Episode 235: Hobbies (2023 Rerun)

Getting to Good Enough

In what appears to be a new tradition, every other January we run this episode on Hobbies, one of our favorites. It first appeared in January 2019. Enjoy!

Perfectionism can get in the way of starting or enjoying hobbies. This week Shannon and Janine talk about their hobbies (and attempted hobbies) and share strategies for getting past perfectionism so you can enjoy your hobbies.

Discussion topics include:

• How every hobby Shannon’s had has been marred by perfectionism

• How perfectionism can get in the way of starting and enjoying a new hobby

• The fact that new hobbies usually have to be bad before they can get good

• How Shannon inspired Janine to start knitting fourteen years ago (spoiler alert: only one of them is still knitting)

• Process versus results in doing hobbies (like knitting)

• Janine’s 12-year adventure with Barbara Walker’s Learn-to-Knit Afghan

• Why starting a hobby by shopping can be a mistake

• How Shannon is managing to stick with her latest hobby: Learning Portuguese

• How guided lessons can help provide structure to make learning a new hobby fun

• Figuring what counts as engaging in your hobby when you’re starting out

• How frequent practice can make learning a new hobby easier