What’s in a hobby? Maybe you enjoy your hobby because it helps you relax, have fun, and release some creative energy. Whether it’s knitting, painting, gardening, songwriting, or sewing, it oftentimes comes naturally, and requires little thinking.
That’s the thing about hobbies, they don’t require structure or technique—right?
Wrong!
The author James Clear puts it this way: “Practicing the fundamentals of your craft is often boring, but when you master these core skills you begin to separate yourself from your competitors.”
While I agree with Clear’s sentiment, I disagree with his point that practicing has to be boring! By creating a little structure and using techniques from game design, you can cultivate your skillset to ensure you’re getting better at your hobby while still having fun!
Game designers are masters at what is called “gamification,” which basically means they have figured out ways to make games exciting, fun, and addicting. Think back to the old days of playing MarioKart on Super Nintendo to the proliferate online gaming communities today. It’s obvious that these game designers are really good at what they do! They have studied game mechanics and human behavior in order to optimize ways to keep people hooked to this billion-dollar industry. Yu-kai Chou wrote a book all about it, but to sum, some basic gamification techniques include point scoring, leveling up, competition, and reward.
Borrowing from some of the healthier motivators of gamification, here are five easy steps to help you gamify your hobby:
- Set one Big End Goal (and make sure it is SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound).
- Divide your end goal into smaller steps that increase in difficulty.
- Set lengths of time for each of those steps.
- Set rewards for achieving each of those steps.
- Share your Big End Goal with others and invite them to share in your final reward!
This is basically leveling up and receiving rewards!
Now, let’s walk through an example together. If you play an instrument, your Big End Goal could be writing an original song and performing it at an open mic night.
Big End Goal: Write an original song and perform it at an open mic night in two months.
This is a good goal because it is specific (write and perform a song), measurable (one song written and sung in public), achievable (eight weeks gives you plenty of time to write one song), relevant (You’re a musician and songwriting is relevant to your hobby), and time-bound (two months).
Let’s break down the steps into smaller actionable items that add up to your Big End Goal.
Week 1: Listen to other songs you like, find their chord progressions, and jot down some lyrics. Buy a bluetooth speaker or headphones.
Week 2: Use some of the chord progressions to make your own progression. Buy new guitar picks.
Week 3: Practice three times this week. If you do, get a manicure to ensure your nails are trimmed.
Week 4: Begin researching and visiting venues that have open mic nights. Grab ice cream on the way home!
Week 6: Practice five times this week, and memorize your chords and lyrics. Get a back, neck, and hand massage to loosen any tight muscles from practice.
Week 8: Perform your song and invite your friends to celebrate with dinner!
Notice that each of the steps has a deadline (in increments of weeks) and begins with a verb, which is something you will do. Each of the steps increases in difficulty and builds on the previous step, so you can’t really skip steps. Unlike in video games, there are no “cheat codes” to get to the end quickly.
Before you know it, you will have leveled up in your hobby and received some awesome rewards along the way.
Game designers have mastered techniques to keep you hooked. Turn these addictive tricks into ways to master your craft. By utilizing some of their techniques, you can set achievable goals, build your skillset, measure your progress, and enjoy the process along the way!
We’ve made you a worksheet that you can fill in like the example above to achieve your Big End Goals. Share with us your gamified plan let us cheer you on in your quest to master your hobby!
A resident of Pompano Beach, I’m a New Jersey native that loves summer too much to move home. I started The Rose Creative in 2012 with a few invitations and signage for my sister’s wedding. Now, I’ve opened my Etsy shop and expanded my business to calligraphy, logo design, jewelry making, and more. When I’m not working on my side hustle, find me reading on the beach!