Ask HN: How do I develop a new interest/hobby?

I think a common barrier is that people don't give themselves a chance to get into new things because they subconsciously pidgeonhole themselves as not elegible. Expose yourself to lots of novel things. Try not to think too much about your expectations of yourself or your identity, and focus on what grabs your interest. Don't concern yourself about whether a potential hobby fits within your established self image or popular perception of your profession.

When i was 15 i told myself it was too late to start learning to play an instrument despite my lifelong interest in composing music. I was used to excelling in other areas, and i now realize the prospect of both being behind and learning more slowly than my peers who started as children was a taken as a threat to my identity by my teenage brain. Now im over 30 and finally started seriously learning music theory, and it's been a deeply fulfilling and mind expanding experience. I wish i had given myself a chance half a lifetime ago.

I think a lot of folks may succumb to a 1-up mentality to become the most knowledgeable, best at something, to keep pursuing that interest to no end. Maybe folks like that just enjoy the pursuit more than the activity.

I suspect that people that become deeply interested in something that their pursuit of it appears all-consuming also end up having that interest be a part of their persona. It defines them.

People approach a hobby like running and maybe they just assume the end-goal is running marathons. They have to have the best running shoes, heart rate monitor, sport watch with GPS, running shorts, special headphones, etc. Maybe you'll enjoy running just one mile in a pair of discount running shoes.

Its ok if you have a different level of interest in a hobby. Maybe you have 5 different hobbies you are interested in and like the dynamic nature of switching to a different hobby when you get a little bored with one.

I like to find something with purpose - teaching myself android to build my own apps, learning to be a beekeeper so I can use the honey for mead, etc.

You might be find fulfillment from a perspective different from my 'usefulness' tendency

If you are even slightly interested in a new hobby, try it out. If it's something like beekeeping, go to a bee club and ask if you can shadow somebody.

For me maintaining interest requires a bit of perspective and context to pick routes of action leading to positive feedback loops of curiosity. If steps 2-99 of the route are boring even if executed in an order of my choice, I try to avoid step 1.

You likely haven't found 'that thing' yet. When people get passionate about things, they just do it. There isn't a reconciliation process between ones desires and ones actions, there just is action.

Keep searching.