every little win build into the next, greater one. You might never be a master, and you might never win an award, but that should not matter. The real prize is the effort. Even the shortcomings will be prizes. The failures and the stumbles will become the lessons you learn as you improve. But you will never know if you keep wondering.