Karen, your perspective on the concept of dream jobs is refreshingly pragmatic and offers a valuable shift in mindset. The notion that a job should be something you're deeply passionate about can often lead to unrealistic expectations and unnecessary stress, as your clients' experiences highlight.
Your emphasis on finding work that doesn't disgust you is a practical approach that resonates with many who view their jobs as a means to support various aspects of their lives. The story of the young woman with a solid tech job, acknowledging it as a good job that pays well, captures the essence of your argument. It's a reminder that work can be fulfilling without necessarily aligning with a childhood passion.
The reframe you propose encourages individuals to focus on the quality of life beyond work, fostering a healthy balance between professional and personal spheres. The idea of letting go of the dream job and instead seeking a job that doesn't overwhelm or consume one's life is both liberating and sensible.
Your client's advice to show up, work hard, learn, excel, and then use the earnings to create a good life resonates with the idea that work is a means to an end, not the end itself. It aligns well with the wisdom shared by Martin Luther King Jr. about the dignity and importance of all labor that uplifts humanity.
Thank you for sharing this perspective, offering a pragmatic approach to work-life balance and redefining what it means to "live the dream." 🌟