If you are wondering what the difference between a hobby and a passion is, read on for key definitions and the key signs that your favorite recreation is something that is going to change your life!
There are the Hobbies You Dabble in and Then There is a Passion…
It’s not always easy to differentiate between a hobby and a passion. Hobbies are often the beginnings of a lifelong love, enthusiasm for, and exercise of particular interest or pastime.
It can be hard to pinpoint when this metamorphosis occurs but if we are fortunate there are some activities or occupations in our life where we will experience and embrace authentic passion.
Firstly, a few key definitions so we know what we are dealing with.
What is a hobby?
A hobby is an activity that you do regularly, as a recreation in your spare time. Hobbies are not pursued professionally or for a wage.
Interestingly the etymology of the word “hobby” comes from 17th century English as a shortening of the word “hobbyhorse”, a common child’s plaything at that time.
The hobbyist pursues their interest for simple pleasure, though the levels of commitment to hobbies may vary greatly between individuals.
What is passion?
The word passion is derived from the Latin word “pati”, to endure. And indeed, a passion is about a greater and deeper commitment with strong emotive quality.
A passion arouses intense enthusiasm for a cause or interest that may not be so easily relinquished once found.
6 Signs that You Have a Passion on Your Hands!
Hobbies are usually commenced with the intention of being maintained, but in most cases are unlikely to meet the definition of a passion. But every so often someone stumbles across that perfect match.
Let’s take a look at 6 key signs that you could have a bona fide passion in the making with your favorite pastime:
1. An authentic passion gets real commitment out of you.
If you have a skill or activity you desire to accomplish, you just know it will require your all. Challenges, fatigue, and failure will not deter you from the pursuit of a passion.
With a hobby, you can skip a week or stop altogether if you can’t be bothered, but a passion demands more!
Passions push you to your limits when it comes to the sacrificing of time, resources, and energy. All that matters is achieving your goals and doing the thing you love.
2. You will want to devote every waking moment to pursuing your passion.
Hours will seem like fleeting moments when you are doing your passion. It may have started as a humble hobby, but an interest that is a passion is very much vocational.
The right pastime will feel like the only reason time exists in your world, often to the neglect of essentials like sleeping, washing, and eating!
You will definitely need patient and forbearing friends and family in your life because they are likely to spend a lot of time waiting for you to wrap up your projects and endeavors.
Alternatively, your passion may be a shared one with your spouse or family, willing participants, and helpers in joint projects and adventures related to your interest.
3. Your passion will change your life.
A passion will shape your life as you spend time immersed in it. Many enthusiasts who develop a real passion for a pastime may find themselves, traveling or moving home for better opportunities to exercise their skill.
There is no better person to learn from than someone who has a particular topic or interest as a passion, and you may find yourself putting the time in to share yours with others.
People sharing their passions have driven the growth of platforms like YouTube, due to their ability to spread their infectious enthusiasm for a subject.
Some enthusiasts meet their life partner during the pursuit of their passion, or if it is a craft or skill that is lucrative, start a business that harnesses its productivity for profit.
4. Passions are never fully mastered, you are never done learning or accomplishing with them.
Your love of an interest that becomes a passion will mean that you will never be done with it. There will always be a sense of awe and mystery retained that keeps you inquisitive and desirous to learn more.
You will want to explore books, films, exhibitions, and even destinations related to the pursuit of a passion. Fellow enthusiasts will also interest and excite you as you share insights and experiences related to your shared interest.
Once you have perfected the required skills involved with a passion, you can enter the realm of innovation revising techniques and tactics and developing new ones.
5. If a passion is not your livelihood, you’ll need it to be.
Many people with a passion will look for work that is related to their interest or that facilitates it by providing advantageous hours or remuneration.
Though may not always be possible, many enthusiasts find a way to making the transition to earning a living from their passion.
6. A passion becomes part of who you are and how you express yourself.
You are likely to become known for your passion, usually because is it all you ever talk about! Passions are that area of life that provides you with enrichment, fulfillment, and joy.
Can a Humble Hobby Grow into a Potent Passion?
Hobbies may seem a little neglected in this article, but they are the young saplings from which the big tree of passion grows.
Hobbies are a great way of exploring and exercising interests that can become a real passion with time.
By setting aside time to learn more about a hobby before starting it, you can look for the hobbies that you are most likely to stick with and develop.
Feed your interest and enthusiasm for a hobby by doing it regularly and perhaps attending clubs or events; where you can encounter fellow enthusiasts and potentially become that rare person who pursues your hobby as a passion.
Give it time and you may well find that you have a life-changing passion in the making!
