[Closed] Don't make your hobby your job...do what you love?

Tempted to say keep them separate, for a long time was unhappy at work but it was really just the work environment rather than the work itself.

Happen to enjoy my work (software) and reckoned it was easiest to keep the hobbies / interests separate so they could remain interesting rather than being associated with work.

Did consider jacking it all in to become? guide, ranger, whatever but reckoned I didn't have the skills to make that leap. So didn't do the deed; seem to be OK.

I work in a bike shop.....

crap.

I eat, sleep & breathe bikes! I love my job 🙂

I ride my motorbike for a living teaching others how to ride. I love my job.

As a 16 year old (many moons ago) I loved photography. I'm now a photographer and still undertake personal projects regularly. I find it keeps me interested and learning new techniques.

However I find having other interests like MTB and scuba diving nice to break things up.

I guess it might be different if you have a vocation now and a hobby you think could be a new vocation. More details on what you are thinking about doing Al?

Photography wasn't a hobby before I went to art college and then became a photographer but I do enjoy the work and shooting images that are purely self indulgent, what I don't do is mix photography with other 'time off' so refuse to take a camera when cycling or watching sport/events when most hobbyist photographers would look at that as an opertuneity to take pictures.
So I will go for a wander with the camera but it's with a mindset that I'm shooting images not doing anything else.
I don't do that incesent blogging the minutiae of everyday life through photography thing, I call that 'dioreahh of the shutter'

Most people I know who have made a pastime into a job end up having it change the way they spend their spare time.

What kind of photography do you do MrSmith?

i have 2 pastimes - cycling and music.

have been a pro musician and loved it, have been a cycle instructor/ mtb guide and it was a chore once the novelty wore off.

so my experiences are inconclusive.

I own a gardening business..

Love gardens:)

you'll never know unless you go !!

Take no advice from modern, western, brain dead, zombies.

They are!

Morally = bankrupt.
Spiritually = bankrupt.
Intellectually = bankrupt.
Financially = bankrupt.

Basically, the biggest bunch of **** ups, the world has ever known!

Became a sailing instructor/centre manager/yacht deliverer - sailing became a job and I could'nt step onto the water without it feeling like work. No longer work in the industry and also no longer have much desire to sail for pleasure.

Kaesae-you done any reading of marx yet ?

Most people I know who have made a pastime into a job end up having it change the way they spend their spare time.

That's why I started MTBing again! I'm much better at my job than I was before and I'm glad to have rediscovered the joys of bicycles.

kaesae...care to keep your irrelevence off this thread?

Seavers...no idea, I've tried quite a few different things with limited success in terms of satisfaction/happiness. Currently in LBS and hating it - but that's mostly the environment.

Feels a bit "last chance saloon" at 43!

I love cycling, but would not want to taint it with 'turning a coin'-- imagine having to be nice to mamil's.

i love reggae music, and with my best mate we have run a sound system for thirty years, still going strong, but we do it for the love not the money.

Joiner by occupation, never touch it outside of work !

What kind of photography do you do MrSmith?

kaesae has got his bearings when it comes to jobs,it's all part of life's cycle

I've been riding bikes for work and pleasure pretty much constantly for the last 4 years. Every day is work and every day is pleasure. I have never found myself getting tired of it although I have had days when every part of my body aches and I'd like to stay in bed. I still ride for fun when I can and the first thing I'm doing when I finish this season is going on a 2 week roadtrip with the bikes.

I was warned by a few people to be careful about making something I was so passionate about into my job. It's just not been a problem. If anything I enjoy it more because I'm fitter and better and get cool bikes to ride.

If I ever loose the love for it then I'll stop because I don't think you can ever put enough into it if you don't love it.

It depends on you, tbh. Some people love it, others want it seperate.

I'd love to make my hobby my job, not sure there's a great deal of money in pole dancing for me though, naked or not. Unless you're jenyne butterfly who charges £300 for an hr tuition it's pretty mediocre money wise :/ as for bikes, not a hope, I can barely stay on mine on the trails so no chance of going pro, selling bits or teaching. I like to pretend I'm super good when I'm doing it sometimes though, especially on a really steep bit 🙂 anyone else do that?

Still life/interiors/landscape and a bit of people for advertising/design mainly. Also do all my own retouching

Sounds pretty similar to what I do. Good to come across another photographer on here.

if doing what you love means making your hobby your job just means you'll have to find another hobby or vegetate in front of the tv of an evening.

i have 2 pastimes - cycling and music.

Snap!

Well actually I've got more, but my 2 main passions are cycling and music...

Currently work part time as a mechanic in LBS, and part time studying for a music degree. Absolutely loving it all right now, except I'm always bloody busy, and currently struggling for much time to actually ride my bike or make music.

But I'm happier right now than I've been in a long time...

Take no advice from modern, western, brain dead, zombies.

They are!

Morally = bankrupt.
Spiritually = bankrupt.
Intellectually = bankrupt.
Financially = bankrupt.

Basically, the biggest bunch of **** ups, the world has ever known!

He's never met me and yet he knows me so well. Spooky. I'm a gardener first and foremost but I also get some paid work teaching kids to ride bikes which is great fun but would maybe be less so if I was doing it every day. The variety is nice though. As far as the day job goes though, I chose it as I had a background in it although I would never have said that I love it. If I wasn't a gardener I'd like to think my own garden would be perfect. To answer your question, surely it's worth having a go at making a living out of something you love and if it doesn't work out take a step back.

