Hobbies & Pastimes: IRL RPG Archetypes

How we tend to think, is what we tend to do.

Imagine life as an elaborate role-playing game. In any RPG, the character’s strengths, weaknesses, skills, and interests define their archetype – warriors, wizards, rogues. In life, our hobbies serve as the framework that shapes our own unique archetypes. How we choose to spend our time reflects how our minds work. How our minds work says everything about how we see the world.

Our pastimes provide a lens into our personalities and drive the way we engage with the world around us.

Recognizing the importance of these archetypes is helpful for authors aiming to breathe life into their characters. By understanding the patterns in how the character tends to approach tasks, we can create rich, diverse characters who possess depth, realism, and relatability. However, this isn’t just a tool for writers. Examining our default tendencies can also shed light on our relationships, motivations, and inclinations in the home, the workplace, and society at large.

In this model, I have 5 Archetypes, and 25 categories of hobbies.

1. Creators

Creators are driven by the joy of bringing something into existence. They might express this through traditional arts, like drawing or woodworking, or through more abstract pursuits like writing or composing music. Creators enjoy the process of synthesis, building, and seeing the tangible results of their efforts. They thrive in environments where innovation and originality are valued.

Making: This hobby involves creating or building something, often by hand. Examples: woodworking, knitting, drawing, painting.

Synthesizing: This hobby involves combining and integrating ideas or information from multiple sources to create something new. Examples: writing, programming, cooking, composing music.

Decorating: This hobby involves making spaces or items more attractive or festive. Examples: interior design, party planning, DIY home decor.

Experimenting: This hobby involves conducting procedures to make discoveries or test hypotheses. Examples: DIY science experiments, kitchen chemistry, homebrew electronics.

Modeling: This hobby involves creating small, scale models of buildings, vehicles, or figures. Examples: model trains, LEGO, miniature painting.

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2. Developers

Developers are dedicated to improvement – be it of their skills, their knowledge, or even the objects around them. They might immerse themselves in physical exercises, engage in competitive hobbies, or lose themselves in puzzles and games. Developers relish the chance to push their boundaries and expand their capabilities. In a professional setting, they are often relentless in their pursuit of excellence and personal growth.

Exercising: This hobby involves activities that improve physical health and wellbeing. Examples: running, weightlifting, yoga, martial arts.