4 Roadblocks Standing Between You And Your Dream Job -- and How to Get Around Them Why so many aim, yet rarely attain.
By Eli Joseph Edited by Bill Schulz
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
As time, life and bills add up, the stress in pursuing our dream job rises. Our eagerness to fulfill our perceived potential slowly fades as day-to-day responsibilities kick in. Here are some reasons to identify, (and perhaps avoid) when it comes to optimal occupations appearing unobtainable.
Stop snoozing
A dream job starts when you sleep and ends when you wake. Goals create a vision for an outcome, but are rooted in the reality of a situation. Doing what must be done to get where you want to go is much harder because you may act a certain way that is uncomfortable to you.
As you grow, the goalposts of success shift accordingly. Today's great opportunity could seem grossly outdated tomorrow.
Indeed a new survey, conducted by Xero of 1,000 small business owners, revealed that many feel certain aspects of the "American Dream" should be considered part of the past, like owning a car and home (37%) or even believing in the free market (31%).
Related: The Dream Job is a Myth. Focus Instead on Living Your Best Life
That one, great gig may still be a mystery
There are ideal occupations that may align with your cultural vision. However, the company that possesses that opening may not be the best fit for you.
Oftentimes, employers have the most ideal job with the right workload and responsibilities for their employees. But the company itself may not have the best working environment for its workers. Your ideal job at a firm may require you to work more than 60 hours per week. That dream job may require you to take on a lot of minutia at a lower pay grade.
Additionally, that ideal opportunity may exist in a toxic environment where upper management may not make the best decisions for you and your peers. Your experience at a firm may alter the utopic perception of that job, thereby turning your dream into a nightmare.
Related: For These Entrepreneurs, the Dream Job Was Finding Jobs for Others
You may not be their dream
When you are going through the initial stages of snagging that perfect job, the hiring managers may realize that you are not the perfect candidate.
You may feel confident that nailed the interview and you will receive an offer at a great company, but they may have more experienced candidates. Though rejection can be devastating, your dream job can be interdependent with the ideal needs of the company.
Related: So, That Candidate Seems the Right Fit For the Job. But Is the Job Right For Him/Her?
Right now can be wrong later
Much like a slice of bread, dreams are different, and they are not created equal. Dream jobs also have an expiration date.
If you leave the bread exposed and unattended for a couple of days, it changes colors, aroma and becomes inedible. Dreams take on similar characteristics if they are no actionable objectives being put in place to obtain that ideal job.
If you're spending too much time trying to figure out the meaning behind your manifesting, you will have to overcome extreme challenges in realizing your dream beyond your career.
Related: Stop Fixating on Your Dream Job and Just Get a Better Job