I love cycling, but would not want to taint it with 'turning a coin'-- imagine having to be nice to mamil's.

It's exceptionally easy! Just remember that a fool and his money are easily parted. So smile, be nice, tell them how much that £4k bike will really make them a whole lot faster, and go home safe in the knowledge that guy just paid your wages for a month! 🙂

Feels a bit "last chance saloon" at 43!

Ha...I'm not that far behind you. Found myself unemployed a couple of years ago and despite looking at a lot of different things I went back to photography and started to freelance. Thankfully it is working out but I would love the reassurance of a regular wage! If environment if your main problem what chance is there you can find another LBS? I know that will not be easy but even if you have to commute working with a good bunch of folks could easily change everything.

seavers - ta but wrong time of year, even in Edinburgh. I'd prefer a change TBH, or to go back to law.

mboy - Member
So smile, be nice, tell them how much that £4k bike will really make them a whole lot faster, and go home safe in the knowledge that guy just paid your wages for a month

there's my problem, I prefer to give folk good advice.

Work in IT. No interest in IT outside work. Clear distinction is what is required unless you are lucky enough to work in your passion.

I love my job, but wouldn't go assessing self harmer's and folk that have attempted suicide in my free time.

I love cycling, but i also love a few other thing; girls, booze, a good cup of tea. I like variety why limit myself..

Take no advice from modern, western, brain dead, zombies.

Yeah they'll only want to eat your brains. Seriously - who's a zombie on here?

Cynic-al - can you have a career in spoon mangling?

IT WASN'T A SPOON

It's exceptionally easy! Just remember that a fool and his money are easily parted. So smile, be nice, tell them how much that £4k bike will really make them a whole lot faster, and go home safe in the knowledge that guy just paid your wages for a month!

are you telling me that there is that much profit in one bike ?

Like cynic-al says , i just would hate having to bull shit for money, don't mind for a laugh, but have never ripped people off, and i ain't going to start now.

I made my hobby my job 7 years ago, i now manage a bike shop.

I'm always flat broke. customers are a constant pain in the arse. I'm sorry to say its usually middle age know it all MTBers who take up all your time, ask all your advice then ignore it and F*** off to chain reaction. The best ones are the proper cyclists, who ride every day out of necessity. Its these customers that make it worthwhile.

The hours are long, the wages are crap, Hardly get time to ride.

But i play with bikes all day and gritting my teeth for an hour a day while some over payed specialized fan boy lectures me on compression damping is a small price to pay for not being an office drone.

I like my job (i think).

I wish you were my LBS Richie I would fund you.

I sail for a living in the summer and ski in the winter so have managed to turn my two passions into a living. It is somewhat precarious not necessarily knowing where your next pay cheque is coming from but seems to be working so far!

I used to work for a charter company years ago, I got to the stage where I hated sailing as I never got to do the stuff I wanted to do because I was always working. So I left and took a few years away and have been fortunate enough to now do the jobs I want freelance.

I guess it depends on getting the balance right to keep the enjoyment.

I wash pots, which isn't my hobby in any way, shape or form, but I have a laugh and our kitchen environment is really good, so the food tastes really good. I'd like a job in a bike shop, just so I know whether it's for me or not.

I'd like a job in a bike shop, just so I know whether it's for me or not.

Fred was advertising for Saturday staff?

it's interesting isn't it, cos the thing you love as an obsessive hobby, becomes something you can do as a living - that you are good at. But then you find out there are 1000's of people that are in the same boat all good at the thing you are good at. then it get's a bit competitive. What I Love is being outdoors with likeminded friends exploring the mountains and coast n stuff, free of any financial or professional burden in that moment.. but obviously that costs money. so I live somewhere near the things I love and share the costs with people that love what I love. The job I have is shite but it almost nearly pays for a living that I am almost happy with.

I suppose it depends how single-minded you are about your hobbies - I have some hobbies that make money (building bikes and things, photography sometimes), others that don't. The bits of running a bike shop that aren't fun (accounts etc) would be just as bad if I was doing something else, so they're the price I pay for getting to mess about in a workshop most of the day, chatting to people.

I couldn't afford to do my job as a hobby, but the job pays enough for my hobby.
If it was the other way round, I would still do the same 2 things. It mostly equates to being outdoors with [s]shiny[/s] bits of metal.

forester and bicyclist.

I got my first computer when I was about 13. That was over 30 years ago. I loved it then and I love working with computers now. Yeah, there's a load of crap that goes with it but computers will always be something I'm interested in, treat as a hobby and I'll be happy to carry on working with them till I retire. Pays quite well too. I could have earned a lot more selling my soul in easier trades but hey, you make your choices.

The job I have is shite

I used to work in a bike shop. I left to do other things. Missed it, so i'm in the process of opening my own bike shop. We open a week tomorrow. Can't wait.
Its in Market Bosworth, Leicestershire, in case you were wondering.

Cheers Rich, I spoke to Rob the day I saw the notice up but someone else had got it I think, keep meaning to drop in and let them know I'm still looking. You 3PCX'ing?