Stay Motivated

Emil Lykke Grann

September 1, 2024

Sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated – to build projects, become better, and achieve your goals. I’ve previously talked about how showers can give you a mental break, clear your mind, and help you stay motivated to chase your dreams. Today, I’m going to share another technique:

Don’t have just one hobby.

So, what do I mean by that? My main hobby is coding. I love creating new projects and building things from scratch. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of finishing a project that solves a problem you’ve been dealing with, using nothing but your own problem-solving skills. It’s an awesome sense of accomplishment. BUT I don’t always code when I have time for myself. Sometimes, I’m just not in the mood for it, and that’s where my other hobbies come into play.

The truth is, something you love doing one day can feel boring the next. And that’s totally normal. That’s why I have multiple hobbies. For instance, I enjoy hitting up thrift shops or browsing online marketplaces for great deals. Finding something awesome at a bargain price brings me a different kind of satisfaction.

Another one of my hobbies is swimming. I love it because it’s healthy, and it helps clear my mind from daily stress. Just two days ago, I competed in an open water swimming contest and swam 2 km. And let me tell you, the feeling of accomplishment afterward was incredible.

The real reason I’m talking about having multiple hobbies is that they can save your day. When one of the things you usually love feels boring, it’s easy to get restless and end up doing nothing. For me, that can lead to feeling unaccomplished and even more bored than before. But when I switch gears and do something else I enjoy – like reading when coding feels like a chore more than a hobby – I feel better and more fulfilled, which ultimately keeps me motivated to pursue all the things I love.

Not sure if this makes sense, but I’ve found that doing something you enjoy each day can positively impact other areas of your life, even beyond that moment of joy.