Are Dream Jobs Really a Thing? Can They Complete You?

Ellevate Network
3 min readJun 8, 2020

By: Ahlia Kitwana

Is a dream job really a thing? Is there a perfect job out there for you?

Short answer, no. It is possible, but not likely.

The book Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert alludes to this. When your source of joy is your sole source of income, it becomes more of a job and a chore simply because you’ve tied it to your livelihood.

Pay the bills by doing something else you are also good at, that affords you the time and resources to include what you love in your life.

[Related: Forget Passion: Find Your Schtick]

Ideally, build a life that includes your passion, that is purposeful, and that completes you. It may not look exactly how you imagined it. But if you work toward a life that fulfills you and has all the components that complete you, that is how you work toward living life to the fullest.

The job you like, you enjoy, or you are good at gives you the time, income, benefits, and/or flexibility to explore or pursue your interests. Careers do not have to be rooted in your passion or purpose.

Careers can enable us to discover and invest in our passion and purpose. I had this type of job, but it was diametrically opposed to my value system, and that is why I didn’t stay.

You do not need to love your job, but it should be in alignment with your values and who you are as a person. If not, prepare yourself to move on.

[Related: Three Exercises To Help You Decide Your Next Career Move]

Careers can allow for the space, time, and money to fuel what truly makes us come alive. Meaning and purpose do not have to be rooted in our careers. Our careers do not define who we are as a complete human being.

We give our lives meaning. All aspects of our lives are and should be infused with the meaning that we give them. We do this through living our value system, which can be in alignment with both what we do inside and outside our careers and working lives.

What if you are unhappy with your current position? If your current job is not really filling your cup and bringing you joy, do you have to stick with it? In this current economic environment, I would have to go with — yes.

That is, unless you are in a financially secure situation, as it may take you two to three times the normal amount of time to find a new position at this time. If you have twelve months of living expenses stashed away, by all means, go ahead.

But sticking with what you have right now does not mean that you need to remain miserable. Try changing your mindset. Begin to think about what you want your life to look like, the kind of job or business you want to build, and begin to work toward that. Be thankful for your current job that provides you and your family and loved ones.

[Related: Six Steps to Bounce Back When You’re Feeling Lost in Your Career]

Ahlia Kitwana founded Little Black Buddha, which offers women help in making career transitions and figuring out their next move in their lives and careers. She is developing LBB Pathways, a software/video game which helps people figure out what their transferable skills are and what industries those skills can be used in.

Originally published at https://www.ellevatenetwork.com.

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