So You Think You Can....

I was watching one of my favourite indulgences on TV, “So You Think You Can Dance”. I thought the hard-hitting hip hop number was cool, but I really liked a contemporary piece with a nice song called “Jar of Hearts” by Christina Perri, and thought about downloading it from iTunes to add to my playlist.

Turns out I wasn’t the only one who liked it. 100,000 other viewers downloaded the song, making it a top 40 Billboard hit almost overnight. As we all watched the show two weeks later, we learned that the singer, a waitress in a local restaurant, had been catapulted to stardom following the show. She didn’t even have a CD, just the one single on iTunes and some YouTube videos of herself singing covers in her apartment. As I watched her perform live on the show, I thought of how much her life had changed in just two weeks.

I like this story because it shows what happens when you continue to do what you love, what energizes you and impassions you. I find that people who are truly happy with their jobs and careers don’t pursue their line of work for the money or fame or power. They tend to keep at it because their work fulfills a need inside of them that is in sync with their values and beliefs. And that type of fit provides the energy to continue pursuing a dream, hobby or line of work.

I wish more people loved their work, instead of being tied to jobs out of habit, necessity and even fear. Here are a few tips to get you closer to your dream job:

1. What do you love to do? It could be anything. Write down all the things that you like to do, from shopping to admiring luxury cars. My list might include getting my hair done, but it also features checking out trends and playing with words – activities that I get to indulge in often as a writer and blogger.

2. I love the feeling of being “in the zone”. It’s when everything seems to flow, time passes quickly and whatever you are doing just seems right. Being in the zone is often an indication that you are truly connected to what you are doing. Try to think of times when you have been in the zone and what you were doing. Where you researching new interior design ideas? Painting? Writing in a blog about electronics? Again, make it easier on yourself by writing this list down.

3. Take a look at your two lists. Do you see any similarities? Maybe you love to take photographs and find yourself energized after a great session. Look for connections and see if you can incorporate more of those activities into your everyday life. Try to open your mind to all of the possibilities. Maybe you could even switch jobs so that you are doing more of what you love for a living.

While watching Christina Perri perform, I could see that she had a vision. Her passion for music leapt off the TV at me. She didn’t quit. She worked hard as a waitress to allow herself to keep pursuing her dream. She worked hard at her music because it made her happy. She was true to herself, and because of her commitment to her values and beliefs, her wildest dreams have come true.