Koi Hobby Burn Out - Koi Forum - Koi-Bito Magazine

Nancy M. · 01-12-2006

I was talking with a friend of mine this morning, about being burnt out.. Has anyone on this board got burnt out on the hobby? I know I have had my times when I was ready to hang it up. I have heard others talking about they left the hobby or they put it on hold. How many of us have left due to burn out and then came back? It can be burn out from politics, club, fish lost, pond lost etc.. Just wondering what would make someone quit? and then what would motivate them to come back?

koifishgirl · 01-12-2006

I guess if it is not a passion for you then you can burn out. But not me I love it to much. Eat drink and sleep koi

aquitori · 01-12-2006

There was a point in my hobby where all I had was just me, myelf and I. I got burnt out many times and to the point where I would just avoid everything koi related. I think after the All-Bay Area Show I will retire from showing and concentrate on more personal things. Koi will always be there for me and it will always be the hobby that keeps in me check and humble.

junglegeorge12 · 01-12-2006

Whenever I feel like that I go to the mall for a day. After dealing with rude drivers, and crowds and people all day, when I get home I am in love with my ponds and koi again.

You have to put politics on iggy in all areas of life Nancy. Just beat the bastards senseless when you get the chance......

HenryC · 01-12-2006

I feel that way for about a week after chairing a large Koi show, then I get all pumped up again and can't wait for the next event.

koiczar · 01-12-2006

Yeah, I've gotten burned out a couple of times over the years, especially after chairing a show.The politics become overwhelming at times and the lack of appreciation shown by fellow club members after you busted your butt for them doesn't help either.

Nancy, my advice to you and Frank is: stay the course and decide just what you enjoy most from the hobby and do that. Don't worry about others as there will always be the ones that try to bring you down to their level (whatever that is). You two have a fabulous collection of fish-don't give up on them or yourselves - ENJOY!!

MCA · 01-12-2006

Easy to get burned on a specific topic and/or for a specific period of time. As Henry indicated, we can work ourselves to death on a major project and not want to see a koi...for at least 5 minutes.

But to truly and completely give up the entire hobby.......NOT.

kingkong · 01-12-2006

Very few people suffer burnout when they are having fun. Fun for me is buying koi. Since I slowed down on my koi purchasing, I realized that this shopping aspect was part..... rather almost all the thrill.
Making the big sellection.
The yes, that fish is still available.
Conversation with dealer who expresses the bright future of your sellection.
Looking forward to the honk from the Fed Ex driver who thinks your nuts.
Seeing your koi for the first time emerge from four layers of plastic bags.
The sting on your face when a rubber band snaps back from one of your bags.
Yes, I do miss all of that and not having new koi flowing in weekly takes allot of the fun away I have to admitt. Oh well.

Bern · 01-12-2006

Hi Nancy,

I don't suffer from burnout because I am stubborn. This is my hobby and nobody or nothing is going to take it away from me.

However, I have occasionally been caught up in situations that have made me take a back seat in some capacity. The secret in my book is to spread yourself around a bit. I belong to one koiclub, but I show my face at a couple of others, I belong to my National Society and have at times put myself up for election to office and I get involved with foreign koi societies too. (plus nowadays the web forums).

If something occurs at one that demotivates me, I just retire into one of the others. In one sense though I have been very lucky. My koi club has always been my sanctuary. Its a bit unique in that it is without egos. Most club officials are doing their job because if they didn't it wouldn't get done. Apathy tends to rule at the AGM's. Most job holders are martyrs to their cause, but maybe that's good for the soul.

rgds BERN

dick benbow · 01-12-2006

I'm not sure if "burn-out" is what I'm feeling. I love the hobby but I also love challenges. I'm the happiest when I can be teaching what I know. I have gone as far as i can with the resources available to me and that is a huge frustration. I'd like to be able to spend more time with japanese breeders to learn more about breeding culling etc. being away from kentaro for the past years has not kept me up with the current challenges as well as i'd like. maybe that's why I have turned to Bonsai...to be challenged.

01-12-2006	#1 (permalink)
Nancy M. Oyagoi Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Lakewood, So Calif Posts: 1,814	Koi Hobby Burn Out I was talking with a friend of mine this morning, about being burnt out.. Has anyone on this board got burnt out on the hobby? I know I have had my times when I was ready to hang it up. I have heard others talking about they left the hobby or they put it on hold. How many of us have left due to burn out and then came back? It can be burn out from politics, club, fish lost, pond lost etc.. Just wondering what would make someone quit? and then what would motivate them to come back?

