But what exactly?
I recently read about a little ‘thought experiment’. Simply put, forget about your dream job – instead, imagine the worst job you can. Write down the details – what bothers you about it, what’s the worst features, etc.
Take a moment and think about it – it’s worth the time, trust me…
…ready…
…now reverse it.
You’ll find this is really Your Dream Job.
For instance, let’s say you said – ‘my worst job would be where I’m given demeaning work, with low wages, and no-one thanks me’.
Reverse it, and you’ll likely find that your dream job would require (in this order) fulfilling work, a reasonable wage, and approval from others.
I’m no psychologist, but I suspect this works because we’re not used to thinking in this direction – we hear so much about dream jobs that we’ve all been conditioned what is expected. Going at it in this reverse direction frees our minds to ‘speak up’ – and say what really matters (and I suspect, in the correct order of priority).
An art book, ‘Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain’, uses a similar technique – by turning a picture upside down so it’s less familiar, the brain is free to concentrate on the drawing – often with superb results.
Try this a few times on yourself and others – I guarantee it’ll get you thinking about your dream job – even if by a back door route.
