Starting New Hobbies Today, Not Later

The Start of New and Out-of-Reach Hobbies

I imagine I am not the only one to have thought to themselves, “When I retire I am going to get really into (insert classical old person hobby).” That hobby might be bird watching, writing, pottery, reading, or playing bingo. But here’s the obvious thing that only clicked for me this year: I can start doing these things now.

The myth of “later”

I have weekends to go look at birds. I have time to read on the train. I don’t need to wait until some distant future version of myself to begin exploring new interests.

After all, won’t an old and retired, or maybe a middle-aged and rich version of myself who doesn’t need to work appreciate that I spent my younger years building up the skills early so that I can flourish now?

Practice before retirement

All of this hit me when I reflected on what I proved to myself over the last three years through the gym: I can enter a new domain and get better at a thing. So why not apply what I learned and try more things.

Like the gym, I’ll start out bad at the thing. Over time there will be gains. Over night I will feel my brain make new connections, recognise new patterns, and get better at doing the thing.

Trying writing as a new practice

All of this to say, one of the new things I am trying is writing. I hope to make more posts on Substack about the things I am trying. Or perhaps I should say, the things I am practising for my future self’s enjoyment.

This feels less like a hobby I plan to save for later and more like a practice I can begin today.

A small conclusion

If there’s one takeaway, it is this: you don’t need to save “old person hobbies” for later. Start now, learn as you go, and let your future self enjoy the results.

Peace!