My Dream Job is a Nightmare

NOTE: Every so often, I write about a different topic than accounting/affordable housing. This is one of those times. I personally believe thinking about other things is relevant to a well rounded business approach and I hope you enjoy my thoughts. However, I feel compelled to disclaim that most of my blogs are of a more business oriented nature. For whatever that is worth.

On my personal page, I follow http://www.dumbemployed.com/, a sometimes funny site that allows people to post snapshots of their day in the format, "At work today, I... (insert funny story) ...I'm dumbemployed."

On March 22, 2010, someone posted the following, "At work today, I did beta testing for a video game. Sounds fun, right? Well, why don't you try running into a wall 50 times in a row? My dream job is a nightmare. I'm dumbemployed." This made me smile and I started thinking of all the times I have heard from the kids that their dream job is to test video games.

I have the same problem in my office all the time. I hear employees expound on what they want to do, and I look at them and think, no you don't. You really don't. The same thing happens with clients.

When faced with this situation, I try to listen to the desire and work with that desire in any way I can, but the reality sometimes crushes the person when it happens. Dreams can cost money and dream jobs can still be, well, work.

The old saying "be careful what you wish for, as you will surely get it" comes to mind. I remember the day I took the words "seeks challenging position" off my resume. I didn't need to seek any challenge, it always seems to land right in my lap. But I do embrace the challenges now, and when I start to imagine that my current dream job (owner of a CPA firm) is a nightmare, I remember the lessons I have learned:

1. Identify the problem and then either finish it first, pay someone else to do it, or get rid of the job. That's it. 3 choices.
2. You chose to be where you're sitting. I know that sometimes it feels like you are wandering down some pre-ordained path; but in reality, you make choices every day to be right where you are. You could change.
3. Living really is about the path. If you have "arrived", start looking for the new path (the next dream) or you will stagnate.

Okay, you have the three lessons I apply when faced with the prospect that My Dream Job is a Nightmare. To continue in the cheesy quote tradition - I never said it would be easy, just that it would be worth it.