It was almost 6:30 PM, an hour into overtime, and I was furiously entering legalese into a ten page government form.
You see, a few years ago, I worked in a law firm as a paralegal. And as a paralegal, this was standard work—but not something I particularly enjoyed. (Actually, as the clock crept closer to dinner time, my hanger started pulling my enjoyment factor dangerously close to "visiting the DMV" or "stepping in cat poop.")
In other words, I was not having fun.
Being a paralegal can be a great career but for me, it was definitely not the end goal. It was a job, but not my dream job.
It is also one of the most valuable career experiences I've had so far.
One of my favorite career-related quotes is from Wendy Flynn, who said, "Allow yourself to be a beginner. No one starts off being excellent." I love this quote because it's such a simple reminder of something that often gets lost among our "Live Your Best List" Pinterest board: great things take time and work, most of which isn't very glamorous.
For me, working in that not-quite-dream job built a foundation; being a paralegal taught me the rules pf patent law, and how a law firm operates. I was also learning what I didn't like, so that when I made my next move, I knew which way I shouldn't turn. These definitely aren't the characteristics of a "dream job," but they without a doubt led me to the path I'm on now.
In a world where social media is king, and comparison can seem inevitable, it can be hard to accept that you're not currently in your "dream" position. I mean, if Sally Sharesalot is making half a million a month with her brand new marketing business, we feel like we must be doing something wrong if our job isn't our life's calling.
But that's not true. Not at all, actually.
Because like Wendy Flynn said, to be great, you must first do the work as a beginner. And when it comes to your dream job, sometimes being a beginner means doing a job you don't necessarily love.
So instead of feeling bad that you're not where you want to be yet, remember that being a beginner doesn't mean you're not heading in the right direction. Instead of considering your not-quite-dream job a waste of time, focus on what this experience can give you, whether it be a better understanding of your field, or even incentive to work your ass off for a new opportunity.
But most of all, allow yourself to be beginner. After all, it's the first step to being something great.
