If you’re like me, you’ll probably have a hobby to-do list. A list that always seems to get longer, rather than shorter.
There’s a growing pile of unpainted miniatures on your shelf. There’s new stuff you want to buy. There’s other games you want to play.
It’s easy to fall into the “it’ll all be great, just as soon as I…” mindset. But this is like chasing the metaphorical pot at the end of the rainbow.
Imagine you somehow lived forever. Had owned and painted every single miniature. Had played every game there was to play. What then?
Without sounding all touchy-feely, we often overlook what we already have, in place of looking at what should come next.
Pleasure Vs Contentment
Pleasure and contentment could initially be mistaken for being two words for the same thing.
The hobby can offer you both. But far more folks will pursue pleasure, which is temporary, as opposed to enjoying a sense of contentment, which can be permanent.
To-do lists, to-buy lists, challenges, and goal setting is all part of the fun. But if you don’t enjoy the process, then you’re missing out on a lot of what the hobby has to offer.
To be able to relax into the act of concentrating on the 2-3 minis on your painting desk. That can have tremendous value for you. Sure, there might be 250 more waiting to be painted, and another 400 that you’re planning to buy, but try simply bringing your attention back to what’s there in front of you.
When you manage to get a game in, do you look at the table and think “once I just get that extra unit bought and painted, this will be great”, or, “If I can only get those terrain pieces finished, THEN, this’ll be good fun”?
Or do you give what’s in front of you your full attention, appreciate the opportunity to play, and have an enjoyable time?
Either way, you’re still physically doing the exact same thing. But it’s a small mindset shift that can help you get the absolute most from your experience.
Sustainable Gaming
I thoroughly enjoyed the recent conversations on sustainable gaming on the Paint All The Minis Paint Ramble Podcast.
I think it’s healthy for people to become more aware of why they’re doing what they do. What do they get out of it? This act of “looking inwards” can make you much more conscious of what you’re actually doing.
Before buying that next thing, you’re able to ask yourself “do I really need this right now?”. Will spending money adding to your lead or plastic mountain increase your long term contentedness? Sure, you’ll experience the short term pleasure of getting a new thing. But at what cost?
Few people are able to feel positive about having a huge amount of stuff to paint. It can cause disillusionment, and even anxiety in some. Why turn what should be a meditative and cathartic pastime into a chore or a slog?
Let’s face it, there’s always something to be done next. There always will be. The sooner you can make peace with that, the more value you’ll take from your overall hobby experience!