Flash-Hobbies: How Fleeting Passions Make Your Life More Interesting and Fulfilling

Do you collect hobbies?

Last year, I found myself obsessed with learning how to make synth music. I've always been a fan of that 80s electronic sound and I'm a decent musician so it seemed like a natural fit.

I dove in head first.

I dropped money on gear. I spent who knows how many hours watching videos, reading tutorials, and browsing websites. It was my new life passion.

Incredible music was just around the corner, right?

But after all that, I'd made one song. One. It wasn't even complete. My brain had moved on—the motivation to continue was gone.

This is a common experience.

New hobbies get you excited. You invest, time, energy, and money only for it to fizzle some time later.

When hobbies fade after that initial excitement and investment, it's easy to feel discouraged and beat yourself up for "yet another failed hobby."

You default to feeling regret, shame, and emptiness.

But why? Why is this a failure?

If you enjoyed your time, treat the experience like a success. Now you're familiar with an interesting world you previously didn't know. And if the passion comes back, you've got a great starting place to jump from.

Take joy in exploring these flash-hobbies that grab you. When it's time to move on, do so without regret.

Appreciate the insight you gained and the fun you had.

Don't be afraid to just enjoy the ride.