Gents Weekly: Hobby-maxxing

Issue #27: The manliest newsletter on the internet • July 20, 2026

Gents Journey

Jul 21, 2026

Welcome to issue #27 of The Gents Weekly, a newsletter for the modern man.

Every Monday, you’ll receive a weekly roundup of inspiring ideas + products to help you become a better man.

Brought to you by the men of Gents Journey — Dean Bokhari, Stephen Seidel, and Matt McManus.

📝 THE MESSAGE

A timely piece from the gents.
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Manly hobbies

^{by Dean Bokhari}

As men, most of us are buried in obligations — work, bills, wife, kids, aging parents, and on and on.

With all these responsibilities, who the hell has time for a hobby?

If you nodded along to that, then I’d suggest you need a hobby more than anyone else.

Why?

Because hobbies are outlets. They give us an opportunity to channel our energy into something that matters to us.

Whether that’s building something, doing something, collecting something, or anything else — a solid hobby can be a respite for any man.

Personally, I’ve gotten in and out of several “manly” hobbies over the years…

I spent years (and far too much money) on a watch-collecting hobby that I’ve since lost interest in.

I’ve also spent a pretty penny on a pen-collecting hobby that I’ve also lost interest in.

And once I’m closer to the billionaire bracket, I’ll embark on a classic-car collecting hobby — which will also very likely be an absolute waste of money — but it’s something I’d still like to try. Because jumping into a drop-top 1964 Aston Martin DB5 on a Tuesday afternoon is a vibe I want to feel.

Having said that, collecting things as a hobby will not sustain your interest in any fulfilling way.

Sure, it feels good to get something you’ve been coveting, but that feeling doesn’t last.

And in my view, collecting doesn’t occupy your mind in the same productive way as doing or building something does.

There’s something about working with your hands that feels natural and fulfilling for a man.

Especially because most of us spend our working hours doing knowledge work.

So, here are a few of the hobbies I’m into right now.

Feel free to try them out for yourself.

My current hobbies:

Chopping wood - I’d say this is one of the manliest hobbies you could pick up next to woodworking. And I’ve been doing a lot of it lately. I hack away for a couple hours at a time at my ranch and it’s genuinely therapeutic. It’s also a heck of a workout.
Hiking
Lifting weights
Drawing and sketching
Reading old-ass physical books

Hobbies I’m thinking about trying:

Leather-working - I’d love to learn how to make hand-sewn leather-covered notebooks
Woodworking
Archery
Horseback riding
Playing polo

If you’re a pro at any of these five (especially the first two), leave a comment or DM me because I’m genuinely interested in learning more.

Hobbies I’ve tried and enjoyed in the past but no longer engage in:

Scotch and whiskey tasting - I no longer drink (for religious and health reasons) but awhile back, I took an interest in scotch and whiskey tasting. I learned about the wide world of Japanese whiskey, and Suntory’s beautifully bottled Hibiki Harmony quickly became a favorite for me. I also enjoyed distilleries like Blanton’s, Macallan, and Balvenie. Again, I no longer drink, but I’ll be honest - it was a fun run.
Swimming - This is one I’d like to get back into at some point
Shooting - Fun, but not something I do enough to call a hobby
Fishing - Fun, but not something I do enough to call a hobby
CrossFit - Didn’t like the vibe and culture

Lastly, I also played pickleball for the first time this past weekend - it was a blast! I can see it becoming a hobby if I can dedicate enough time toward mastering the game. We shall see.

So, what about you? What are your favorite hobbies? Which ones do you recommend? I’ve opened up the comments for this post because I legit want to know, so please drop comment with your own favorite hobbies or any hobbies you’d suggest might be worth trying out.

📰 THE MOMENT

Sh*t that’s happening now, ICYMI
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This Week’s AI Prompt: Hobbies

Summer is the season to actually DO something.

Here’s what happens: You get to summer and suddenly you have time. The days are long. The weather’s nice. Your kids are out of school. And then... you do nothing with it.

You fall back into the same routines. Work, home, screen time. Days blur together. Summer passes.

But what if you actually picked something up this summer? What if you got a hobby? Something that’s just for you. Something that makes you move. Something that makes time stop.

A hobby isn’t about being good at something. It’s about doing something because it matters to you. Because it brings you joy. Because it’s yours.

Maybe it’s fishing. Maybe it’s building something. Maybe it’s teaching your kid something you love. Maybe it’s getting outside and moving. Maybe it’s learning something completely new.

This prompt helps you figure out what hobby is actually calling you—and how to protect time for it this summer.

THE PROMPT:

Copy everything below and paste it into ChatGPT or Claude:

I want to pick up a hobby this summer—something that's just for me, something that gets me outside or engaged, something that might involve my kids or something that's purely mine. Help me figure out what actually calls to me and how to make it real.

Help me:

1. Identify what actually brings you joy (Not what you think should)
   - What did you used to love doing before life got busy?
   - What do you find yourself daydreaming about?
   - What activity makes you lose track of time?
   - What would you do if you had zero judgment from anyone?
   - Is it outdoors? Building? Teaching? Learning? Moving? Creating?

2. Picture yourself doing it (Make it real)
   - What does it look like? (You, your kids, nature, garage, water, etc.)
   - How does it feel in your body?
   - Who's with you? (Solo? Kids? Partner? Friends?)
   - What time of day? (Early morning? Weekend? Weeknight after work?)
   - Why does this one matter to you right now?

