Nurturing your hobby into a professional interest may not be as difficult as you imagine it to be – When you enjoy what you do, you are willing to spend longer hours on it, work on your craft and become good at it. And when you become good at something, you enjoy doing it even more.

It all makes sense when you realise it's a virtuous cycle.

#1 What's your goal?

Big goals may feel unachievable and deter you from taking the first step. So instead, think of goals as small building blocks. Is it to get your first pay from a creative project? Or to get your first interview for a particular role? Set a time frame between three to six months, no longer than that, then get to work.

#2 Keep practicing.

The fastest way to learn is through practice. There are plenty of resources online and it is easy to get lost consuming instead of doing. Don't binge videos about the principles of design, open Illustrator and start creating something. Don't obsess with books about photography basics, grab your gear, go out and shoot. Filling in the gaps as you go will make the learning process much more efficient.

#3 Harness discipline.

Self-learning typically means no fixed curriculum to fall back on and no one to be accountable to except yourself. Your progress is fully dependent on your ability to do what needs to be done. Make a plan, practice prioritising and take action, regardless of how you feel, physically or emotionally.