Maria, an employee in a high tech company, thoroughly enjoys what she does in her marketing communications position. However, a recent merger has had a negative impact on the company culture. In fact, the changes are so dramatic that she does not feel she can be herself at work anymore, and she is not sure how much longer she can tolerate it.nnJohn is self-employed and absolutely loves his work as a realtor. The birth of his first child, however, has made him more and more aware that his seven-day-a-week schedule is taking its toll on his personal life. He is torn between the work he loves and the life he sees in front of him.nnClaire has created a blended career that works quite well for her. She has a part-time bookkeeping job and runs a cosmetics business. Although the lifestyle is working for her and she feels free to be herself in both of her careers, she is feeling bored. nnAlthough each person enjoys parts of his or her work and lifestyle, each is missing something significant. nnWhere do you stand?nn• Are you able to be yourself at work?n• Does your work or business impinge on your personal life?n• Is your work environment supportive?n• Are you frustrated with what you do each day?nnIf you are missing one of these elements, it is likely your work is like a bad dream—unsettling and confusing. If you are missing two or more of these elements, it is likely your career is becoming a bit of a nightmare. You are ready to do anything to get your life back.nnThe trick to creating a lifestyle and career that truly work for you is to discover work that combines who you are, how you live, how you work, and what you do. Now that is a dream career.n
Describing Your Dream Career in DetailnBuilding your dream career is like building a dream home. The more time and energy you put into exploring your needs, interests, and desires, the more likely your house (or your career) will be a good match for you. n nUse the following questions to create a picture of your ideal vision for yourself and your life. nn1.
When left to your own devices, who are you? How do you function best? What do you value? How do you define success? By understanding your true nature, you can create a career and a life that fully express who you are. nnFor example, if you like structure, make sure your work environment fulfills this need. If you like freedom and flexibility, create an environment that supports these characteristics. Putting yourself in an environment that is counter to your natural style can have dire consequences.nn2.
How do you want to live your life? How do you want to spend your time? With whom do you want to interact? Although it is easy to think about the ways you would tweak your current lifestyle, I encourage you to broaden your perspective. If you could redesign your lifestyle just the way you want it, what would it look like? How would it feel? nnBy giving voice to how you would like to live, you put your focus on your ultimate vision.nn3.
What work environment makes you most productive and happy? Think about your entire work arrangement, from your schedule and time off to your pay and benefits, from your personal work area to your work location, from your work colleagues to your customers and those who manage your work. nnBy understanding what is important to you in your work environment, you have a much better chance of creating it. Whether you negotiate with your manager or yourself to get what you need to be productive, the changes you make in your work environment can enhance how you feel at work. nn4.
What skills do you enjoy using at work? What topics fascinate you? How do you like to help others? Even if you do not see an immediate way to turn your passions into a cash-producing venture, continue to nurture your interests by using your skills and being involved with others who share your fascination. Keep your mind open to the possibilities. You never know what opportunities will appear that allow you to use your passions.nnAfter you answer these questions, put your notes away for a couple days. When you return to them, verify that you have described your ideal picture.nn
Taking Action to Create Your Dream CareernUse your vision of your dream career as a point on the horizon to shoot for. Do not be alarmed if you cannot make all your desired changes overnight. The most important thing is to keep taking the actions that move you toward your dream. nnDo not worry if you do not see how it is all going to play out. Often taking one step opens up possibilities you could not have seen if you had not taken that original step. Use your intuition to guide you because sometimes the next “logical” step is not the one that is going to create the biggest payoff. nnIf you are contemplating a significant change to your business or your job, give yourself the opportunity to test the waters before you take the leap. Using what you discover to refocus your plan can save you significant amounts of time, energy, and expense.nnAs you implement your vision, keep a creative mind-set. If you can only see one or two options, stop yourself and look at your situation from a bigger perspective. If you can, bring in a friend to help you brainstorm an array of options. Someone who is outside the situation will see things that you cannot see. nnHere are some ideas for the three people highlighted at the beginning of this article.nn• Maria, the marketing communications employee, might explore other companies in her area to see if any have a culture that suits her style better. If the culture she dislikes is endemic to her industry, she might explore the possibility of transferring her skills to another industry that is more consistent with her style. n• John, the realtor who is a new father, might experiment with different schedules to see if he can create an arrangement that melds his family’s needs with his professional responsibilities. Another option might be to partner up with another realtor who is also interested in creating a bit more life balance. n• Claire, the bored business owner, might begin by making a list of all the skills and interests she enjoys. With that list in hand, she can discern whether she can reconfigure her current business to incorporate more of her passions, whether she can find a part-time job that is a better fit, or whether her best strategy is to target an entirely new venture. nnSometimes a small change, or a series of small changes over time, can have an unexpectedly large impact on how you feel about yourself, how you work, and how you live. Keep making the choices that move you closer to your dream, and there is no stopping what you can create for yourself!nn** This article is one of 101 great articles that were published in 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life. To get complete details on “101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life”, visit
http://www.selfgrowth.com/greatways3.html n