alleypostbad: Getting Started on a New Hobby/Project

Whenever we think about starting a new hobby/project, we tend to get overwhelmed.

In one of my favourite articles written by Tim Wu in the NY times called "in Praise of Mediocrity" (link), he mentioned:

"I’ve come to think, that so many people don’t have hobbies: We’re afraid of being bad at them. Or rather, we are intimidated by the expectation — itself a hallmark of our intensely public, performative age (…) Our “hobbies,”(…) have become too serious, too demanding, too much an occasion to become anxious about whether you are really the person you claim to be."

As ironic and cliché as it may be, the hardest bit about having a new hobby is taking the first step. To be more specific, taking the first step proper. Whenever we get started, we tend to overwhelm ourselves with the expectation that we need to be skillful and placed in a perfect environment to deem respected to pursue it. This is in itself extremely ironic, mastery can only be acquired overtime with consistency alongside trial and error.

If we don't, we end up not starting or giving up altogether.

The trick is to take it in small convenient steps.

Here's the real deal on how to get started on something new:
(I'll be using art and exercise as an example)

Know it is okay to suck at something new - it is new, after all.

We typically give ourselves excuses before we can even start: we don’t have the right materials, it's not the right time etc. Thing is, the best time to try something is now and with whatever you have
We should think of having great equipment after

Have a goal but make everyday goals so small and easy it's almost impossible to not do it. At the beginning, give yourself a hard stop right after completing, do not do additional.

Art: I'll never work on another painting that day no matter how much I want to in order to look forward to working on it the next day
Exercise: Taking a 5-minute walk or run and have a hard stop there until the next day comes.
This way piques your interest and motivation by allowing yourself to be challenged without being overwhelmed

Make your environment work for you

Art: I placed my drawing materials on my desk so that I'm reminded to paint everyday and it also makes it so convenient for me that it's hard to say no to it
Exercise: I either plan a comfortable route around my neighbourhood or do stretches at home without having too many additional process to think before I even get started.

It is only when you get started consistently where you try to modify it. As Picasso had said ""Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist."

Here's a visual representation on how I'm working on my 30-day challenge (link) - a mini art project whilst having we're having our circuit breaker moment in Singapore: