Advice on special interests, burnout and fulfilment

nathangeorge99

I have a few general questions about special interests, dealing with what feels like a burnout, and whether I should compromise my beliefs with one of them. I wondered if anyone could help and advise me?

1. My main career dream is to become a professional scriptwriter. I am really passionate about it, and it gives me feelings of joy at its best like nothing else. However, it's not my "special interest", and certainly not what I do to relax. I feel like my special interest is politics, but my burning dream is to become a writer. This feels unusual as my special interests in my past have been my career ambitions (when I was really into trains I wanted to be a train driver, when it was mainly football I wanted to be a football manager). Can anybody relate to the feeling of your dream career being different from your special interest?
2. I entered screenwriting competitions at the start of the year, and ever since then, the tv series I'm working on (that I entered for them) has felt completely exhausting rather than fun. I have long suspected I also have ADHD, and since I became passionate about this tv series idea it has always felt like a race against my mind in case I lose interest, which I am desperate not to do. Therefore, I'm scared of taking a break from it in case my passion never comes back. Does anyone have any advice?
3. Going back to politics as my special interest - I am particularly keen on creating a report for a Federal/Confederal UK. I am really torn between going all out and creating something that I completely believe in (but is more unrealistic), or a compromise document that might be more likely to happen. Does anyone have any recommendations on whether to do something I believe in more, or modify it to suit what is more likely?

Albus_Scope

Hey @nathangeorge99, those are some interesting questions for sure!
This is of course me just answering from a personal perspective, but I've found with some special interests, I don't think I'd ever want them as a job. I love to paint wargame miniatures, but I'd not want to do it as a living, as I worry it'd turn my passion into something I'd end up not enjoying. I salute people who can turn their passions into work though.

With regard to your screenwriting, I'd say try and set aside dedicated work time for it and try and make it a habit and do something extra fun afterwards, so you'll still be getting writing done, but you'll also be getting that dopamine hit the ADHD brain is always craving.  But at the same time, breaks from things can be great, as you can come back to it, refreshed and full of new ideas. I know as an AuDHD person, our autistic brains often crave routine, but the ADHD side finds it really boring unless it's FUN! So it's all about trying to keep both sides happy haha. 

As for your Federal/Confed idea, do whatever you think you'll enjoy and believe in more!