Your Hobby Does Not Have to Make You Money

Remember when you were younger and would lose yourself in something you loved? Maybe it was reading until your eyes hurt, or writing stories in small notebooks, or painting anything you found nice. Back then, you didn’t need a reason. You did it because it made you feel alive.

But somewhere along the way especially around the COVID-19 lockdown era, a switch flipped. Suddenly, it wasn’t enough to love something. You had to leverage it. You had to monetize it. Your hobby needed a business plan.

The internet screamed, “Turn your passion into profit!” And before you knew it, what once gave you joy started to feel like a hustle.

Well, this post is your permission slip to opt out. Sail with us as we cruise through why it’s perfectly okay to have hobbies that don’t earn you a single naira.

There’s no doubt hustle culture has taken over. Everywhere you turn, someone is selling something digital products, art prints, coaching sessions, eBooks. The message is loud and clear:

“If you’re good at something, don’t do it for free.”

Then came social media. Suddenly, everyone became a “brand.” If you loved photography, you had to become a content creator. If you liked cooking, you should be posting recipe reels with perfectly edited voiceovers.

But the thing is when every interest turns into a side hustle, it leaves little room for rest, play, or plain joy.

The Value of a Pure Hobby

Not everything you love has to come with a price tag.

Sometimes, the most valuable things are the ones you do just for the sake of doing them.

1. Joy for joy’s sake: When you read a novel or draw something random just because it makes you happy, that joy is enough.

2. An emotional or creative outlet: Hobbies give your brain a break. They let you express yourself freely, without deadlines.

3. A deeper sense of self: They remind you that you're more than your GPA, your job title, or your side hustle.

Your identity can exist beyond productivity.

Monetizing Your Hobby

Monetizing a hobby isn’t always a bad idea, but it’s not always the best, either.

1. Deadlines kill the vibe: Once money enters the equation, so do deadlines, clients, revisions, and stress. Suddenly, your escape turns into another to-do list.

2. Comparison creeps in: When you share your work publicly, it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing likes, followers, and engagement. That innocent joy becomes tainted by numbers.

3. Losing the "why": When the focus shifts to monetization, we often lose the original reason we started. What was once a passion becomes a chore.

It’s okay to protect your hobby from becoming a business. You don’t owe the world a product.

Your hobby doesn’t need to make money to be worthy.

You don’t have to sell your paintings, start a YouTube channel, or launch a business just because you’re good at something.

In conclusion, there is beauty in doing things purely because you love them.

So go ahead, crochet that muffler, sing in the shower, fill that sketchbook, write that poetry. Reclaim your right to play. Celebrate your unmonetized hobbies.

Because, a hobby is already valuable the moment it brings you joy