Valuing Hobbies the Same as Passions
Although everyone has hobbies or passions, many assume that one’s hobby is of lesser importance when compared to one’s “passion”. I, however, am a person that considers them of equal importance. In school, I was never the kid who trained to be a star athlete from age five, or the kid who said he wanted to be an astronaut since he could speak.
Discovering Video Games
Playing video games was a hobby I’d found at the early age of four. Sure, the flashing lights and bright colors were nice, but what I love most about gaming is the factor of critical thinking and improvement.
I loved fighting games so much that I started to compete in tournaments in middle school. I grew up playing the Super Smash Bros. series, so the latest installment on the Nintendo Switch console was the game I decided to focus on.
Combos, creating gameplans versus specific characters, there was a lot for me to learn if I wanted to compete. I’d often get frustrated after a week of long and meaningful practice, only to lose to another player 3-4 rounds into the tournament.
Becoming Intentional with my Hobbies
This was when I changed my outlook on gaming and became a lot more intentional with all my hobbies in general. Instead of being over-critical of results, I focused on the benefits that came with improvement.
Even though I typically didn’t win entire tournaments, I was content with how I was using my pattern recognition and problem-solving skills to get past specific opponents and overcome obstacles. I learned patience and humbleness by being excited to learn from my mistakes, rather than getting annoyed because I lost.
The Importance of Improvement
I believe that everyone should take on some hobby with one main goal in mind: improvement. A new type of confidence is instilled in us when we get over hurdles and make some sort of progress, allowing us to take on different mindsets that we can apply to different parts of our lives.
Create a space where you can let go of your worries, weaknesses, responsibilities, and restrictions. A positive space where you can appreciate how much work you’ve put in, as well as how much further you could go.
Finding A Physical Hobby
For me, basketball is another hobby that is all about intention.
Although I can’t dunk and throw lobs like the players in the NBA, being intentional about improving my left-hand dribbling has been a great mental and physical outlet after a hard day.
Working on left hand coordination isn’t the most flashy or exciting thing to do in basketball, but the focus and discipline on addressing my weaknesses (even when I don’t feel like it) has been something I’ve implemented into all parts of my life.
Even now as I graduate, I have to make a conscious decision to keep improving and being the best version of myself that I can be, rather than plateauing and becoming content. At the same time, it’s never too early to take a step back and reflect on all the hard work you’ve already done.
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