A while ago, I saw a TikTok of someone explaining that they don’t have a dream job, and that they don’t dream of labor, and I never resonated with something so much. My “dream” job is to do something that makes me happy and that earns me money—but DOESN’T feel like labor. I can’t stand the thought of a 9-to-5 in which I have little to no creative control. I feel that from a very young age, we are groomed to think about what professions we want, before we even truly know ourselves. Don’t believe me? Then explain to me what they meant by: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And why did they ask us this question when we were 7 years old?
I’m not saying I’m opposed to working, but as I approach my mid-twenties, I’ve realized that I’ve been through too much stress in college just to turn around and get stuck at a job that makes me miserable for the sake of having money and being “independent.” But what if I was opposed to working? Is there really anything wrong with that? Those corny ads on YouTube make it abundantly clear that it’s possible to make a lot of money via passive income, so why wouldn’t anyone want that? Making money in your sleep, not stressing over bills, and doing what you WANT with your time rather than always doing what you HAVE to? I’d love that.
The thought of working a 9-to-5 until I’m 65 (or have enough money to retire) is so lackluster. It paints a picture that I can only truly enjoy the fruits of my labor once I retire. I want to enjoy the fruit both while I’m working and when I retire. Retire shouldn’t mean relief, and that’s a reality for a lot of people today.
There’s also the conflict of not feeling like there’s a profession out there that matches me perfectly. A lot of people struggle with not knowing their passions—or simply not having any. What’s their “dream job” supposed to be? It’s also hard to pick a dream job when you haven’t actually worked that job before. A dream job is just an ideology, so what happens if that job becomes a reality, and we realize it’s not giving us the fulfillment we imagined it would? Do we stick to it just because it’s our “dream job?” I would hope not.
I’ve landed on a goal to become a college professor because I’ve always enjoyed the idea of teaching my own class in a creative way, but it’s not all I aspire to in life. I want whatever source of income I have to bring me happiness and enjoyment. I can’t stand the idea of working to survive. I want to live—enjoy life. So, I can’t say I have a dream job. I just want to make my dream of living—enjoying life with financial stability—a reality. What about you?
