How Hobbies Can Make You More Trustworthy

Today, I want to talk about something a bit different—hobbies—and how they can actually make you more trustworthy. It’s not something you’d normally think about, but trust me, there's a link, and I’ll explain why.

How I Rediscovered My Hobbies

Last year, I got so busy that I dropped all my hobbies. Between keynotes, workshops, writing a new book, teaching at SMU, and this podcast, I just didn’t have the time. By the end of the year, I hadn’t renewed any of my club memberships and I felt a void. A few months ago, I decided to pick them back up, and I immediately noticed a difference in how I felt. But beyond feeling better, I realized that my hobbies were making me a more relaxed and trustworthy person.

Hobbies Help Me Relax (and They Can Help You Too)

One of my main hobbies is building and flying radio-controlled airplanes. I’ve been doing it for about 15 years now. It’s not a relaxed hobby at all—there’s always the fear of losing sight of the plane or crashing it. Yet, after spending a day flying, I come back more focused, calm, and creative.

I remember a time early in my career when I was taking flying lessons, and my boss at the time asked me why I needed this hobby. At first, I felt defensive, thinking it wasn’t his business. But then, he observed something interesting. After a flying session, I was more relaxed, more productive, and a lot more focused at work. It wasn’t that flying itself was calming—it’s actually intense and risky—but stepping away from work and doing something completely different helped me recharge. I realized that being more relaxed makes me more approachable, and people tend to trust relaxed, confident individuals more.

Talking About My Hobbies Makes Me More Human

Hobbies don’t just help you relax; they also make you more relatable. When you talk about your hobbies with colleagues or clients, it humanizes you. People see you as more than just the job you do—they see you as a real person with interests and passions.

I’ve noticed that when I share my love for radio-controlled airplanes, people engage with me more easily. It breaks down barriers and shows that I’m not just some intense, mission-driven person. This helps build what I call “personality compatibility,” which is a key component in building trust. People trust those they can relate to, and talking about hobbies is a great way to create that connection.

Shared Hobbies Strengthen Trust

Now, here’s where hobbies can really make a difference. If you share a hobby with someone, it’s like trust-building on steroids. My daughter, Maya, had an experience where she interviewed for a job and discovered that her potential boss shared her love for trapeze. That shared passion took up the first 20 minutes of their interview, and it built an immediate connection. She got the job.

This is a powerful way to build trust because when someone shares a hobby with you, they see themselves in you. It creates a sense of commonality, which strengthens the bond and makes trust easier to establish.

Conclusion

So, what does this all mean? Having hobbies does more than just give you a break from your routine. Hobbies help you relax, make you more human, and in some cases, can create strong connections with others who share your interests. All of these factors contribute to being seen as more trustworthy. So if you’ve been thinking about picking up an old hobby or starting a new one, I highly recommend it. Not only will it make you feel better, but it could also improve how others see and trust you.

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Want to hear the whole story? Listen to the podcast episode at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s15e1-how-hobbies-can-make-you-more-trustworthy/id1569249060?i=1000671414297

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Dr. Yoram Solomon is an expert in trust, employee engagement, teamwork, organizational culture, and leadership. He is the author of The Book of Trust, host of The Trust Show podcast, a three-time TEDx speaker, and facilitator of the Trust Habits workshop and masterclass that explains what trust is and how to build trust in organizations. He is a frequent speaker at SHRM events and a contributor to HR.com magazine.

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The Book of Trust®, The Innovation Culture Institute®, and Trust Habits® are registered trademarks of Yoram Solomon. Trust Premium™, the Relative Trust Inventory™, and The Trust Show™ are trademarks of Yoram Solomon.