I basically played The Division as a single-player game, going through the story mission alone and didn’t really play anything else until I had gathered all the collectibles and completed all the entries in the quest log. After that there was basically only player-versus-player content left to do, aside from redoing missions on a higher difficulty (which is basically impossible when playing solo). But the PvP aspect of the game didn’t give me any fun, so I just left the game and awaited the next update.

When it arrived it brought new missions and a rework of how the equipment system works. All weapons and gear now carries with it a level. And to be eligible to play the new missions you have to meet the required level and gear level, even though I had already reached the highest character-level possible at the time. So to be able to access the new content one had to grind for loot so as to raise ones gear score. As a solo player this is extremely tedious, and would mean visits to areas where either enemies or other hostile players are more than likely to destroy you without much of a challenge. And so they lost me as a player for The Division, because their new content was too tedious to access for someone that just wants to play the game a little casually. I’m sure they’ll manage without me.

Leading up to the release of Whispers of the Old Gods for Hearthstone it was announced that some previous content, the Naxxramas adventure and Goblins & Gnomes expansion, would have their availability for purchase removed. The cards would still be available for crafting, but you would no longer be able to buy the adventure or booster packs. Having already bought all the adventures and using all my gold to purchase booster packs of card, I started playing more diligently in an effort to gather as much gold as possible to exchange for packs of the disappearing cards.

Getting close to the release I realized that I had no intention of purchasing packs of the new expansion, which made any future endeavor frivolous. There was no point in continuing as I would have to spend too much time just to get a few initial cards of the new expansion, which would leave me too far behind to have any chance in the new meta of the game. So I stopped playing that as well.

Hearthstone card: C’Thun

Then there was a new announcement. Upon logging in to the game after the release you would automatically receive three packs of cards from the new expansion, along with two subsequent quest that awarded five packs each. Meaning that you could easily collect thirteen packs of the new cards with a little effort. And you were also given a few key cards to the new system, such as the main character of the Whispers of the Old Gods expansion: C’Thun.

This little gesture was enough to change my mind about quitting the game. Making the barrier to entry into the new content lower just by handing out a few samples to get players going is enough motivation to engage me and retain me as a customer. Compared to making me work for the possibility to even access the new content. The outcome is that I’m back into playing Hearthstone with enthusiasm, while I’ve put The Division aside and don’t see myself going back to it.

There are more like these, but I believe you get the point. My point is that it doesn’t work like that. Turning your hobby, something you love doing, into a craft; a job; an occupation, isn’t the best idea for everyone. It can destroy that hobby for you, even in ways you didn’t imagine. I’ve experienced this on multiple occasions. Maybe it’s just me.

I started out as a graphical designer. I would spend most my time just trying out concepts and techniques, designing websites, graphical profiles, logos, and just art in general. Then I became the go-to guy for such things. People wanted me to do their art-stuff, sometimes with compensation, sometimes without. It stopped being something I did because I liked doing it and it turned into a chore, and so I lost interest. I actually tried applying for jobs, but I wasn’t specialized enough to get a job based on my portfolio, and I had no formal education.

I later became interested in photography and started shooting pictures in night clubs and similar gigs. As the DSLR cameras started embracing video functionality I got into producing video reports and what’s called “aftermovie”. This too grew and I was asked from many sides if I could make a video for an event or something similar. It got to the point that I created a company and tried to offer it as a service. That’s also when the requests stopped. Funny how people shy away from asking for something if they know it costs money. I never tried to rely on that endeavour as a main source of income, so it didn’t affect me much. But my passion had yet again become a chore and I no longer found any joy in it anymore.

Young grappler pulling an armbar on his opponent during a competition.

In my final example I’m going to show that money doesn’t have to be a factor, just that you move something you enjoy for fun into a more serious sphere. I’ve been doing grappling, submission wrestling, for a few years and I always said that I didn’t want to compete. Whenever I was asked I just replied that I didn’t want to, because that would change it to a serious activity instead of just something I enjoyed doing just because I enjoyed it. I was perfectly happy just practicing and attending sparring camps, where nothing was on the line and there was no competition, just friendly sparring. Which in grappling is great in the manner that you can spar at full capacity, you don’t have to hold back so as not to hurt your opponent. Yes, when you get a choke or armbar and stuff like that you stop yourself from pulling the technique fully, as to not injure someone, but the wrestling aspect of it you can go all out on. But eventually I was talked into competing. Suddenly I was not practicing for my own enjoyment, I was practicing to perform at a tournament. I had to make weight and up how serious I thought about practice.
About a year later I stopped practicing due to my schedule not working out. But when that sorted itself out and I went back to practice I didn’t stick with it. I didn’t want to compete again, and if I was doing it without a goal the whole thing seemed pointless. The joy I once had felt by just doing the activity had disappeared.

But I’m also going to give you and example that’s not so horrible. Along with my experimenting with webdesign I also got into webdevelopment; coding, databases, servers and all that junk. That is something I managed to turn into a profession that I’m very happy with, What has happened is that I stopped doing it in my spare time and my inspiration for experimentation is satiated during working hours.

Then again, this site came to be, and it required some free hours to put together, so maybe not all is lost.