Kaede45 Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 I haven’t really posted much here in a while & that’s because I’ve kinda been… I don’t wanna say “losing interest” from 40K, but rather “shifting interest” to other hobbies, namely D&D. It is a bit frustrating though because I still like 40K & still buy models & bits for it, but I still haven’t really completed any of my models still in my backlog & I’m finding it harder & harder to sit down & paint or write. The last thing I wrote was part 1 of my faction’s origin story & while I have plans to eventually write part 2, my interest, attention & motivation are all lacking. I think part of the reason for this is a lack of others close to me being interested in the hobby as well. The other part is my ADHD that makes it difficult to focus on anything for a long time. This is one of the reasons I was so upset about my club not taking off as quickly as I wanted, though I do understand that I had unrealistic expectations there. On top of this, my time to dedicate to the hobby is quite limited as I have a job & live with my parents & have a kid to take care of. I also have no real clean area to work & no motivation to clean a space to work in (I hate how lazy I am) & when I do have time I usually choose to play video games. I know there’s no “one-size-fits-all” solution to this, but does anyone have any suggestions/advice? Thank you all for your time & as always, God bless. firestorm40k, W.A.Rorie, GSCUprising and 5 others 8 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doghouse Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 I'd say take a break and try not to be too critical of yourself. life happens and I think everyone needs a break from time to time. Absolutely nothing wrong with taking a step back and trying other things and often can act as a palette cleanser. The more you force it the more resentful you can become of what is supposed to be an enjoyable past time. One way to keep your foot in the door is read one of the novels, they're low commitment and you can dip in and out around life as it happens and come back to the hobby later. Remember the hobby is always going to be still here in some form or another so no rush. W.A.Rorie, ggergnayr, Kaede45 and 4 others 6 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142220 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusted Boltgun Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 I went through something similar with my previous hobby. I got into RC cars around the time my son was born and amassed a reasonable collection over nearly ten years. But I never got into the racing or the off-roading side that would have opened up the hobby a lot more. A young family, work, etc meant I didn't have the time for hobby weekends away. In the end I had all the cars (and more) I 'needed' and they just sit there. Then I got back into 40K and it has become my proper hobby - I get more out of it than I ever did with the cars even though I still have time limitations, etc. Ultimately, the hobby has to serve you. If it isn't bringing you joy or exciting your brain, put it to one side. Don't let it guilt you - the hobby will still be there in the future if you want it. You only have a finite amount of 'spare' time so enjoy it as much as it can with whichever activity you choose - one doesn't necessarily rank higher than another (my wife disagrees - from her point of view, doing literally nothing beats doing anything). A side note as you didn't mention money in relation to he hobby. A friend of mine has cycled through a lot of hobbies over the years. When he gets to the end of his interest, he sells it all on - sometimes at a loss. From his perspective, it was fun while it lasted and so it was worth whatever he paid and he doesn't expect to get the money back. Good luck! ZeroWolf, Kaede45 and W.A.Rorie 2 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142221 Share on other sites More sharing options...
W.A.Rorie Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 I have bounced in and out of the hobby over the years. Sometimes you need the break. And it could be a variety of reasons. At the end of the day, the most important thing is you and what makes you happy. apologist and Kaede45 1 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142223 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deus_Ex_Machina Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 (edited) You need to set yourself realistic hobby goals and complete them. This means for me for example of finishing a unit or group of models in about one week. When this is done and I have no desire to progress with that faction switching to another one is an option when it means using another paint scheme. If I also don´t want to do that it means my mind needs a break from the hobby. So then I am doing nothing in that regard for a couple of days to recharge batteries. However there is one sin that you shall not commit: Beginning to assemble/paint a model and not finishing it in a specific time frame. This is poison for the hobby. Edited Tuesday at 09:32 AM by Lysimachus bloodhound23, Scribe and Kaede45 1 2 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142224 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonGSides Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 Between the Gundam and League of Legends card games releasing this year I've had so little time