50 for 50 Idea #19: Pursue an Outside Interest

posted on: May 9, 2018
author: Brian Lomax, Ed.D.

As human beings, we are more than what we do. We are complex creatures with different strengths and interests, and these are part of what makes us unique. However, sometimes we can get fixated on what we do and we lose sight of the interests that make us happy. Being all consumed with your job or your studies may be necessary at times, but there’s more to life, and to you, than “work.” Pursuing one or more of your outside interests on a regular basis could make you happier, and a better performer in your work or at school.

When I had a corporate job, tennis was my outside interest. During those times of long days at the office, tennis was the activity that kept me sane. It allowed me to pursue something I was good at, and at the same time, take my mind off of whatever was going on at work. Some of you may feel the exact same way about your sport and its relationship to your professional life.

Now that my profession is sports oriented, I have been pursuing other interests. In 2015, I decided that I wanted to improve my Spanish. I studied Spanish for many years in high school and college, but hadn’t done much with it since. I chose this because I have always been fascinated with the language and the culture, and because one of my top character strengths is love of learning. To learn more about your character strengths, take the free survey at http://www.viacharacter.org/www/Character-Strengths-Survey.

Pursuing Spanish for the last 2.5 years has been an awesome journey for me. It’s helped me exercise my brain while learning something I enjoy. It has also allowed me to meet people I never would have met before and to travel to places in which I could use my Spanish to immerse myself in the culture. That made those experiences deeply satisfying.

Idea #19:  Pursue an outside interest

What are some outside interests that make you unique? When I think of this topic, I think of languages, music, art, cooking, writing, acting, outdoor activities, volunteering, a different sport, etc. I would recommend taking the Character Strengths survey from VIA, and combining one of your top strengths with an interest that you want to pursue more this year. Not only could this make you happier, it could open up a world of possibilities. To me, that’s exciting.