How to Get Your Dream Job

My life changed in an instant ten years ago. While reading one night, I ran into a familiar quote, and its significance ignited a passion long forgotten in the hubbub of my daily life. Excited with my discovery, I grabbed a pen and paper and, until the sun declared the start of a new day for me, I captured the vision of what I wanted my life to be.

This vision set in motion a personal and professional transformation that continues to empower and transform my life years later. I’m often asked, “How did you do it? How did you create your professional dream?”

That night I vowed to let passion guide, inspire, and shield that vision against the Dream Killers we all have: well-meaning friends, coworkers, life situations, a lack of the “right” degree or start-up capital, and our own fear. No more would Dream Killers stop me from creating work that I was passionate about and that utilized my unique talents and gifts. Unless you are passionate about what you do, you’ll never achieve true success in your business and life. 

Passion provides the power and conviction to break through any barriers that come your way. If you’re moving towards your professional dream or taking your company to the next level, barriers will show up. Count on it.

How do you determine what you are passionate about? 

A great way to figure it out is to discover — or rediscover — your true passion. Create your ideal day.

Close your eyes, and imagine your perfect, fulfilling day. Create that day down to the smallest of details. Listen to your heart.  Dream that day. When your vision of an ideal day is clear in your mind, open your eyes and answer the following questions:

 
Where do you live?

 
Describe your work environment. Are you working virtually, living in Maui and working on the beach or spending a few hours at the office and then exercising at a reasonable hour and picking up the kids from school?

 
What is happening on this day? Are you being interviewed by a major media publication, receiving a large contract, working with associates you really admire?

 
Who are the people around you? Trusted business associates, friends, your children?

 
What type of work are you doing in your company?  Are you thoroughly enjoying the day-to-day of running your business or performing your job or are you only working on the issues within your company and allowing your brilliant team to do the same?

 
What are the most memorable professional or personal achievements or activities that bring you great joy on this day?

 
Creating your ideal day and keeping this day in your mind is very powerful. So many entrepreneurs lose sight of why they started their own company. Was it to create a job for yourself that you wouldn’t do for anyone else, no matter the pay? Was it to minimize your abilities by working massive hours doing tasks you deplore? Granted, when we first start our own business we are a jack-of-all-trades. But we won’t breakout from the pack if we are doing everything in our company and not doing what we are passionate about or focusing our energy where we truly shine.

 
In the book, How come That Idiot’s rich and I’m not? by Robert Shemin, he writes a funny, but telling description of the Bill Gates Solo Act . “What do you suppose would happen to Microsoft (this was written before Gates retired) if Bill Gates did it all himself? Just picture it. There’s Bill putting together all those little chips and things that make Windows work. He’s writing the text. He’s designing the pretty graphics. He’s schlepping those Windows components into boxes and driving those boxes to the post office.”  Shemin goes on to describe many more things Bill would need to do if only he ran Microsoft, including squeezing in banking, writing ads, answering e-mails, tech support—and oh, yeah, finding time for his kids and wife, eating and sleeping.  Not reality, but is it your reality?

 
Our minds are great story makers. What story are you living?

 
Take the time to create your Ideal Day in your mind and then make it reality.

 
The quote that inspired me to transform my life? “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” —Henry David Thoreau