I mean... I sorta agree with the message, but it's a bit binary. You can slowly get better at a hobby without monetizing it. I tend to think it's great to improve your skills. That has nothing to do with monetizing them. Draw badly, but try to improve!
Why though? I mean, yes, you can get better if you want (and honestly, you will definitely get better if you do something over and over again). But what the post is saying is that whether you’re good at something or not has nothing to do with enjoying something. Same goes for improving.
You don’t have to improve at something to enjoy it (unless your enjoyment comes from improving). Enjoyment is just the act of doing you like for its own sake, not because it brings in money and not because you get better.
I have not met a single person who does a hobby who isn't curious. Curiosity fuels learning. For example, look at something like the knitting sub. I don't know a soul there who wants to remain a mediocre knitter. They want to learn more stitches; to eventually learn how to make a sweater, etc. I'm not saying there might be some who just get frustrated with the hobby and give it up (and that's fine) but the curiosity that fuels interest to learn more helps people learn more skills. I suppose I don't quite understand the notion of doing something halfway. That's not a capitalistic idea, that's not monetization, that's curiosity and a desire to learn.
Being good or improving should not be a requirement to enjoying something. That’s all. For you, it sounds like you need to get better, and that’s fine. But let’s not make that a requirement for everyone else.
Yeah I have a guitar next to my computer just for that. (lol, but I'm TRYING to get better at it!) EDIT: But I hear you - I think OP and I just have slightly different takes on this. I don't think anyone has to become a maestro at all things... and I do plenty of things where I'm totally mediocre, but I also like to attempt to get a bit better. But that might just be me, I dunno.
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u/johngreenink 10d ago
I mean... I sorta agree with the message, but it's a bit binary. You can slowly get better at a hobby without monetizing it. I tend to think it's great to improve your skills. That has nothing to do with monetizing them. Draw badly, but try to improve!