There comes a time when most of us figure we that don’t need to learn more skills. We’re fine the way we are. This is also around the same time when we begin to envy the skills that others have. We wish we could be better but it would take too much effort. We’re already X age so we can never learn what we wished we could. But there’s always room for improvement. There’s never a reason to stop learning. So how can you tap into this motivation to pursue the skills you wish you had?
Expand your hobbies
The best way to start is to find a hobby you want to dedicate yourself too. If you take small steps you can test the waters to see if you want to dedicate time to learning the craft. Developing skills takes years and will never happen over night. I’ve always wanted to draw so I took drawing courses. Yet, I ended up frustrated because I couldn’t be perfect on the first try. This year I’ve decided to revisit it by taking smaller steps. I now have a sketchbook filling up with simple doodles of Animal Crossing characters. I do one sketch a day and color it in with color pencils. This way I won’t get frustrated with my skills and I can continue to draw every day.
Share something fun
There’s another good way to incorporate a new skill into your life. Surround yourself with others who have the same goals. I have a friend who takes the occasional painting class. I’m always impressed each time he showcases a new piece! His skills are growing and as he learns new techniques, he’ll be able to do more complex paintings. It helps to be around other people who want to learn the same skills because everyone can relate to each other.
Getting organized
I save everything I see something that inspires me. Later I’ll go back and focus on what drew me in. Then I organize these into collections depending on how they sparked my interest. I can go back and reference them if I need to and I won’t spend hours searching for that same inspiration. Keeping yourself organized will help you in the long run. You’ll have more time to dedicate to your craft instead of the pursuit of it.
Don’t give up
If I had given up on my hobbies then I would not be where I am today. Learning Adobe Photoshop was a hobby for me when I was 17 and now that I’m 30 I use it every day. I most recently helped design a logo for a new and upcoming business. I had a passion for graphic design before I even knew what it was. I thought it was a hobby for me and I didn’t pursue it in school until my final years. It makes me so sad to think of all the time I wasted doing what others wanted me to do. Instead I’m pushing forward on my own path. Don’t give up on your hobbies. Turn them into passions and you’ll never be happier!
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