I just tell people I have a great job because I'm basically being paid for doing my hobby (web development). Been doing that for ~15 years now and I've still haven't felt any diminished desire for my "hobby", despite it now being my "job".
There are days of frustration, sure - but those pertain more to the business aspects of "monetizing" this hobby (such as dealing with clients when doing contract work), than to the art & craft of the hobby itself.
I don't think a hobby necessarily has to be less enjoyable just because you've made it your job.
"I don't think a hobby necessarily has to be less enjoyable just because you've made it your job."
This may be true in some rare exceptions. However, hobbies have no deadlines, no schedules, no management, no commute (ok, maybe not if your hobby is somewhere else), no feeling of "I have to do this", etc. All these reasons take away from the pleasure of doing your hobby, add to your stress -- which is the whole point of having a hobby in the first place, to take your mind off of stress of daily life.
I have hobbies outside of my "job" too, and perhaps sadistically, I give myself schedules & deadlines there too. I feel that if I do this, I can keep myself on track and even record my progress to a certain degree. I tend to get great satisfaction in a completed project, hobby or job. And I find the pressure of a deadline gives me this strange "high" - kind of like a runner's high - right before I hit my deadline and/or complete the project.
I totally hear you though. I can certainly understand how such pressure can totally take the joy out of a hobby for most people. And I never try to force anyone on my teams to think or behave this way, unless they naturally do already.
There are days of frustration, sure - but those pertain more to the business aspects of "monetizing" this hobby (such as dealing with clients when doing contract work), than to the art & craft of the hobby itself.
I don't think a hobby necessarily has to be less enjoyable just because you've made it your job.