My favourite hobby has got boring, Why?: How Passion Fades

01/09/24 - This has *only* been grammar-checked by AI.

Passion projects are thrilling — especially at the beginning. You throw yourself into them with energy and enthusiasm, updating your website daily, even hourly, driven by the excitement of creation and the satisfaction of seeing your vision come to life (obvious personal story). So how come my passion, where I did this for multiple weeks, just suddenly fizzed out for no reason? That spark has began to fade. What happens when something you once couldn’t wait to work on suddenly feels like a chore, or worse, gets left untouched for days?

Disinterest is a natural part of the human experience, shocker. The initial thrill of novelty is often sustained by the brain’s reward system, particularly the release of dopamine (it's our friend from the other article!), which reinforces behaviours that lead to pleasure and satisfaction. When we start a new project, the dopamine rush keeps us engaged, excited, and motivated to continue. However, as time passes and the novelty wears off, dopamine levels decrease, and the task that once felt rewarding begins to feel routine. Hyperfixation starts to become sub-par, or boring to us because it just doesn't fulfil us anymore.

I'm bored of psychological stuff, don't tell me about it!

This decline in interest can be understood through the psychological concept of habituation, where repeated exposure to the same stimulus leads to a diminished response. Essentially, what was once exciting becomes familiar, and the brain no longer rewards us in the same way. This is why tasks that were once exhilarating can start to feel mundane over time, especially when long and tenuous like article-writing. It's abit close to home!

Science once again is my bible buddy at the moment, and Wikipedia is my church. Disinterest can happen with the inevitable shift in priorities and attention. Stuff changes everyday. A plan doesn't go 100% always! Humans are naturally drawn to what feels novel and challenging. As we progress through a project, we might encounter new interests or responsibilities that demand our attention. The brain, always on the lookout for new stimuli, may start to focus on other activities that promise fresh rewards. This shift can happen gradually, often without us even realizing it. For example, when I done radio presenting, after a few years, I got heavily bored and wanted something harder to do, so I did television presenting and producing instead! That's EXACTLY what had happened!

On the topic of setting it on fire, Burnout!

This sort of "phenomenon" (can you call it that?) can also be linked to the “sunk cost fallacy,” where we continue to invest in something because of the time and effort already spent, even if our interest has completely faded away. However, when disinterest sets in and crawls over the cranium... or brain, it’s common to find ourselves pushing the project aside, either consciously or subconsciously, in favour of something that feels more immediately rewarding. What's the difference between this and burnout then? I hear you asking, I know! Burnout is another critical factor in the decline of interest but SUPERLY different in terms of how it affects an interest in anything. When we invest significant time and energy into a project, especially without adequate breaks, we can exhaust our mental and emotional resources. Burnout isn’t just about physical exhaustion; it’s a state of emotional and mental depletion that can make even the most enjoyable activities feel burdensome.

This burnout doesn't only happen to passion projects neither, it happens to EVERYTHING. Relationships, TV shows, food, the lot. Burnout can even manifest as a lack of motivation, creativity, or the ability to focus — symptoms that can easily be mistaken for simple disinterest. However, while disinterest can be a natural shift in focus, burnout is a more serious condition that requires intentional recovery, such as taking time off, reassessing goals, and finding new sources of inspiration. All of which are really hard to do, but are never impossible.

So, is it really all doom and gloom then? Nope. The good news is that disinterest doesn’t have to be permanent. Sometimes, all it takes is a new perspective or approach to reignite your passion. A change of scenery or routine can reignite your interest. Try working on your project in a different location or at a different time of day to break the monotony. Following the same path of thought, if the project has become too "routine", introduce new challenges or goals. This could mean exploring a new aspect of the project or setting more ambitious targets that push you out of your comfort zone.

Even then, sometimes its a step away that you need. Allowing yourself to become disinterested until something rekindles the same love and hope you had at the start is (most of the time) the greatest thing that can happen to an abandoned project. I've done this plenty of times, it really does work. I used to write articles in 2017 until I was bored of them. Picked it back up in 2019, then dropped, and now I am back in 2024 with brilliant ideas and with an A-Level in English Language so I know what the hell I ramble on about and how to word it for you to read in my tone of voice, like I am simply chatting to you on the other end of the phone. Giving yourself permission to take a break can help you return with fresh eyes and renewed energy.

Finally, it’s important to recognize that disinterest is a natural part of the creative process. Our interests evolve, and it’s okay to move on from a project when it no longer serves you. What might feel like disinterest could actually be growth — a signal that you’re ready for a new challenge or that your creative energy is leading you in a different direction. It’s not about clinging to the past but embracing the journey, knowing that every project, whether completed or set aside, is a step forward in your creative evolution. Except from the twat who came up with "Live Laugh Love" because that cunt hasn't came up with 'owt better for years now. So, maybe he should step away from a quote maker.

Thank you so much for reading this! Sadly, I am disinterested in writing something here as it's 7:16am as I write this. I'm sleepy. Shout-out to beds. Thank you. My homie Pillows are sick