Can we outgrow our dreams? I certainly hope so. The job I greatly wanted at sixteen after reading James Bond novels was a “secret agent.” Thanks, I’ll take a pass on that one.
The lack of opportunities or availability can lead us on different paths to the ideal job. Sometimes, we must “fold, spindle, and mutilate” a job description to create our ideal from something very different. This happened in my first professional job out of grad school. I wasn’t explicitly hired as an anthropologist. I had to create the need and then apply my skills.
Later, when government jobs dried up, I had to seek other paths. As a youth, I was instilled with an affection for ships and the sea from an early age. And the love of the sea and ships remained a constant for me. This affection helped me develop a business as a shipscarver; one of my dream jobs.
The path to a dream job requires navigating a tangled web of opportunities and restrictions.
Having or creating a dream job doesn’t mean it’s forever. Jobs come and go, and we mature and change our direction.
Play with the concept, and avoid becoming overly enamored with one thing. After all, it’s sometimes true that the worst thing that can happen is that you get what you dreamed of and find it disappointing.
Discover more from Louis N. Carreras, Woodcarver
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It took a while, but I finally got my dream job.