​What was your dream job when you were growing up? A doctor, an astronaut or maybe even a candy factory owner? Those were some sweet, sweet dreams and not all of us stayed true to that.

We grew up and realised what was good for us and what job makes more sense with our skillset. So, your dream job now might be very different from what you envisioned when you were younger. Maybe right now, your dream job is to be in a management role in an MNC or maybe, you would like to start up your very own company.

Those are some valid career goals and it’s always good to aim high. However, a lot of these dreams do not end up materialising due to various reasons and today, we’re going to talk about that. Here are the 3 myths (things) that might be blocking you from your dream job.

1.The impostor syndrome

What is impostor syndrome, you may ask? Well simply put, it is when you feel that you are not enough. You keep doubting yourself and feeling like you are incompetent even when you have quite a few achievements below your belt.

According to psychologist Susan Albers, impostor syndrome is a “pattern of thinking that can lead to self-doubt, negative self-talk and missed opportunities.” In a review article published in the International Journal of Behavioral Science, it is said that 7 out of 10 people experience some sort of impostor syndrome.

Now that you know what it is, it is time to face it head-on. Your first step is to think of all your achievements and to write them down as they are. It will be a constant reminder of your successes.

Secondly, it is very important for you to separate your feelings from the facts, meaning to say that you may feel as though you achieved something through pure luck but the fact is that, you managed to SUCCEED in something. Let’s not downplay that, you worked hard and you achieved something, it’s that simple.

Lastly and most importantly, please do not compare yourself to anyone else. Everyone is on this journey and some of us had a head start while the rest did not. It's completely okay to be behind just as long as you work hard to be in front in the future. We are all trying to progress here and that’s what you should celebrate.

2. The comfort zone

Your dream job is the highest point of a mountain and in order to get there, you will definitely need to hike there. Along the way, you will take a rest and get comfortable at a checkpoint where you might not want to get out of. Yes, it’s comfortable and yes, you can definitely stay there for a while as it’s good to take a rest and to recalibrate.

But don’t stay there for too long as you are halfway to the peak! Even if it’s hard, remember, that you have the potential to reach the top. We know that once it’s comfortable, it gets hard to leave but start off with taking small steps by setting up career resolutions and the most important thing is to remember your goals.

Trust in yourself and trust the process, after you have started, no one will be able to stop the powerful force that is you.

3. The job market itself

The job market is an environment that is incredibly susceptible to change as industries are interrelated like spider webs and one change will cause a butterfly effect. If you compare the current job market to the one 5 years ago, you can see the stark difference in what are the more marketable skills, job-seeking strategies and values then and now.

This is not to say that old school methods don’t work now, we know that they do but just like how everything is progressing, we need to progress too. We need to be different in order to be seen, to be recognised.

So in order to not be left out, one will have to be up to date with current issues and happenings in their industry and other related ones. When you know them like the back of your hand, you will naturally know how to use that information to your advantage.

Now that we have recognised the problem areas, it’s time to tackle them. This year is a year for change and growth so we hope that in 2022, you will be able to make progress towards your dream job.