It’s a dream for many of us – spending your workday doing the thing you love. But, unfortunately, for most people, it’s not the reality. Instead, there’s usually a divide between your professional life and the hobbies you pursue outside of working hours. But what if you could combine the two? Here are a few suggestions about how to go about realising this dream:

• Speak to someone in the field your hobby relates to. A good place to start is speaking to someone already working in the field your hobby relates to. Approach them as a fellow hobbyist – use your shared passion as an opening to start a conversation. Ask them about the path they took to get to the position they’re in now. What did they study? What sacrifices did they have to make? Are they fulfilled in their current role?
   
• Consider further study. You might want to consider investigating some further study that relates directly to your hobby. You might spend hours devoted to your hobby, but the chances are you’re probably largely self-taught. You might have picked up tips from your fellow hobby enthusiasts, but if you want to take the next step and turn it into your career you might need to get some formal technical training.
  
  Search online for short courses; you might be able to find something in your local area. TAFEs are also another great option if you’re looking to get the extra training you may need to turn your hobby into your career.
   
• Be persistent and dedicate more time to your hobby. “No matter how accomplished you are at your hobby, there’s always room for improvement,” says Iain MacGibbon, Managing Director at Farrow Jamieson. “Come up with a plan to devote more time to your hobby.” Make a list of all the ways you’d like to improve and put together a strategy on how you’re going to go about it. Dedicate extra time per week to your hobby and stick to your schedule.
   
• Be flexible. Things don’t always go as planned, so be prepared for some setbacks. The important thing is that you remain focused on your ultimate goal of turning your hobby into your career. When you’re confronted with certain challenges, tackle them as rationally as possible. Re-assess and see whether you can turn this negative into a positive. Ask yourself: what do I need to do to get my dream back on track?

As you embark on your journey to turn your hobby into your career, don’t be afraid to start small. Begin implementing some of the above suggestions while you’re still in your current role. Understand the marketplace you want to get into and start taking steps to position yourself for any opportunities that may arise in the future.