Let’s be honest – the hustle and bustle doesn’t always fill your cup.
It might pay the bills and build your career, but when was the last time you did something just for you? Not for your client, not for LinkedIn clout, but purely for the joy of it?
That’s where passion projects come in.
Why Passion Projects Matter
We often think of personal growth in terms of productivity. Whether it’s the number of courses taken, promotions earned or goals smashed out of the park. But real, lasting growth happens when we explore the parts of ourselves that don’t revolve around deadlines and KPIs.
Passion projects give us permission to do just that.
A passion project is anything you do voluntarily that excites you. It could be a blog (such as this), a podcast, a short film, a digital magazine, restoring old furniture, or growing tomatoes on your balcony. No one’s watching, grading or paying you for it – and that’s the beauty of it.
These hobbies might look small on the surface, but they create space for reflection, creativity and fulfilment – the kind that can’t be manufactured through a performance review.
From Burnout to Balance
That’s when I picked up chess again – something I used to enjoy when I was younger, before I made a career out of helping others build their personal brand. No pressure, no expectations – just me, a friend, the board and the rhythm of the game.
Each match became a moment to slow down, think strategically and be fully present. It reminded me that growth doesn’t always come from moving fast – sometimes, it comes from making the right move at the right time.
The Link Between Hobbies and Self-Discovery
Pursuing a hobby isn’t just fun – it’s revealing. When you’re free to explore, you start to notice what lights you up, what frustrates you and what you’re naturally drawn to.
That’s valuable data for you.
You might uncover a skill you didn’t realise you had, or a part of your identity that’s been put on the back burner. I know creatives who started side projects during lockdown that turned into full-time businesses, not because that was the plan, but because passion has a way of pulling you into purpose.
Even if your hobby never leaves your spare room or your friendship group, it still holds value. It’s shaping how you see the world and yourself.
Passion Projects Build Confidence
When you start something for yourself, you own every part of the journey. You choose the timeline, the outcome, the vibe. That autonomy builds confidence in a way traditional work often can’t.
You learn to trust your instincts, get comfortable with mistakes and start creating without seeking validation. That shift from needing permission to giving yourself the green light is powerful and was a major turning point for me with these weekly blogs.
It’s not about being good at it. It’s about enjoying it enough to keep going.
Not Everything Needs a Master Plan
Anyone who knows me knows I can be very meticulous with planning, and I used to think that everything must have a plan. One common myth is that every hobby needs to “go somewhere.”
We’ve been conditioned to monetise every moment, to turn everything into a side hustle. But some things are sacred just as they are.
Your passion project doesn’t need to become a side business, a podcast or a viral thread. It can just be the thing that makes you feel like you again after a long week.
If it does evolve into something more, great. But if it simply gives you peace, presence or pleasure, that’s more than enough.
Moving Forward
Your passion project won’t always be perfect. It might be messy, slow or completely private and still be the most important thing you do for your personal growth this year.
So, ask yourself: What would I do if no one were watching?
Then make space for it and enjoy the moment.
See you next week!
