On Virtual Reality, Being a Deliberate Amateur, and Having Too Many Interests
- kundlasarah
- 14 hours ago
- 6 min read
Ever feel like you’re not entirely ready before you commit and say “Yes” to doing something?
(If you're nodding right now, hi. We're going to get along just fine.)
Honestly though, same. These days, I've been saying yes to a lot of things I've never tried before...and figuring out the rest as I go. The funny thing about feeling “ready” is that opportunity doesn't seem to care whether you actually are or not. When I look back on the past few weeks, the common thread running through all of it is this: being able to say “Yes” despite the personal doubts, learning what you need along the way, and trusting that the outcome will be okay.
Ready for Opportunity? Not yet? Too Bad - It’s Here Already (and it’s Staring at You)
Though my specialty lies in team development workshops and professional training, I received an unexpected request recently related to my background in instructional design:
“Hi Sarah - I know you like virtual reality, and that you enjoy working with advanced tech. Think you could build us a virtual reality tour for us?”
Initially, I was taken aback. Yes, I like virtual reality. No, I didn’t actually have prior experience with creating a 360° tour. I have a VR headset of my own that I use recreationally, and the people in my circle know I have an affinity for all things futuristic & tech-related. Not long after, random worrisome thoughts started surfacing inside my head:
• I’ve never actually built something like this before - what if I say “Yes” and then I realize I can’t? I don’t even own a 360° camera.
• Creating virtual tours wasn’t on my 2026 bingo sheet (nowhere near my business strategy, really). Does that mean my current strategy is failing? Should I pivot away from “workshops” and more towards “design work”?
• Will I never become skilled at writing haikus? (Cue the sad violin music here.)
Admittedly, a few questions were more pertinent than others. Soon after, I remembered a concept introduced to me from the book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World.
"BE A DELIBERATE AMATEUR."
In the "Deliberate Amateurs" chapter of Range, the author makes the case that innovative breakthroughs often come from adopting a "beginner's mind" rather than intense specialization. The whole chapter speaks to the power of play: maintaining a childlike curiosity and approach to problem-solving, and even encourages “Wandering off” in the sense that when people willingly wander off and apply their skills in new, unfamiliar domains, their ability when it comes to “transferable creativity” actually increases.
This is where the skill of analogous thinking comes in. Analogous thinking is the ability to take a solution or pattern from one area and apply it to a completely different one. It sounds pretty straightforward, but it's actually one of the most valuable skills one can contribute to a group.
As the author adroitly documents in his book, many of the most innovative breakthroughs in history didn't come from the deepest subject matter expert in the room; they came from someone who had wandered far enough outside their lane to see the problem differently. Leaders (managers especially) who encourage their team members to bring in outside perspectives, pursue cross-functional learning, or even talk openly about their hobbies and side interests with others aren't just “being nice.” They're building the conditions for creative problem-solving. The person on your team who also does improv theater, restores furniture, or is learning a third language isn't an inconsistent or “scatter-brained” person. They're building a mental library for themselves of knowledge across fields that your group also gets to benefit from. And if you need more convincing, the data supports it, too.
The business case for giving employees room to incorporate their interests or engage in self-directed projects at work is backed by research. A University of Warwick study found that happier workers were roughly 12% more productive than their counterparts at work, and when people get to explore projects that are of interest to them, engagement follows. A team full of deliberate amateurs, people who are actively learning and exploring outside their lane in areas that are of interest to them, is a team that can bring substantially more to the table, not less.
The Art of Trying New Hobbies in the Age of Monetizing Everything
Going back to personal interests: We now live in a culture that has a funny habit of looking at someone's joy and immediately asking: “That’s great, but what's the ROI?”
It’s not inherently wrong to ascribe a higher value to something by connecting it with some monetary return. We as human beings all value different things, and wanting to verbally uplift a friend or family member often comes naturally to us. Sometimes turning a passion into a business is exactly the right move for someone. I'm not here to talk anyone out of that.
It’s also important to recognize the pressure that builds when every hobby becomes a potential side hustle or when every interest needs a business plan before it's allowed to exist on its own. At some point, that pressure transforms a once-sincere passion into an obligation, and our initial joy at the hobby withers down along with it.
My take on this subject: Not every hobby needs to earn its keep. When the VR opportunity came in, I didn't wait for a polished plan to start exploring the tech for myself. I got a 360° camera, downloaded some software, and started playing. That hands-on experimentation gave me the confidence to say "yes" to this potential project, even without a prior portfolio to point to. And if this particular opportunity doesn't pan out, I'll still walk away having gained something. I was able to teach myself a new skill set, and that experience won’t disappear in the end.
If you’re like me and tend to bounce between technology, languages, books, creative hobbies, and everything in between, don't be hard on yourself for sampling different interests. Even when the intended outcome doesn't pan out the way you hoped, the knowledge still transfers. The dots in your brain keep connecting; you just might not see how until much later.
If you end up going down a rabbit hole into some new niche just for the fun of it, let yourself enjoy the ride. Be process-oriented rather than results-obsessed. Document the journey for yourself. Share the journey with others if you feel like it. Surround yourself with people who celebrate what brings you genuine joy, rather than measuring it against what they think makes a hobby worthwhile.
THE INSIGHTS: For Individuals
Be curious and studious. What’s a particular hobby or interest you’ve been wanting to try but haven’t allowed yourself time for? Try one new hobby that’s piqued your interest, going into it judgment-free, with no plan to monetize it, master it, or explain it to anyone (unless you’re like me and get joy from sharing with others – in that case, check out Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon). Be process-oriented in your journey.
THE INSIGHTS: For Leaders and Managers
Consider carving out space for self-directed exploration projects on your team. When people are trusted to follow their curiosity, even in small doses, creativity and engagement will follow. Encourage members on your team to carve out a portion of their time in a given week towards a personal project of their choice. At the end, wherever they are in their project (finished or not), invite them to share what they did with the rest of the team and why that was of interest to them. The next breakthrough idea in your organization might already be living inside someone's side passion project.
Curiosity, it turns out, is one of the best investments a leader can make.
Additional Reading:
• View My LinkedIn Post: What I’ve Learned from Recent Books I’ve Read
• For tips on how to share your work with others, check out Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon
