Summary

The article discusses the pursuit of one's dream job, reflecting on personal passions, the reasons for not pursuing such a job, and offering advice on how to overcome these barriers and take action.

Abstract

The author of the article reminisces about the tendency to daydream about ideal careers, particularly as adults. They share their personal dream job of being a baseball umpire, rooted in a long-standing passion for the sport and past experience. The article acknowledges that many adults rarely daydream due to constant digital distractions. It also identifies common obstacles to pursuing a dream job, such as fear of failure, financial insecurity, lack of skills, societal pressure, comfort with the status quo, and uncertainty about one's dream job itself. To address these issues, the author suggests various strategies, including reading motivational materials, establishing financial security, acquiring education or skills, having open discussions with family, finding a mentor, and engaging in self-reflective activities like networking, gaining experience, and setting clear goals. The author encourages readers not to delay in chasing their dream job, emphasizing that time is precious.

Opinions

The author believes that adults often dream about their ideal job and may change careers frequently in search of it.
They express a personal passion for baseball and regret not pursuing a career as an umpire due to life circumstances and age.
The author suggests that constant use of electronic devices diminishes the opportunity for daydreaming about one's aspirations.
Common reasons for not pursuing a dream job include fear of failure, financial concerns, lack of necessary knowledge or skills, societal and familial expectations, comfort with the current situation, and uncertainty about what the dream job actually is.
The author is of the opinion that some of these barriers can be overcome with the right approach, such as seeking inspiration, planning financially, acquiring further education, having open family discussions, finding mentorship, and taking concrete steps towards self-discovery and career planning.
They encourage immediate action, as time is fleeting and opportunities should not be wasted.

Have You Ever Wondered What Your Dream Job Actually Looks Like?

How to figure out what it is, and how to find it

Photo by Evgeniya Litovchenko on Unsplash

Are you a daydreamer?

If you’re like me, you daydreamed a lot when you were in school. I can remember looking out of the window of my classrooms many times and daydreaming about recess. When I got to my teen years, I daydreamed mostly about girls (or baseball).

As an adult, I know I don’t daydream as much. I fill my mind with constant electronic stimuli (phone, pad, laptop, TV), which leaves little time to daydream.

How about you? Do you still daydream?

As adults, I think we daydream most about our “dream job.” I think that may be why we change careers so many times during our working years; we’re always trying to find it, but it’s very elusive.

What does your dream job look like?

Mine looks like this:

I would be the umpire calling balls and strikes.

I’m passionate about baseball, and I was an umpire in my teen years and early 20s. I thought seriously about going to umpire school in Florida before I graduated from college, but life happened, and I never followed through with it.

I often daydream about being an umpire when I’m watching a baseball game. Major League umpires make a very nice living and get to be close to the action over 150 times a year. Sounds great to me.

What’s Keeping You From Going After Your Dream Job?

My age prevents me from pursuing my dream job. I umpired high school baseball when I was in my 40s, but work prevented me from continuing since the games started at 4 pm on weekdays, and I had to work until 5 pm. I don’t have a 9 to 5 job anymore, but I’m a little too old to ever umpire again.

How about you?

I think these are the most common reasons people stay “stuck” and don’t chase their dream job:

Fear of failure
Financial insecurity
Lack of knowledge or skills
Pressure to conform to societal or familial expectations
Comfort in current situation or fear of change
Uncertainty about what their dream job is

Some of these are fixable, and some may not be in your situation. Here are some possible fixes:

Fear of failure — read motivational books and listen to inspirational podcasts
Financial insecurity — establish an emergency fund of 3–6 months of income before you “go for it”
Lack of knowledge or skills — attend college, community college, trade school, or take classes online
Pressure to conform to societal or family expectations — have family discussions and/or go to family counseling together
Comfort in current situation or fear of change — find a mentor who can guide you as you get started in your new job

If you’re uncertain about what your dream job is, here are six ways to do some soul-searching or action you can take to realize what it is:

Reflect on your passions and interests
Network and connect with professionals in your desired field
Gain experience through internships, volunteering, or part-time work
Continue your education or pursue relevant certifications
Utilize job search engines and career counseling services
Set clear goals and create a roadmap to achieve them

I also recommend reading blogs and books on finding your ideal job and listening to podcasts on that topic.

Don’t be like me and put off taking action to go after your dream job. Time flies by so quickly. Why not get started right now?