10 Passion Project Ideas to Inspire Your Creative Side

by The Violet Journal
passion project ideas

My posts may contain affiliate links, meaning if you buy something through one of these links, I'll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own.

Starting a new passion project may be exactly what you need if you’re feeling uninspired by life. Try these 10 passion project ideas to inspire your creative side.

 

What’s a Passion Project? 

 

A passion project lies somewhere between a hobby and a side hustle. At its core, a passion project is something you love and are happy to put hundreds of unpaid hours into, but that you may like to start profiting from at some point. Of course, you don’t have to monetize your passion project if you don’t want to. But it’s certainly the goal for a lot of people.

 

Why Should You Have a Passion Project?

 

1. Find Meaning in Life

 

As humans, we feel happier if we have a purpose in life. Too many of us are stuck in dead-end jobs that we hate, and launching a passion project may be what you need to spark some extra inspiration in your life. 

 

2. Learn New Skills

 

If you’re not learning new things as you go through life then you’re missing out. Learning is incredibly satisfying and a lot of fun, and picking up a new project is one of the best ways to learn a new skill. 

Many of these passion projects require skills such as photo and video editing, graphic design, and coding – skills that you may not otherwise have the opportunity to learn.

 

3. Boost Creativity

 

Many of these passion project ideas require you to be creative and innovative. Being creative is part of being human, and can help contribute to your general happiness.

 

passion project ideas

 

How to Choose a Passion Project

 

To choose your perfect passion project you’ll have to ask yourself a few questions. Do you have any money for upfront costs? How much time per day do you have to put into your new project? 

All of these passion projects require different amounts of time and dedication to get going. My advice is to choose something you’re passionate about, but don’t bite off more than you can chew. You’ll only begin to resent the work.

 

Everyone needs a passion project! Here are 10 passion project ideas to inspire your creative side.Click To Tweet

 

Can You Start More Than One Passion Project?

 

If more than one passion project idea catches your eye then you should absolutely consider having more than one passion project – you’ll only be wondering “what if?” if you don’t start now.

Just be aware that many of these projects can take up a huge chunk of your time, so only take on the extra work if you’re really passionate about what you’ll be doing, and you know you have enough free time to avoid burnout.

 

Passion Project Ideas

 

10 Passion Project Ideas to Get Your Creativity Flowing

 

1. Start a Blog

 

To me, blogging is one of the best passion projects out there. You can put as much or as little time into it as you like, and it can even be extremely profitable.

The startup costs are incredibly low, and all you need to get going is some cheap web hosting. I use Dreamhost to host my websites – their customer support has been invaluable to me and their shared hosting plan is a fantastic option if you’re on a budget. Get started with Dreamhost and start your own blog today.

There are even options to start blogging for free. If you want to blog for free then I’d highly recommend publishing your work on Medium, and you can also use free blogging platforms like Blogger or WordPress to create your own little corner of the Internet.

 

2. Start a YouTube Channel

 

You don’t need to be the best editor or own a fancy camera to get started on YouTube. All you need is a drive to keep creating content even though at first you’ll be working for free, and a skill or message that you want to share with the world. 

Plenty of large YouTubers got started by filming on their phones, only investing in a proper camera and lighting once their channel became profitable. You can even launch a YouTube channel without any camera at all, for example by using screen capture to create tutorials on something you’re good at or by creating gaming content.

You’ll also learn video editing as a YouTuber, which is an incredible skill to have. Once you’re confident enough you can even offer your video editing skills as a freelance service.

 

positive affirmations to change your life

 

3. Stream on Twitch

 

If you like gaming, music, art, or simply just chatting, then starting a Twitch channel may be the right passion project for you. 

I love Twitch since it’s home to some really tight-knit communities. It feels a lot more personal than creating content for a blog or YouTube channel, since your viewers can ask you questions and chat to you in real time.

Growing on Twitch is difficult and you’ll have to invest a lot of your time upfront. But once you grow a large enough audience you can make a decent income from people donating and subscribing to your channel.