3. Figure out the parenting angle (If that matters)
   - Is this something you want to do WITH your kids?
   - Or is this something that's just for you (and that's okay)?
   - If it's with your kids—what are you actually teaching them?
   - What memories are you building?
   - How does this hobby make you a better dad?

4. Identify what's holding you back
   - What excuse are you making? (Time? Money? Don't know where to start? Too old to learn?)
   - What's the real barrier? (Be honest)
   - What do you need to make this happen? (Gear? Space? Lessons? Permission?)
   - What would change if you just started anyway?

5. Create your summer hobby plan
   - What's the hobby?
   - When are you going to do it? (Pick a specific day/time)
   - What's the first move? (Buy gear? Find a spot? Invite someone? Take a lesson?)
   - How much time can you protect for this? (Even 30 minutes counts)
   - Who are you telling so you actually follow through?

Here's what I used to love: [What brings you joy?]

Here's what I want to do this summer: [The hobby that's calling]

Here's why it matters: [Why now? What's it about?]

Here's what's holding me back: [Be real about the barrier]

Don't let me rationalize this away. Help me actually pick something up and do it this summer.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

The AI is going to help you move past “I should pick up a hobby” to actually identifying what your soul is calling for.

By the end, you’ll have:

A clear picture of what hobby actually speaks to you
Understanding of why it matters
Clarity on whether this is solo or with your kids
A real barrier identified (and how to overcome it)
A specific plan to start this summer
Permission to protect time for something that’s just for you

WHY THIS MATTERS

Hobbies aren’t luxury. They’re survival. They’re the thing that keeps you sane, keeps you you, keeps you alive inside.

Most dads put hobbies on hold “until the kids are older” or “when work slows down.” That day never comes.

But summer? Summer is the invitation. The weather says yes. The long days say yes. Your kids might actually want to be with you doing something outside.

So pick something. Anything. And protect the time for it.

Because a dad who has something that brings him joy is a better dad. A better partner. A better human.

Run this prompt. Pick your hobby. Protect the time. Make summer mean something.

Drop the hobby you’re picking up this summer. Let’s see who’s actually doing something.

— Matt McManus
Co-founder, Gents Journey
Hobbies Are How We Stay Alive

👊 THE MOVES

Media for men.
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It’s Never Just a Hobby

Watch & Listen I This Hobby Brought Me Back to Life

Life had become mundane, the same sh*t every day, no sense of fun.

It felt like Groundhog Day, the movie, as I was going through the motions, and I felt a sense of lack. I was searching for joy and happiness, instead of allowing it to bubble up from within, from having a hobby.

Then I watched this guy challenge himself to dust off his sketchbooks he’d let collect cobwebs, and something clicked.

I decided to do the same thing and gave myself 14 days to reinvest in myself and a love lost. No pressure. Just showing up.

I chose to start playing tennis again, and it reminded me of something I’d almost forgotten.

Sometimes life gets in the way, but really it’s all about play.

Melting Wax and Making Magic

For our summer vacation, we decided to visit the Crayola Museum outside Easton, PA.

Did you know Crayola produces about 3 billion crayons annually?

I expected another boring museum, yet I watched in delight as my kids colored, made their own crayons, and melted wax into drawings and little sculptures.

TIME for Kids | Inside the Crayola Factory | G3-4

It was like watching a building go up in time-lapse. Piece by piece, moment by moment. The satisfaction I felt was euphoric.

The awe.
The transformation.
The artistry.

No scores. No levels. No notifications.

Just color and imagination and a room full of creativity, completely lost in every hue and activity we experienced.

And it made me think, “Are the apps, the games, and the endless screens quietly stealing their sense of play, pleasure, and creativity?” Perhaps.

Either way, there might be a better story here.

Maybe a hobby doesn’t just kill time; it gives you your sense of time (and joy) back.

Why Hobbies Matter

If we’re lucky, our hobbies become our habits, and our habits become our career.

Just because a hobby doesn’t pay the bills doesn’t mean it isn’t just as important as your professional duties. As we get older, our friends, family, and sense of fun slowly fade into the limelight.

One of the best side effects of AI is watching people gravitate back toward real life. Toward genuine connection from being with people or engaging in life, head on and face first.

When you show up in person, it’s a whole lot more human and less transactional. That’s it. The whole game is showing up and creating.

Connection is your currency, and your hobby sets you on the journey.

You become an instrument. When you work with your hands, you let the divine flow through you. The world becomes your canvas.
You pull instead of push. There’s an old saying: if it’s fun, it gets done. You stop grinding and start pulling joy into your life. Push is effort. Pull is gravity.
You grow your circle. The same gravity that pulls in joy pulls in the people who love what you love, right into your inner circle.

Here’s my challenge for you: Pick something you’ve always loved but let slip, or start something brand new you’ve been quietly curious about. Then comment below and name it, so you have to hold yourself accountable.

Because your hobby isn't a distraction from your life.

It's the oracle pointing you back to it.

— Stephen Seidel
Co-founder, Gents Journey

PS: A quick trivia for you. What Dad-rap artist said, "it's just a hobby I picked up in the hotel lobby?" Drop your answer in the comments. Or click here if you truly don't know.