for 40k, especially over the past three months. Honestly, it's been kind of nice. It's good to have variety in life. Kaede45, Doghouse, W.A.Rorie and 1 other 1 1 2 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142225 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scribe Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 12 minutes ago, Deus_Ex_Machina said: Do you have the will of completing the task you have set for yourself or not? Agreed, and this applies to everything. Kaede45 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142226 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Eye Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 ADHD is a hell of a burden. Speaking as a lifelong sufferer of a case of it so severe that existing is tiring and confusing, I totally relate. Tawnis, ggergnayr, W.A.Rorie and 5 others 1 7 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142228 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grotsmasha Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 Black Library's Audio-books / Dramas, there's nothing like the roar of a chainsword and bark of a bolter to get one in the hobbying mood. BL's audios are fully voice and sound effect acted, not just "read through", they are really quite a treat, and can't recommend them enough. Valkia the Bloody, Lathe Biosas, W.A.Rorie and 1 other 1 2 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142233 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawnis Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 (edited) I'm very much in the same boat, my interests wax and wane in various hobbies, 40k, MTG, Online gaming, board games, ect... I find that I tend to have more enjoyment when I go with the flow and follow what I'm interested in. I just made a rule for myself long ago to never sell another collection, because years later, my interest comes back around and I regret offloading all the stuff I had in the past. Edited November 13 by Tawnis Kaede45, W.A.Rorie, Lathe Biosas and 1 other 1 3 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142234 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloodhound23 Posted November 13 Share Posted November 13 (edited) On 11/13/2025 at 7:08 PM, Deus_Ex_Machina said: You need to set yourself realistic hobby goals and complete them. This means for me for example of finishing a unit or group of models in about one week. When this is done and I have no desire to progress with that faction switching to another one is an option when it means using another paint scheme. If I also don´t want to do that it means my mind needs a break from the hobby. So then I am doing nothing in that regard for a couple of days to recharge batteries. However there is one sin that you shall not commit: Beginning to assemble/paint a model and not finishing it in a specific time frame. This is poison for the hobby. I agree that at the end of the day it's about where I have the will power for it. However, I've had to understand on my end that I just don't complete things for their own sake, and that doesn't mean I haven't enjoyed something fully. Other people I guess are more inclined to finish things for their own sake. I do agree that I want to want to complete things in a reasonable time frame though, and that's where the scheduling kicks in. Edited Tuesday at 09:33 AM by Lysimachus Kaede45 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142241 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkia the Bloody Posted November 14 Share Posted November 14 I also suffer from ADHD. I have now resigned to the fact that I will cycle through interests for months at a time. This is nothing pathological, it is just how our brain works. It is fine. In ancient times, people like us were the scouts and advance look-outs of our tribes, so we crave new and exciting things, doing the same thing all the time will make our brain shut down (this is also the reason why evolution has kept this trait in the human populations, since it was necessary for tribe survival, only in recent modern times, with the very structured work environment ADHD is seen as a negative trait). I have been in the Warhammer hobby for 30 years now, and there were several times where I just stopped with the hobby for years at a time. I still kept it in the back of my head, though, for example, I never completely stopped reading or listening to Black Library books and buying the odd model or box. So far, I have always come back. I just LOVE the setting and the lore. Right now, I just have come back after another one of my "hiatuses" and this time, I try to work on a more narrative focused army to keep my motivation up. I remember back in my Warhammer Fantasy days, I created and converted fun "unit fillers" where I told little stories. This time, I just added comic relief and little vignettes to my models, like a duel between Titus and a Broodlord on the base of my broodlord or two ratlings trying to throw a bomb under the raised backside of a Psychophage. Yes, during my tournament times back in the day, some people would have called me "silly" and maybe I am not taking the hobby serious enough, but to be frank- it is YOUR hobby, and you as an ADHD person do this to get your dopamine. So you should have fun with it! If other people think that the joy of a hobby is to be deadly serious and miserable, it is their problem, not yours. In short- it is fine for you to move