In many of your favorite books or movies, the main character embarks on a journey to reach a goal. They often encounter smaller challenges along the way that allow them to learn new information, gain experience and add members to their party. These smaller challenges outside the main plot are called side quests. While you may not be a hero on the path to defeat a villain, the value of completing real life side quests still applies. Whether you want to add something small to your life or do a complete rewrite, real life side quests are a great way to break up the usual routine. Activities you pursue in your free time do not have to be life defining, but it is always more interesting to be around people and discuss things they like.

“Having a purpose and knowing exactly what your values are will add additional years to your life” – Dan Buettner

Passion

There is not a lot of time each day that is dedicated to doing what you enjoy. The list becomes even shorter if you remove passive activities like eating, sleeping and watching tv.

Unique goals create very different passion projects. Whether you are looking to explore your competitive nature, creative mind, or your inner peace, there are plenty of activities for you to try.

Change of Pace

It can really fun and also informative to try something extremely outside of your norm. This will likely be a memorable event (good or bad) and help fight against weeks blurring together. I find a great way to try random activities is to first find someone that can help guide your experience. This can either be a friend or a professional. Perhaps you discover something worthy of more frequent commitment!

Practical Application

Working on a hobby or skill that is not mandated by your employer can be oddly satisfying. Perfecting a dish or being able to speak with more people in their native language will be infinitely useful. Some people even hobbies that make them money or advance their career.

Creating Adventures

Planning vacation time around a hobby or skill is probably most literal interpretation of side quests in this post. There is something cool about training for an extended period and then testing yourself in a real-life application. Note for some hobbies, there may be long gaps between trips. You will have to find creative ways to stay prepared and get the most out of your experience.

Try A Bunch First!

Explore a bunch of new hobbies or skills and spend some time to figure out what you like & dislike. Having activities that you enjoy will make filling free time that much easier. Importantly, different activities fulfill different needs. Find the go-to hobby for calming down, letting out energy, or getting your brain moving!