 

4. Write a Book

 

If you enjoy writing, then why don’t you consider writing a book? It may seem like a huge goal, but what’s really stopping you? You’ll have full creative control and can write it on any topic you like.

If the idea of writing an entire novel is overwhelming to you, then consider writing short stories. There are plenty of writers making passive income from publishing their short stories to Amazon.

 

hobbies to pick up in your 20s

 

5. Start a Podcast

 

Podcasting is a huge industry, and it’s only getting bigger. You can create a podcast on anything you want – all you need is a passion for your subject and a quiet place to record.

Setting up a podcast is pretty inexpensive – your main expense will be a good microphone, and you can also get started with a cheaper microphone if you’re strapped for cash. Just be aware that your podcast won’t be of studio quality if you’re recording on the free microphone built in to your headphones.

 

6. Launch an Online Store

 

It’s incredibly easy to launch an online store. The introduction of services such as Shopify, Big Cartel, and even Etsy means you no longer need extensive coding knowledge to launch a beautiful, functional site.

You could sell some of your old items you don’t use anymore, or if you’re looking for something more involved then you could sell some of your art or handmade products such as soap or candles.

 

passive income ideas to sell on etsy

 

7. Learn a New Skill

 

Now’s a better time than ever to start learning something you’ve always wanted to. Perhaps that’s learning a new language, learning an instrument, learning how to draw, or learning how to develop games.

The possibilities are endless, and learning anything new is fantastic for your general happiness and brain health. You can even start selling products you make, or courses to help teach others once you get good enough at your new skill.

 

 

 

 

8. Volunteer

 

Volunteering allows you to work for a charity you’re passionate about, while perhaps even seeing the differences you make first-hand.

It’s one of the most convenient passion project ideas on this list since you can invest as much or as little time as you like. Most charities will allow you to get started on just one hour a week or less, making it the perfect option if you have a busy schedule.

 

free goal setting guide and workbook

9. Launch and Grow an Instagram account

 

Any Instagram marketer will tell you exactly how much work it entails. The current Instagram algorithm favors quality content and daily uploading, so it certainly takes a lot of dedication to grow on the platform. But if you have a positive message to share, Instagram is one of the best places to share it.

The best way to grow an Instagram account is to pick a niche and put out content every day. As a few examples you could start a fashion account, an illustration and design account, a comedy account, or simply an account that shares a positive message.

As your account grows you can even start making money through sponsored content. There are creators with just a few thousand followers on the platform getting sponsored by brands, so it’s really worth starting today.

 

passion project ideas to inspire creativity

 

10. Start an Email Newsletter

 

Did you know that there are daily and weekly newsletters with hundreds of thousands of subscribers? And that these newsletters can actually be profitable?

All you need is a good idea and to stick to it. Most email marketing providers offer a free plan for small newsletters, so you don’t even have to spend any money to get going. There are successful newsletters that are as simple as sharing a poem or a positive quote every single day.

You’ll need some good marketing ideas to get your newsletter up and running, but if you have a solid idea for a newsletter then you’ll be able to find people who will subscribe.

 

Comment and Subscribe!

 

Do you have a passion project? I’d love to hear your thoughts on these passion project ideas in the comments, and if you liked this post then be sure to subscribe to The Violet Journal to get similar posts sent directly to your inbox.

 

free goal setting guide and workbook

Subscribe to The Violet Journal!

You may also like

2 comments

Michelle December 3, 2020 - 10:40 pm

Love this. I started my blog for something to do for fun, and now it’s definitely a passion project for me. My daughter has a Twitch channel and she’s about as obsessed with it as I am with my blog.

Reply
The Violet Journal December 4, 2020 - 9:16 am

Ooh what does she stream? I feel like I’ve gone down a similar route with my own blog – at this point I’m not even sure who I’d be without a project to pour all of my free time into.

Reply

Leave a Comment

The Violet Journal

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More