away, getting your dopamine hits elsewhere. If you are really into the setting or the game, you will come back sooner or later. Deus_Ex_Machina and Teetengee 1 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142277 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogian Posted November 14 Share Posted November 14 (edited) Anyway, back to the general topic - one thing I find is that I'm much more of a winter hobbiest than a summer one. If its dark and rainy and cold outside give me a sprue and a craft knife and lets get building in the cosy warmth. A hobbit hobbiest, if you will. Edited November 14 by W.A.Rorie Removed Off Topic Post Valkia the Bloody, Deus_Ex_Machina and Lathe Biosas 1 1 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142280 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teetengee Posted November 14 Share Posted November 14 Just look at my post history here to get an idea of ADHD's impact on 40k as hobby Nothing wrong with it though, as it's a hobby, not a job. Do what makes you happy now, now, and do what makes you happy tomorrow, tomorrow (and don't sell your minis! you'll want them again some day!) Lathe Biosas and Valkia the Bloody 1 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142281 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madao Posted November 14 Share Posted November 14 My building/painting side of the hobby is usually fuelled by other branches - when I play more RPGs, I tend to paint 'unique' minis more, as representations of possible PCs/NPCs. When I play/going to play 40k/Kill Team, I have way more motivation to go through the 'regular' minis (squads, vehicles). When I am in the hobby nowhere in terms of using the minis (for anything), I rarely have motivation to paint and orbit towards other hobbies Valkia the Bloody 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142285 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord_Ikka Posted November 14 Share Posted November 14 I don't suffer from ADHD, but I do have a kid who does, so my sympathies. As far as hobby interest/motivation/"mojo" goes- it will always wax and wane. I've spent years out of the hobby and years in it, so I've been in both peak and valley in that sense. I have some specific tactics that I use to keep myself entertained and/or "effective" at hobbying, painting in particular- 1 - Accountability/Motivation. I've found that for me, having a set time limit really helps me out in focusing on completing a project. That's why I have continually participated in groups/events like Grosmasha's 12 Months of Hobby or the Call to Arms, as they both give me a motivation for completing (internet points/the love of other frater ) and keep me accountable by putting me on the clock to get stuff done. I don't like not finishing something I've said I will do, so these sort of things help me out immensely. 2 - Airbrushing. I'm not someone who will airbrush an entire model, but what I do is use my airbrush to lay down the base layer of the most common color for a set of models. This is typically something like armor (Space Marines/Votann) or a metal coat (Necrons/Imperial Knights' chassis). I've found that painting so much of a single color, like SM armor, really saps my willpower and after a set of five or ten models I don't want to do anything more on them because it was so mind-numbing. Airbrusing (or using a rattle-can like Army Painter I would think) really lets me get the "boring" part of the painting out of the way so I can do everything else without brain fatigue. 3 - Batch painting/One-offs. I typically batch paint five or ten individual models at a time (a squad of SM, a gang of Necromunda, etc...), using a single color on all the models before moving on to the next color. This allows the paint on the first model to be dry by the time I've finished up with the last, making my painting as efficient as possible. I will break up this batch painting by "rewarding" myself after I finish a batch; I will then paint a single figure that is more complicated (a leader or special model), bigger (a vehicle) or from a different game/army than what I'm batch painting. This gives my brain a bit of a breather and helps keep the excitement flowing, as I'm not simply painting an unending supply of basic troopers one after the other. 4 - Distractions. A lot of people utilize music to assist them in hobbying, having something pleasant to hear keeps your mind engaged while doing something that can be fairly repetitive. I personally "watch" cartoons (ATHF, Venture Bros., Futurama) or dumb action flicks that I've seen a billion times before and know by heart, so I don't have to actually see the show/movie to know what is happening. Anyway, good luck and I hope this helps a little. Valkia the Bloody, W.A.Rorie and Rusted Boltgun 1 1 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142288 Share on other sites More sharing options...
