In 2014, research was conducted into Dutch people and their work. The research was given the telling title 'the hidden potential of the working Netherlands'. The results were shocking. More than half of employees in the Netherlands have no passion for their work. Two-thirds indicate that they do the job properly, but that it is not a dream job. You too may have experienced it or are currently in the situation: you have found a job again and are of course happy with it... but it is not your ideal job. This may be yet another job and yet it still doesn't feel right...is there really no dream job for you?

Of course, not everyone can have the perfect job that he or she loves with heart and soul. What we don't realize is that it's usually not so much the job itself that makes us love a job. The idea behind this is much deeper. Someone who has a negative outlook on life will also have a negative outlook on work (and vice versa). A person who loves his job loves his life. But how do you really love your life and your job and how do you ensure balance?

Vfollow your passion

A cliché of course, but the hard truth. It is simply not sustainable to work day in, day out on work that has little or no interest in you. Besides the fact that life is actually too short for that, it often also causes problems in the private sphere. People who really love their job, do what they want and follow their passion. They don't stick to certain timelines and career paths. They live in the moment, here and now. They continuously make the best of it, including at work itself. Even if your current job is not the fun and challenging position you are looking for, make sure that you can still express certain passions during and outside of your work.

 

Not only the function is important

Of course your position is important. But it's not the most important thing. Your job satisfaction can be made or broken by your colleagues. The cooperation with (and the mood of) your colleagues determines the atmosphere in the office. And once there is a bad atmosphere, it becomes difficult to convert this into a positive atmosphere on your own. Of course you don't have your colleagues to sort things out and you have to have a bit of luck with this. Look for people who really put a smile on your face, even if it is in departments other than the one where you work. Whatever your position, it is the people around you who are decisive for your job satisfaction. Your job automatically becomes a lot more fun if you have people around you that you get along with.

Your job isn't perfect 

Working takes up a large part of your life. Yet it is rarely the case that your job will make you the happiest man or woman in the world. Partly because of having a job you feel useful and you have the feeling that you add something to the world. This is exactly how you should deal with your job. No more and no less. It does not always have to be a dream job, as long as you can get satisfaction from the results of your work, your future prospects or the people around you. Many people, especially young people, do not yet know what they consider the ideal job actually to be. They often know what they don't want, but not what they do want.

The prince on the white horse

More and more young people who have just entered the labor market are at home with psychological problems. This emerged from research by ArboNed in early 2015. In general, Dutch people are quickly dissatisfied with their work, as evidenced by the research we mentioned earlier. It seems as if, just like in love, we are always looking for 'the one'. The prince on the white horse! And if we can't find it, we become demotivated. So we may focus too much on the content of a position. This kind of perfectionism when wanting a job means that you will be disappointed very quickly. Your first few jobs are usually not exactly what you are looking for. In fact, by fulfilling these types of positions you become increasingly aware of what you are suitable for and what your passions lie. So don't look for the prince on a white horse, you will come across him sometimes!

Coaching

Would you like to spar with someone to discover your passion? Or do you want insight into which type of job suits you best? Of coaching we hold a mirror up to you and work together to create a better version of yourself.