The Dream Job
As kids, we dreamed about what we wanted to be when we grew up. Whether or not we ended up in that profession, many of us still cling to that mindset - that there is something we’re either supposed to be doing or that our professional lives have a final destination. How many times have you heard people say “I’m XX years old and still haven’t figured out what I want to do”, or how many times have those words come out of your mouth? They’ve definitely escaped my lips more than once.
For many reasons that I won’t bore you with, I thought about this a lot today. I’m starting to wonder if it is because of this mindset that so many people are dissatisfied with work. We unconsciously carry this burden of self-expectation that some dream job exists, and that until we attain that, our careers are incomplete.
The more time that passes, the more I feel that this dream job is a myth. I don’t say this with cynicism - quite the opposite. As with many things in life, your career should be about the journey, not about the destination. There shouldn’t even be a destination. It’s good to set goals for yourself, but I feel like the most important goal is to attain a state of well being, happiness, and fulfillment. Do things that excite and challenge you, and enable you to change for the better.
One of my colleagues works in film and video production. It wasn’t until many months after I had met him that I discovered he was once a very successful medical doctor, which many might label as a ‘dream job’ or profession. In the years since he made that huge decision to leave medicine and pursue film, he says he’s never been happier. Goes to show you it’s never too late to do anything. And if you do decide to move onto something else, it doesn’t at all take away from your previous accomplishments. I’m sure my colleague raised many eyebrows when he decided to leave medicine. Perhaps some were critical. The way I see it, he simply ended one chapter of his life to move onto a new and exciting chapter.
No one should weigh themselves down too much with self-expectations on where they “should” be in their career, or allow anyone belittle what they’ve accomplished thus far or tell them they aren’t capable. I know I would advise others of this. So I hope I’ll listen to my own advice.