W.A.Rorie Posted November 14 Share Posted November 14 =][= TOPIC IS ABOUT HELPING MOTIVATE A FRATERIS =][= =][= Stay on topic =][= Only Warning. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142303 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogian Posted November 14 Share Posted November 14 2 hours ago, Lord_Ikka said: 2 - Airbrushing. I'm not someone who will airbrush an entire model, but what I do is use my airbrush to lay down the base layer of the most common color for a set of models. This is typically something like armor (Space Marines/Votann) or a metal coat (Necrons/Imperial Knights' chassis). I've found that painting so much of a single color, like SM armor, really saps my willpower and after a set of five or ten models I don't want to do anything more on them because it was so mind-numbing. Airbrusing (or using a rattle-can like Army Painter I would think) really lets me get the "boring" part of the painting out of the way so I can do everything else without brain fatigue. im all about that slapchop+airbrush. even with flat armoured space marines, if you take a bit of time with the drybrushing to really build it up on the large surfaces of panels it looks pretty great. if all you do is then get the base coat on for whatever secondary/tertiary colours you are using, they already look table top ready - and going back in to add extra layers to those colours or paint in some details doesn't seem like such a chore. Valkia the Bloody 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142305 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blissful Brushes Posted November 14 Share Posted November 14 (edited) I fell out of love with the hobby after uni when I was working full time and was back living at home. I had a girlfriend so my room couldn’t really be the shrine to my hobby that it was. When we bought our house I had a bit more space for a dedicated hobby space which helped a lot - I’m messy too, but having a contained area for hobbying helps massively. A routine and Fitness helps me with my ADHD and whatnot. Getting a run/gym/pull ups etc. in first thing in the morning helps centre me for the day so I can get work/dinner etc done to give me time to actually do hobby related stuff. I also got a lap table thing for Christmas last year so I actually do a lot of my hobby stuff on the sofa while watching TV with the wifey. Grab your tools and plastic and do a bit of both at the same time. (Especially great for the mindless stuff - cleaning/mould lines etc. where you don’t really need the other 95% of your brain) Edited November 14 by Blissful Brushes Valkia the Bloody 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142313 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inquisitor lorr Posted Saturday at 10:31 AM Share Posted Saturday at 10:31 AM (edited) I think there’s been some great tips from other frater here, which I would echo. The only extra point I would add is that this doesn’t sound like it’s confined to the hobby. It sounds like this is a challenge you unfortunately face in life, and your hobby time suffers as part of that. I don’t have ADHD but my wife suffers with it, and one of the things she struggles with is being overwhelmed and not knowing where to start. I think if you can identify the real blockers to your hobby time (like, not having a clean space), and then come up with a solution by which you can tackle them with the least burden on you (for example, perhaps hire a cleaner just to help you get a clean slate - I appreciate not everyone can afford one, but maybe sacrifice some hobby spend to help unlock your proper enjoyment of the hobby in the future). Maybe removing some of these obstacles (and, hopefully without a huge direct effort on our part), might help motivate you. I’m a pretty messy person myself, but the mindset of ‘clear space, clear mind’ really does have some truth to it. Video games are also a real challenge in these scenarios - I’m an avid gamer myself, and time just disappears. I occasionally ban myself from gaming for a week and commit to getting to the tasks I’ve put off - it’s amazing how much more productive I am when I stop gaming for a bit (but, I am by no means advocating stopping gaming entirely - it’s a wonderful hobby in its own right). Final one - don’t put pressure on yourself to enjoy/participate. The second your hobby creates obligations for you, it stops being a hobby to my mind. Good luck, buddy! Edited Saturday at 10:31 AM by Inquisitor lorr Cactus, Valkia the Bloody and Rusted Boltgun 3 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142446 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inquisitor lorr Posted Saturday at 10:34 AM Share Posted Saturday at 10:34 AM 20 hours ago, Blissful Brushes said: I also got a lap table thing for Christmas last year so I actually do a lot of my hobby stuff on the sofa while watching TV with the wifey. Grab your tools and plastic and do a bit of both at the same time. (Especially great for the mindless stuff - cleaning/mould lines etc. where you don’t really need the other 95% of your brain) This is a great idea, and something I started to do. Helps tackle some of the ‘hobby admin’ without losing out on other aspects of life, or wasting hobby time on the boring bits. Also, occasionally garners some interest from the wife, which is a nice added bonus. