​Dream big, but also dream smart. We bust 5 dream job myths to help you recalibrate your career goals, pursue a more balanced perspective on a dream job, and to make sure you don't suffer from work burnout and disillusionment.

Working is an essential part of life, one you cannot avoid, and for nearly every person in the world, finding your dream job is the ultimate goal. There are several factors that we look for in our dream jobs, but the pursuit of this utopia can hold many workers back from achieving their career goals due to burnout and disillusionment.

In this article, we bust 5 dream job myths that will help you pursue a more balanced perspective to help you ultimately achieve your goals and career happiness.

1.You’ll find only like-minded people at your job

In whatever aspect of life, including work, we are bound to be exposed to different kinds of people from different walks of life. While we may bond with our colleagues over work stresses and office-related inside jokes, there are plenty of other areas where we might come to disagree with them. It’s important that we bust this myth early on, and to remember to always keep an open mind when meeting new people and making friends at work.

2.Plenty of jobs align with your values

It would make sense for the good causes you value to translate to numerous job opportunities, because who wouldn’t want to advocate for something--  but that ideal isn’t always the case in reality. Job searching becomes more difficult the more you narrow down the job you’re looking for, and oftentimes you’ll find yourself at a loss with only a few search results. The more flexible you are with your options, the more job opportunities there will be for you to choose from.

3.Good advocacies come with good pay

Good advocacies should come with good pay, but that’s not always the case. Many advocacy-centered jobs actually start with volunteer work, which is why it’s often seen as a selfless industry to find a career in. A good paying job would still highly depend on the industry you want to enter, your previous work experience, and your salary history.

4.Hard work is all it takes to reach the top of my career

Many of us have grown up thinking that hard work is the only way to succeed. However, the older we get, the more factors to success we start to discover. Hard work may be a big part of it, but no matter how dedicated you are, the path to success will never be linear. There will be bumps in the road-- be it an unexpected emergency or simple work burnout. Taking a few steps back does not mean you are off track on your road to succeeding, and actually often helps propel you forward when you finally get back on your feet.

5.When you love what you do it doesn’t feel like work

This myth might just be the most popular one of all, and might cause the most disillusionment when you start working and discover its falsities. Finding a job that you love doing does not mean work becomes all fun and games-- work will still feel like work. There will still be KPIs to reach, tasks to fulfill, and goals to achieve. And as much as you love your job, there will always be a task or two that you won’t be particularly fond of doing. However, despite the struggles, take comfort in knowing that finding a job you love is a great blessing in and of itself that not everyone manages to do!

All that being said, don’t let these busted myths burst your fantasy career bubble for long! Instead, use them to think of smart goals instead of pursuing a dream job that might be a shot in the dark. Embrace the opportunities that come your way with open arms and an open mind, and you’ll be just fine.