If the past two years have taught us anything, it is that life can change suddenly. Things can change or end within a few weeks. But too many changes too fast can do more harm than good for mental health.
Having hobbies and passions can help you find order in a chaotic world where things seem to change too fast and too much.
Still, you do not want to waste your time on things that do not matter. So, what are hobbies and passions? How do they differ?
A passion is what you love to do the most, while a hobby is what you do during your free time for pleasure.
We’ll explain.
How do you distinguish between a hobby and a passion?
A hobby is an activity you regularly do outside of work, school, or other busy schedules. But passions are usually the intense feelings for certain things or activities that thrill an individual.
You can spend all day doing what you are passionate about because it makes you happy. You think about it constantly because it gives you so much joy. Whether for work or elsewhere, you don’t mind doing it repeatedly.
Those who are passionate about something become deeply involved in it. It can transcend all aspects of your life, including work, relationships, and school.
People often take up hobbies when they are bored or want to relax. However, some people take up hobbies they enjoy, learn from, or turn into a way of life to add an interesting layer to their lives.
A few examples of hobbies are:
- Watching TV, which 42% of American adults said is their go-to hobby.
- Browsing the internet
- Reading
- Hiking
- Knitting
- Swimming
- Collecting items
- Origami paper folding
Passions often connect to a compelling purpose, while hobbies are more a matter of choice. Although purpose is often about making a difference for others, passion is usually about self-fulfillment (and that’s okay, too). Here is more about the difference between purpose and passion.
The following are examples of passions:
- Keeping fit and healthy through exercise
- Vlogging to grow your influence
- Self-expression through painting
- Running marathons to build both physical and mental endurance
- Biking to nurture focus and coordination
- Traveling the world to meet new people and experience different cultures
But that’s not all.
Hobbies can be something you start because it is a trending thing, but passions draw you in with little influence from others. For example, many people took up home workouts during the pandemic.
Those who took up home workouts as a hobby will switch to something else or stop altogether when the lockdowns are lifted.
People who are passionate about keeping fit will continue to work out — regardless of where they are.
Why do you need a hobby or passion?
Each of them plays a vital role in your life.
A hobby provides an excellent opportunity to discover your passions. Hobbies can make you more interesting to others, but they can help you develop valuable skills for work or nurturing social relationships. A hobby can help you relax after work or during difficult times in your life, benefitting your mental health.
Discovering your passions can help you understand what makes you happy. You can then tell what life choices you can make to continue to enjoy your life.
Ultimately, passions often lead people to discover what is truly fulfilling in life – that which they can choose to do with sharper focus and consistency to experience more profound meaning and fulfillment in their everyday lives (purpose).
We hope this post helped you differentiate the meaning of purpose, passion, and hobby so that you can live your best life now.
Over To You
You’re exploring this because you don’t want to settle for mere existence. Instead, you want to live fully. So choose passions and hobbies that inspire you to grow. That way, you’ll get closer to living your best life without wasting time.
You can, for example, learn to play a musical instrument, try to do some origami paper folding, hike to stay healthy, connect with nature lovers, join an eco-friendly cause, or just make good friends.
Likewise, a passion like blogging or vlogging can help you grow as an influencer. Your blog or channel can be a powerful platform for teaching others about your hobby as well as a nice source of income.
So, what’s yours?
Disclaimer : The information provided in this site is for educational purposes only, and it is not a substitue for professional advice. See the full disclaimer for more details.
Shachar is a blogger and sensitive person who worked in a recruitment company and holds a master’s degree in sociology. After years of struggles to find purpose, he made this blog to help others find their purpose more efficiently. He likes to play chess, walk in nature, and take photos in his free time.