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142447 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSCUprising Posted Saturday at 12:49 PM Share Posted Saturday at 12:49 PM (edited) On 11/13/2025 at 6:16 PM, Kaede45 said: I haven’t really posted much here in a while & that’s because I’ve kinda been… I don’t wanna say “losing interest” from 40K, but rather “shifting interest” to other hobbies, namely D&D. It is a bit frustrating though because I still like 40K & still buy models & bits for it, but I still haven’t really completed any of my models still in my backlog & I’m finding it harder & harder to sit down & paint or write. The last thing I wrote was part 1 of my faction’s origin story & while I have plans to eventually write part 2, my interest, attention & motivation are all lacking. I think part of the reason for this is a lack of others close to me being interested in the hobby as well. The other part is my ADHD that makes it difficult to focus on anything for a long time. This is one of the reasons I was so upset about my club not taking off as quickly as I wanted, though I do understand that I had unrealistic expectations there. On top of this, my time to dedicate to the hobby is quite limited as I have a job & live with my parents & have a kid to take care of. I also have no real clean area to work & no motivation to clean a space to work in (I hate how lazy I am) & when I do have time I usually choose to play video games. I know there’s no “one-size-fits-all” solution to this, but does anyone have any suggestions/advice? Thank you all for your time & as always, God bless. I'm afraid I cannot offer any advice as being, well, what they call a little 'on the spectrum', I suffer entirely the opposite in that once something catches my interest, I focus on it to the exclusion of all else, oftentimes to my detriment. What I can offer is support for a fellow hobbyist. I wish you all the best, mate, and do know that I, and all your fellow fraters, are here and will cheer you on. All the best. Edited Saturday at 12:50 PM by GSCUprising Lathe Biosas 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142465 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Paperman Posted Saturday at 01:41 PM Share Posted Saturday at 01:41 PM I usually juggle a few hobbies at any time. Video games are a mainstay, but even within gaming I'll gain or lose focus on a game as an individual hobby as time goes on. I don't play nearly as much as I used to, so now I even think of games as individual hobbies. I've picked up and left behind many hobbies over the years, and it's entirely probably that one day I'll be done with Warhammer as well, and that's okay too. There's no rules here, we're people and there's only so much time we get in our lives to do stuff. Even if you're worried about spending money on a pile of grey plastic that you might never actually paint, forgive yourself because it's better than having spent it on booze, gambling, or any of the other myriad ways we waste our money. It's called disposable income for a reason. If you hate how lazy you are, then change it. Break the pattern now, stop reading the thread and go do the thing you want. Even if it's just for five minutes, just go do it. If you're serious about this, make yourself a hobby space today and you'll be happy that you did! Those bits of momentum are what get us going again. I've barely touched Warhammer the last month (painting Thousand Sons trim does that to a man), but I built some models from the pile yesterday and now I'm thinking about paint schemes which is a great sign. The TS are going to sit in a tupperware for a few months, methinks, but what matters is that I'm doing it. At the same time, I'm not too worried, because I've been spending my hobby time reading books and playing Guild Wars (1, not 2, is one of my forever hobbies). I own the plastic and the paint brushes, the only pressure to get models done comes from me (and my obsession with spreadsheets), but I get to choose if that pressure matters or not. Right now, it doesn't, but I built a Bloat Drone yesterday while listening to some podcasts and that was a great evening. Captain Idaho 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142478 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lathe Biosas Posted Tuesday at 05:49 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 05:49 PM I have a ridiculously difficult time choosing paint schemes. I have an idea in my head for what I want, and then I'll change my mind... over and over... And nothing ever gets painted. Or. I'll go through qo through a phase where I want to build something that will be too confusing to play with. Case in point: I had an idea of making a flame based Black Tempars army, but using Sisters of Battle models instead of Neophytes. Also, I wanted to build a Dreadnought that is so old that he still rocks his Imperial Fist Iconography from before the Templar split off from the parent chapter. But, then I saw the Forgefather Seeker Detachment and the rules for Vulkan He'stan, and thought maybe I could cram him into the army... the Emperor’s Champion could be used as a Company Heroes Champion and so on... But I the end, I would have an army of Salamanders who look like Black Templars mixed with some Sisters of Battle and their old friend, Mr. Imperial Fist/Black Templar Dreadnought. I'm not sure if this is ADD or insanity... Valkia the Bloody 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6142939 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grotsmasha Posted yesterday at 08:28 AM Share Posted yesterday at 08:28 AM (edited) 14 hours ago, Lathe Biosas said: I'm not sure if this is ADD or insanity... Sounds like a great modelling project, which I'd love to see Edited yesterday at 08:29 AM by Grotsmasha Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/387111-the-fickleness-of-hobby-interest/#findComment-6143025 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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