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Comment by Broken_Hippo | Hacker News Reader

How often are you just having fun with these interests instead of doing it for self-improvement?

I mean, guitar for instance. Regular practice is good, but if you aren't having fun while doing it, it just means you feel like you are working during your free time. If you program for a living, doing it in your free time might feel like work even if you enjoy it. And so on.

I'll also mention that when trying out new things, it doesn't matter if you finish a project. You tried something, might or might not have liked it, and possibly figured it wasn't for you or that you rather like spending free time doing other things.

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I think a lot of times I am having fun, but when I do, I decide beforehand that I want to learn a certain thing and often times I don't finish what I wanted to finish. I'm not really working on self-improvement as a goal but, I went and looked at my life and what I wanted to see changed. Personal health is one of those and relieving frustration from my rapidly changing hobbies and interest is another.

I do program for a living as part of an internship currently. However, I want to try out the cybersecurity field and in an attempt to pursue that path I feel obligated to spend my free time working towards that path, but I can't seem to dose it, I commit to it 110% and burn out after 1-2 weeks. I think with most things I want a quick result, which I know I won't be able to get unless I pour everything I have into it.

I do share your last point, I often am enjoying myself while being invested in it, but the thing is I still enjoy it afterwards, I just can't seem to balance it with the other things I enjoy.

Ah. Honestly, I'd schedule and work on easing into things.

One of the things some folks teach with meditation is to manage time. Did you manage to sit for 5 minutes? If so, score, you did it. Also, many opt to introduce things slowly - so even if it going easily that day, once the timer goes off, you are done. That's it, that's all the time you get that day. It is similar with exercise: Ease into it so you don't hurt yourself. Perhaps this sort of attitude would help you with some of the more intense things - so, instead of putting 110% into two weeks, you are putting 110% into during the limited time you have for that activity and trying to set yourself up for better results long-term. It'll seem hard at first.

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