[Closed] Have you ever made a career choice based on hobbies?

When you're 70 will you be happier looking back at all the time you spent riding or all the time you spent doing your 'hobby job'?

No idea on your personal circumstances but the 'weeks away from home' thing can put a strain on relationships and you woudl miss a lot of any children's lives.

I did a degree in photography which had been a hobby and then went on to do that as a job for 7 years. It was a fantastic job but that was based a lot on the very narrow field I worked in which was quite specialised and not the sort of thing you could ever do unless you were employed in the field.

One thing is that if you do pursue a hobby as a career you'll probably need o find yourself a new hobby.

Yes....but it's not always that simple.

I've always been interested in computers, tinkering with them, understanding how they work etc. I now work in autonomous systems research - basically I try to make satellites and mars rovers smarter.

It's not tinkering with computers, it's much more than that (infact it's more about the maths) but it definitely relates to it.

I said it's not simple - I do appreciate I'm very fortunate that something that's a passion for me is both a very commercially desirable skill and I'm proficient at it.

Yes tried it and it didnt work.

When I was a motorbike courier in London I didnt ride the bike on the weekend I also got quite fearfull of traffic, weird as the fear would go as soon as I pulled the lid on and went on circuit.

you'll probably need o find yourself a new hobby.

Truth here - I tinker with computers a lot less at home now. I see people doing cool hacks with quadcopters and the like and it's the sort of thing I'd be interested in doing - but just a bit too much like work just now.

Yes, much the same as per ia's post, I work in engineering and have always liked making stuff and always been interested in electronics and gadgets. I'm currently making avionics. Happy days 🙂

But as mentioned, I'm lucky that what is essentially my interest is commercially desirable.

But gadgets are no longer a hobby interest... My hobby is now mtbs...

Intellingent quadcopters from Mars!!

Truth here - I tinker with computers a lot less at home now.

I enjoy my primary employment and secondary job but secondary is now stopping me enjoying other things that I think I value more...

(£200 a month, could work 2 nights in a pub for that

What sort of pub are you working in to get £100 a night? 🙂

Yep, as per IA. I was very interested in computers as a child, made my own from electronics magazines (simple PROM programmers and the like), had home computers before most people knew they existed.

I spent a lot of spare time programming and building electronic circuits right up to when I started looking for a permanent job when I started work working on the new electronic telephone exchanges. Kept my hand in with programming/electronics and eventually made myself a very good career out of computing.

Peterfile I meant 2 days a week. Would still be 80% less time consumed compared to my second job atm.

I'm not talking of making a career out of my hobbies, more so quitting a job to maintain a hobby...

I'm working my notice in my IT distribution job so I can work in the LBS.

Canny wait 🙂

Still doubt there's a pub paying 12.50 an hour.

If you don't need the money then quit the hobby job and spend it riding/with your family/watching Premiership football, whatever.

If it's something where you can pick work up as you require it then you can always try a couple of months "sabbatical" and go back to it if you miss the extra cash.

Good luck Tom!
You'll be seeing a lot more of these in the future. 😉

[img] [/img]

I would quit the second job for another part time job doing something that isn't so time consuming and is something I enjoy. I like spannering stuff and getting grubby whilst trying to fix shit like most blokes and I enjoy working with animals but my second job involves cutting people out of cars which I also enjoy but the commitment is too much for me right now...

I ended up where I am today because I loved maps when I was 13. Does that count? 🙂

Sainsbury's? Oh, how the other half live.....

I decided to become a physio after spending years rubbing people up the wrong way. 😉

part time firebobby-- bit of a commitment that job-- for me if you not enjoying what you do--and its not essential , get out---life too short...

I've worked for the last 25 years in an office and the last 17 years behind the same desk in the same office. I sit staring out of the window wanting to be out there riding or anything at all.
I've always been tempted to go to the city for a bit more money but it's the time I'd loose commuting and the cost which keeps me working within 10 miles from home.
I get to spend 2 hours with my family every morning before work and I can be home by just after 5pm so able to spend yet more time with family. I have two part time jobs, working in a bike shop every other weekend, which keeps me in cheap bikes and parts and several times a year I contract out to charity organizations guiding them on charity rides around the world. This allows me to have mini adventures and keep me sane rather than chase the extra money in the city and run out of family time. Off to ride Stage 5 of TDF on Thursday and then Vietnam to Cambodia in October. Hobby jobs are fine but it's getting the balance right that is important.

sort of, I chose my university and course based on access to surf.

I was a territorial for a while.

Great fun playing on assault courses and rough camping in the woods, but it was quite the time-eater. Add it to a London commute and it got difficult to see bikes and friends.

I applied for the regs to get round this and make it more of a vocation, but injuries sidelined me.

I've said before on this forum, I'm annoyed that the military is an itch I've never properly scratched.

Take from that what you will. 🙂