I think that part of the reason most people with seemingly great lives start to get stuck in a rut is because their lives are centered on themselves. Don’t get me wrong; it is important to focus on yourself and your loved ones but it can become rather monotonous and unsatisfying to never look beyond yourself.
Some of the most fulfilled people in the world are not those with the highest income or best homes or any of that. They are people that have learnt to give of themselves to people in need. They give their time, talents and skills (not just money) to those less fortunate than they are and it somehow makes them feel more alive… More human.
Finding your dream job
Most of us are brought up with the ideal of “the one”. This applies both in relationships and in careers. The idea is that there is this one career that is just perfect for you and with it have you challenged as you attain fulfillment. People define it as the one thing that you can do all day for free, and Steve Jobs said to never stop looking until you find it.
So what does a dream job look like?
It doesn’t feel like work – the job is so enjoyable that you could truly do it all for free. You have fun at work and not from the side shenanigans of co-workers but from actually doing the work.
The thought of going to work energizes you – There are jobs where you feel like you would rather stay in bed, and then there are jobs where you wouldn’t want to go to bed. If the thought of your job makes you glad, you’ve found it.
It challenges and exhilarates you – A dream job should keep you on your toes, constantly stretched and challenged to use your skills and gain more. It should feel like a fun, complex game that requires you to always up your game.
Making a difference
There are many more characteristics of your dream job but among the most important is that you should feel like you are making a difference in the world by what you do. It could be that your job gives you opportunities to interact with and develop solutions for the less fortunate, or handicapped people or the environment. It could be that the company you are working with is aligned with your personal values and seeks out ways of making life better for all other inhabitants of the planet in whichever way they can.
The thing is your dream job fully becomes that when it gives you an opportunity to serve others around you. That way, you will truly have come full circle in blending your dream career with serving others and truly being fulfilled because you are serving a purpose greater than yourself. And if your current job doesn’t have those opportunities, go ahead and create them within or outside the company. It will do your soul a lot of good.
Would you use your dream job to serve mankind? Let us know in the comments below!
Photo: Pete / Flickr
Mark Mainne does debt settlement reviews (http://debt-settlement-review.toptenreviews.com) as his day job and works as an inspirational speaker part-time. We think he should quit his day job, don’t you?
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