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More specifically, if you are striving for excellence in a particular area of your life, must it be your primary life focus?

edited Dec 8 at 0:02

asked Dec 6 at 0:27

Vesuvius
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eleanor sawitsky · Answer 1 · 2009-12-15 12:06:41Z UTC

of course you can become exceptional at a hobby for a variety of reasons-if a hobby is defined as an interest- then art, music, science etc. can be pusued to any level as befits the innate talents of the individual.the sky is the limit. for some, because of restaints in life, be they financial, personal etc.-the professional pursuit of the intest may have been unable to be fulfilled yet they can achieve '' professional'' status in the knowledge there of.money has nothing to do with it although it may take a certain amount of it in order to pursue such interests

Michaela · Answer 2 · 2009-12-06 14:13:53Z UTC

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If it is something you really enjoy and are able to devote time to doing it, then I see no reason why you cannot become exceptional at it. I think the real secret to life would be finding your "hobby" which you enjoy immensely, becoming exceptional at it and getting paid to do it and hopefully it benefits, or provides enjoyment for, others too. This is probably what defines the difference between a successful or mediocre artist or performer.

answered Dec 6 at 14:13

Michaela
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	I have heard this metric before: you are successful if you make money at it. I'm not sure this is true. I have seen extraordinary talents who do not make a lot of money from their craft; the skills for making money from art are different than the making of the art. – Vesuvius Dec 8 at 1:16
	I think you misinterpreted my answer, nowhere did I say " you are successful if you make money at it ". I meant that ideally it would be great if we could become exceptional at our hobby and get paid to do it too. Apologies if I didn't clarify it enough :-) – Michaela Dec 8 at 1:40

Rani Oberoi · Answer 3 · 2009-12-06 13:01:17Z UTC

If you put in enough time, effort and practice, you can get exceptional at anything in my mind. Practice makes perfect as they say.

A hobby is an activity that you enjoy doing, usually in your leisure time. If you get exceptional at it, then the enjoyment you get out of it should still be there unless the only reason you practiced as a hobby was just to get exceptional at it.

Even if it becomes a profession, the fact that you enjoy it implies that it will still be a hobby. Except your work time has now become your leisure time.

Jaianniah · Answer 4 · 2009-12-06 00:46:31Z UTC

Absolutely! Hobbies are fun, and as we pursue them in our lives, we can indeed become non-professional experts at what we do. The best thing that could happen is if your hobby turns into a profession! It will still "feel" like a hobby to you, but you start getting noticed for your work.

I have many hobbies, and in some, I have learned enough to teach them, and I do. In the teaching, it still feels to me like a hobby. If it stopped being fun, though, I would quit in a minute and go back to hobby status! After all, that is what makes a hobby a hobby! Some of us are not blessed with jobs we love. It is then that our hobbies help us through life. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of having hobbies to flesh out your life! You meet new people, and have fun "building your skill-sets".

I hope this helps!

Blessings, Jai

Can you become exceptional at something if it’s a hobby?

4 Answers