Monetmind vs. Dabblebrain

The monetization mindset and the Dabble alternative

Growing up, my grandfather, a retired firefighter who loved woodwork, started making plaques for organizations. What started as a hobby became a side hustle.

My mother, who loves all kinds of crafts, has taken many of her projects and tried to sell them at local arts and crafts fairs. Her biggest efforts were for her handmade greeting cards and little clay creatures.

When I share some of my craftier dabbles with her and others, I often hear “you could sell that.” While I am flattered, this is the mindset that so many of us have, and that is, that we should try to monetize the things that we do.

I grew up in a row house in the inner city, and money was tight. I remember, at a very young age, coloring on seashells and going door-to-door on my street to try to sell my little creations to unsuspecting neighbors. Where did that mindset come from?

I couldn’t find a word for this, so in the style of Rohit Bhargava, I’ll make up a word for it:

Monetimind (noun): The automatic tendency to think about how every hobby, passion, or skill could become a source of income instead of simply enjoying it.

While there is nothing wrong about making money, or even a living, by doing something you love, what we need to watch out for is only trying things that we know we are likely to be good enough at that they could become a source of income. Additionally, when we approach any hobby or skill with a “monetmind” we may not take as many chances and will work harder for perfection.

Let’s talk about the opposite with another made-up word.

Dabblebrain

Dabblebrain (noun): The tendency to see something interesting and immediately wonder whether you could try making, doing, or learning it yourself.

Although I do fall into monetmind from time to time, dabblebrain is definitely what I have. If I am walking around a craft show, looking through an online course catalog, and especially if I see a premade “kit” for beginners that catches my attention, I often add it to my list of potential dabbles.

I recently attended a 2-day women-only retreat, and each woman there introduced herself by telling the group something interesting about herself. I got so many ideas for dabbling just by listening, including poker, mahjong, and one related to jazz. I love hearing your ideas for dabbles, and I know other subscribers do too. Please comment or jump in the chat to share what you are working on and your ideas.

Before I end, I’ll share two “dabblebrain” creations I experimented with last week and what inspired them.

&

I’ll be sending out a full post on this shell dabble in the future. The clay dabble was fun and actually relaxing (and far from perfect). My three 20-somethings were home the weekend I had the clay out, and they all loved the feel of it (it’s soft and a little slimy) and ended up making a few of their own creations too.

What has your Dabblebrain made you want to try? As always, your ideas are appreciated, and you never know - you might be encouraging someone to try one of your dabbles themselves!

Have a great week! - Linda