Have you ever tried picking up a new hobby for fun, only to find yourself obsessing over how far you could take it? I face this challenge all the time. I can’t seem to enjoy hobbies on a regular, casual level. Instead, I always feel an overwhelming urge to dive deep and see how far I can push myself.
Take tennis, for example. I can’t just pick up a racket and play for fun. I immediately start considering hiring a coach, taking lessons, and signing up for local tournaments. The same thing happens when I play Gran Turismo. Instead of just enjoying the game, I start dreaming about exploring a path to becoming a professional racer.
This strong desire to see how far I can go makes it extremely difficult to do hobbies just for the sheer enjoyment of them. Why do I do this? I have no idea.
Part of this might be a drive for excellence. When I start something new, I get excited about the potential and possibilities. I imagine myself mastering the skill and achieving great things. While this drive can be beneficial in many areas of life, it can make casual hobbies feel like a competition or a project rather than a source of relaxation and fun.
There’s also the pressure to succeed. In our achievement-oriented society, there’s often an implicit expectation that we should excel at whatever we do. This can lead to a mindset where even hobbies need to have measurable progress and goals. Instead of enjoying the process, the focus shifts to the outcome.
So here I am, struggling to enjoy a hobby without turning it into a quest for mastery. I don’t have a solution yet. Maybe I never will.