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Have you ever found yourself excited to start something new, only to lose interest before finishing? Maybe you’ve hopped from one hobby to another, feeling the thrill of learning but never sticking around long enough to master anything. If this sounds familiar, you might be a “dabbler.” While trying out different things and pursuing new skills can be fun and rewarding, there’s a point where constantly chasing the next shiny object can prevent you from experiencing long-term growth. In this blog post, we’ll explore what it means to be a dabbler, how to spot the signs in your own life, and how you can shift your mindset to commit to your goals without constantly jumping ship.
What is a Dabbler?
A dabbler is someone who enjoys trying out new hobbies, side hustles, or projects but rarely sticks with any of them for the long term. They’re the type of person who starts a new job, picks up a new sport, or tries the newest advanced tactic, but as soon as the initial excitement wears off, they move on to the next shiny new option.
Dabblers often have a long resume of different interests and skills but never fully master any of them. While it’s a good thing to explore different areas of your life and step outside your comfort zone, the downside of dabbling is that it prevents you from seeing the true calling that may come from commitment and hard work.
Signs of progress are great, but a dabbler often quits just when they’re about to make a breakthrough. In the end, it becomes a constant cycle of starting over, rather than building upon past accomplishments.
Signs You Are A Dabbler
1. You Can’t Remember the Last Time You Finished Something
When was the last time you finished something that you started? I’m not talking about a meal, walking your dog, or taking a shower. Life pretty much forces you to finish these things.
No, I’m talking about non-essentials, like your New Year’s resolutions. How many of them did you start pursuing in January, and how many did you actually accomplish? What about the books you read and the series you watch—do you usually finish them or just drop them once the initial interest has faded? Perhaps you have a half-finished home renovation project lying around somewhere. Or you bought something with the intention of using it, yet it has been collecting dust for years. Â
It’s alright not to finish every single task you’ve started. Sometimes, we realize along the way that this is just not the right thing for us, or we are doing it the wrong way. In these situations, changing the direction of your focus and efforts is a thought-out decision that saves you time and/or money. Dabblers, on the other hand, rarely have a plausible reason for why they quit. Sure, they have an endless list of seemingly reasonable excuses. However, the longer the list, the clearer it becomes that the excuses are really just that—excuses.
2. You Have Far More Goals/Interests Than Accomplishments
There are only 24 hours in the day (well, 18 hours, considering sleep should be non-negotiable). It’s perfectly normal to have more things you want to do than time to do them. However, it shouldn’t only be your list of interests and goals that’s ever-growing but also your list of accomplishments.
If, at the end of the year, you have few new things to add to this list (beyond the milestones that automatically come with school or work), then that’s a clear warning sign that you are not disciplined enough to focus your time and effort on a task until its completion.
After all, a year is a long time—even if it sometimes seems to fly by. It’s definitely enough time to learn a new skill like juggling, holding a handstand, or photography. Sure, you won’t be at a master level after a year, but you will definitely be more skilled than a beginner.
3. You Expect Results Immediately
I once read a statistic that the great majority of new bloggers quit within six months of starting. Why? Well, it’s not because blogging is hard.
No, blogging as an activity is easy once you’ve set up your blog. You just have to sit down once a week or so, type out a text, and hit “publish.” That text could be anything from personal ramblings to a structured list meant to teach something. It can have any length from 50 to 5,000 words. You can include images, or leave it as raw text. There are so many types of blogging that I’m sure most people will agree that the act of blogging isn’t difficult.
What is difficult is getting the results you want. And that’s why most new bloggers throw in the towel. They start blogging with high aspirations of being able to monetize their blog through traffic after three months. By the time six months roll around, most new bloggers (disregarding the few unicorns that do succeed in such a short time) have little to no traffic to show for it. Without instant gratification—and unless blogging is your one true passion—it can be quite boring. Â
Boredom, much more than challenges, is the reason many dabblers quit their projects. They discard the book they’ve started because it isn’t as exciting to read as watching a series. They drop out of martial arts classes because repeating the same movements for over an hour every week doesn’t make them feel like Karate Kid. They drop out of college or switch their major because surely, there must be a more exciting degree out there. And on and on it goes.
In a world full of constant stimuli, it can be a true challenge to persevere during times of boredom. And if you’re a dabbler, you easily succumb to this need for stimulation.
4. You Are Chronically Jealous of Other People’s Attainable Skills and Accomplishments
Through social media, other people’s accomplishments are constantly shoved in our faces. It’s natural to get jealous over some of them. However, when you find yourself chronically jealous of skills and accomplishments that are very much attainable for the average person, it’s a sign you’re a dabbler.
After all, if you weren’t a dabbler, you’d pick one of those goals and commit to it until you achieved it. Improving your style, makeup, friendships, career, hobbies, etc., are things anyone can do with sufficient effort and dedication. The dabbler, on the other hand, tries for a short while, then quits, and goes back to being jealous.
It’s great to have many interests and try out different things, but there comes a time when sticking with something long enough to master it pays off.
If you’ve been jumping from one shiny object to the next, consider focusing on one or two areas of your life and pushing past the initial progress stage. The satisfaction of seeing long-term success often outweighs the temporary thrill of picking up a new skill.
So, the next time you’re tempted to dabble in yet another side hustle or hobby, remember that consistency and commitment are key to truly excelling—whether it’s in your personal life or career. Keep going at your own pace, but don’t be afraid to stick with something long enough to see the real rewards.
