Rediscovering My Career Dreams

New Thoughts on Work | Part 1

Get ready, this is a lengthy read, but I have a lot on my mind that I want to share!

Recently, I approached my husband and asked him what he would think if I decided to become a veterinarian.

It was a lighthearted question, just piquing my curiosity about how he would react to such a drastic career change and whether he would be supportive both emotionally and financially. He expressed his full support, but that’s not the crux of the matter.

A few days later, it hit me hard: I don’t have a dream profession! The reason I asked about being a veterinarian is that I genuinely dreamed of that as a child. However, when my mother mentioned that studying would involve dissecting frogs, I reconsidered. I have no regrets in that regard. I don’t dream of being an astronaut, a chef, a teacher, a doctor, a developer, an artist, or anything else. Sure, I love knitting and doing some DIY projects, but only for myself and when I feel like it, not for orders or money.

For about a week, this realization bothered me significantly. I have this blank slate in front of me, and yet no dream job?

Then I thought, maybe this means I’ve been doing things right. My parents never forced me to pursue economics or law; I chose my university and direction myself. I’ve never had a job I disliked—I don’t even understand that concept. Whenever something didn’t sit well with me, I either tried to fix it or moved on.

I then looked at my last 140 job applications, which spanned various companies (FMCG, beauty, fashion, sports, HORECA, education) for all sorts of positions (PR, branding, marketing, account management, content, internal communications). Initially, I aimed for a broad approach, thinking it would make it easier to find a job and get started.

But now, I see it as a chaotic mess and an unwillingness to honestly answer myself: who do I really want to be? If I could point to a specific job and know I would get it, what would that position be?