01-12-2006	#9 (permalink)
Bern Jumbo Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sunningdale, UK Posts: 506	Hi Nancy, I don't suffer from burnout because I am stubborn. This is my hobby and nobody or nothing is going to take it away from me. However, I have occasionally been caught up in situations that have made me take a back seat in some capacity. The secret in my book is to spread yourself around a bit. I belong to one koiclub, but I show my face at a couple of others, I belong to my National Society and have at times put myself up for election to office and I get involved with foreign koi societies too. (plus nowadays the web forums). If something occurs at one that demotivates me, I just retire into one of the others. In one sense though I have been very lucky. My koi club has always been my sanctuary. Its a bit unique in that it is without egos. Most club officials are doing their job because if they didn't it wouldn't get done. Apathy tends to rule at the AGM's. Most job holders are martyrs to their cause, but maybe that's good for the soul. rgds BERN __________________ South East Section BKKS and www.koipin.com

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01-12-2006	#2 (permalink)
koifishgirl Oyagoi Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,156	I guess if it is not a passion for you then you can burn out. But not me I love it to much. Eat drink and sleep koi

01-12-2006	#3 (permalink)
aquitori Daihonmei Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: DA 408 Posts: 7,420	There was a point in my hobby where all I had was just me, myelf and I. I got burnt out many times and to the point where I would just avoid everything koi related. I think after the All-Bay Area Show I will retire from showing and concentrate on more personal things. Koi will always be there for me and it will always be the hobby that keeps in me check and humble.

01-12-2006	#4 (permalink)
junglegeorge12 Oyagoi Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Puerto Rico Posts: 1,228	Whenever I feel like that I go to the mall for a day. After dealing with rude drivers, and crowds and people all day, when I get home I am in love with my ponds and koi again. You have to put politics on iggy in all areas of life Nancy. Just beat the bastards senseless when you get the chance......

01-12-2006	#5 (permalink)
HenryC Tategoi Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 368	I feel that way for about a week after chairing a large Koi show, then I get all pumped up again and can't wait for the next event.

01-12-2006	#6 (permalink)
koiczar Oyagoi Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 2,175	Yeah, I've gotten burned out a couple of times over the years, especially after chairing a show.The politics become overwhelming at times and the lack of appreciation shown by fellow club members after you busted your butt for them doesn't help either. Nancy, my advice to you and Frank is: stay the course and decide just what you enjoy most from the hobby and do that. Don't worry about others as there will always be the ones that try to bring you down to their level (whatever that is). You two have a fabulous collection of fish-don't give up on them or yourselves - ENJOY!!

01-12-2006	#7 (permalink)
MCA Tategoi Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Atlanta Posts: 415	Easy to get burned on a specific topic and/or for a specific period of time. As Henry indicated, we can work ourselves to death on a major project and not want to see a koi...for at least 5 minutes. But to truly and completely give up the entire hobby.......NOT.

01-12-2006	#8 (permalink)
kingkong Jumbo Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 946	Very few people suffer burnout when they are having fun. Fun for me is buying koi. Since I slowed down on my koi purchasing, I realized that this shopping aspect was part..... rather almost all the thrill. Making the big sellection. The yes, that fish is still available. Conversation with dealer who expresses the bright future of your sellection. Looking forward to the honk from the Fed Ex driver who thinks your nuts. Seeing your koi for the first time emerge from four layers of plastic bags. The sting on your face when a rubber band snaps back from one of your bags. Yes, I do miss all of that and not having new koi flowing in weekly takes allot of the fun away I have to admitt. Oh well.

01-12-2006	#10 (permalink)
dick benbow Honmei Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: seattle, wa Posts: 4,171	I'm not sure if "burn-out" is what I'm feeling. I love the hobby but I also love challenges. I'm the happiest when I can be teaching what I know. I have gone as far as i can with the resources available to me and that is a huge frustration. I'd like to be able to spend more time with japanese breeders to learn more about breeding culling etc. being away from kentaro for the past years has not kept me up with the current challenges as well as i'd like. maybe that's why I have turned to Bonsai...to be challenged.