All work and no play makes me a dull boy. It certainly leaves me listless, stifles my creativity, and prevents me from seeing the outside world so that I can then reflect it in my writing. The point I’m trying to make is this: have a hobby. Nick Offerman prefers to call them ‘disciplines’, and I can agree with his point, that people hear the word ‘hobby’ and conjure up frivolous pursuits and time-wasting activities. The point he and I are trying to make is that you should take up something for the long term, something you can commit yourself to, something that you gain increased satisfaction with over time, that relieves you from your daily grind, and otherwise makes you a better person. Improve upon yourself. Learn a craft. It’s amazing the benefits you’ll find by really dedicating yourself to something. As to what that something is, that’s entirely up to you, and that’s one of the best parts.
If I were to sum up my core disciplines (hobbies), they would be motorsports and martial arts. I’d throw in music, but I just don’t have enough time to dedicate to playing guitar so I’ll file that under relaxation. A discipline, while fun, should still challenge you. I like disciplines that try both my mind and my body. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as being completely hands-on with something and gaining that visceral, tactile feedback. In both motorsports and martial arts, I’ve learned to expand my mind, to think outside the box, and to dedicate myself to long term goals, all things which will benefit the aspiring writer.
In my case, motorsports is a rather all-encompassing term that includes collecting cars, modifying them, showing them, driving them, and racing them. I’ve had the privilege to have some amazing experiences in automobiles, including time spent at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. Which brings up another important point about taking on a discipline: expect to spend a lot of time working on your own, but seek out a teacher, a master, a mentor, a sensei, who can take you to that next level. I’ve spent time with men who have degrees in aerospace engineering just so I could become more technically proficient with turbocharger systems (and you really do have to think of the whole system). I’ve taken apart and put back together so many third-generation Toyota Supras that I can see the individual parts and fasteners in my head. I’ve broken things. I’ve burned myself. I’ve cursed and cheered. I’ve spent hour after hour after hour on the karting track, hunting down that last hundredth of a second. And while I wish I could spend more time doing this, I do it enough to keep growing, to keep pushing, so that I don’t become stagnant. I have my long term projects and my short term ones, but I never am lacking for things to do.
If I were to sum up my core disciplines (hobbies), they would be motorsports and martial arts. I’d throw in music, but I just don’t have enough time to dedicate to playing guitar so I’ll file that under relaxation. A discipline, while fun, should still challenge you. I like disciplines that try both my mind and my body. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as being completely hands-on with something and gaining that visceral, tactile feedback. In both motorsports and martial arts, I’ve learned to expand my mind, to think outside the box, and to dedicate myself to long term goals, all things which will benefit the aspiring writer.
In my case, motorsports is a rather all-encompassing term that includes collecting cars, modifying them, showing them, driving them, and racing them. I’ve had the privilege to have some amazing experiences in automobiles, including time spent at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. Which brings up another important point about taking on a discipline: expect to spend a lot of time working on your own, but seek out a teacher, a master, a mentor, a sensei, who can take you to that next level. I’ve spent time with men who have degrees in aerospace engineering just so I could become more technically proficient with turbocharger systems (and you really do have to think of the whole system). I’ve taken apart and put back together so many third-generation Toyota Supras that I can see the individual parts and fasteners in my head. I’ve broken things. I’ve burned myself. I’ve cursed and cheered. I’ve spent hour after hour after hour on the karting track, hunting down that last hundredth of a second. And while I wish I could spend more time doing this, I do it enough to keep growing, to keep pushing, so that I don’t become stagnant. I have my long term projects and my short term ones, but I never am lacking for things to do.
It’s quite possible that martial arts go beyond a discipline for me and have become a lifestyle. Once you’ve trained for 18 years (and taught for 14 of them), things become fairly engrained. One important thing to note about the martial arts side is that I have spent most of my time teaching it, which gives me a whole new understanding and appreciation of what exactly it is I’m doing. Martial arts as a discipline filters down to include cardio fitness and weight training. It expands outwards to include weapons, both ancient and modern. I’ve trained in bo, sai, katana alongside AR-15s and 1911s. Self-defense is the same, whether your hand is a balled fist, wrapped around a stick, or gripping a pistol. You gain an appreciation for life. You find that the best way to win a fight is to never be in it. Diffusing situations becomes a skill, one that you can use on yourself to calm down, or in the workplace to deal with a coworker who, frankly, should probably just shut up.
This may sound Spartan or come off as compensation, but the reality is I’m humbled by my experiences. I’ve learned so much from so many good people, some of which are no longer with us. I’ve grown as a human and certainly as an adult. I’ve gained social connections and lifelong friends. Martial arts even introduced me to my wife, and it was a fantastic day when I watched her earn her black belt after helping her train for so long.
Yes, I still do frivolous things. I waste time. I play video games, I watch movies, I dink around on my guitar. I’ll spend a weekend horsing around with friends, drinking single malt Scotch and smoking cigars. But those experiences are appreciated all the more from what I have gained in my disciplines. Without them, I would not be the person I am, I would not have the relationships I have, and I most certainly wouldn’t be the writer I've become.
A.C. Harrison
Like what you see here? Spread the word and support indie authors! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter. Find me on Smashwords and Kindlemojo.
Yes, I still do frivolous things. I waste time. I play video games, I watch movies, I dink around on my guitar. I’ll spend a weekend horsing around with friends, drinking single malt Scotch and smoking cigars. But those experiences are appreciated all the more from what I have gained in my disciplines. Without them, I would not be the person I am, I would not have the relationships I have, and I most certainly wouldn’t be the writer I've become.
A.C. Harrison
Like what you see here? Spread the word and support indie authors! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter. Find me on Smashwords and Kindlemojo.
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