Everyone has a dream job, the career choice you have in the deep recesses of your mind that you're either working towards or wishing you could do for the rest of your life. The fascinating thing about "dream jobs" is the labor you love may not be something someone else loves, as evidenced by the stories below.
Reddit user, u/hopecountypreacher, wanted to hear what career choice would make you happiest when they asked:
What is your dream job? (Serious)
Expressing Your Creativity In A Narrow Way
homer simpson GIF
Giphy
You know when you go to a candle shop and there's one called "tropical sunshine" or something vague? Or when you open a box of crayons and there's one in there called "Awesome" or some other bizarre name?
Yeah, I want to be the guy that names those.
Someone, somewhere, is sitting in their office proud of that board meeting where their boss said "We need a name for this bright yellow". That one where they answered "Happiness" and got a raise.
I want to be that.
That'll Do, Pig
Shepherd.
Just imagine. You herd a bunch of sheep over some mountains in Iceland. Its just so calming. The gentle jingles of the bells, you and the views offered by nature. You have a small wooden cabin in the woods and have the perfect companion, a dog. Not a human in sight. Waah!
I Want To Be Paid A Lot For Very Little
I really just want a boring office job, where I am doing well paid office things the whole time without anybody bothering me. And I want to work there only 20 hours per week. That would be awsome!
Then you should definitely look at state and/or federal jobs.
I'm in Finance for my local county and it's a pretty great gig: I get good health benefits, am considered "essential" so I haven't been out of work due to COVID-19, have mandatory state retirement, never work overtime, get lots of paid holidays off (if the post office is closed then so are we), and since I've been there for a while I would basically have to shoot up my office to get fired.
The pay is a bit lower than the private sector, but the job security and annual COL wage increases tend to make up for it.
Spend The Rest Of Your Life Educating
the simpsons win GIF by Cheezburger
Giphy
A geology professor! With a particular interest in minerals. I love the science behind how minerals are formed, especially the ones that take eons to cool and crystalize inside of a magma chamber. I want to stand in front of bored college students and yammer on about these things all day.
The best time of my life was when I was in college. I think I'll be truly happy spending the rest of it at a college.
Living Off The Grid, Helping Nature
Park ranger living in an off the grid shack.
This is probably an overly-romanticized dream job characteristic.
I worked at a very remote park for several years, but we at least had slow internet (many remote parks do). I love reading, hiking, hobbies, etc. but internet was like gold to everyone who worked there. One time the internet went out for 3 weeks and we all almost went crazy.
Also, try working in a few different parks with differing government park housing, and you definitely won't want a "shack." ;)
Yeah probably. I already live pretty minimally in a small house and still feel like I can downsize more. So living out of a tiny house is something I'm relatively confident about.
Serving Food To People On The Go
I want to run a food truck near the beach
Not OP, but I want the same job, but closer to mountains instead. I'd love to do sandwiches. Just a bus to appreciate the sh-t out of really good sandwiches. Make my own pickles, giardiniera and hot sauces (which I already do). Call it the Sub.buS - build it from an old school bus and make it look like a sandwich. That'd be rad
Good Honest Labor
I would love to make a living wage just mopping and buffing floors. I find it incredibly relaxing. Other than that, being a writer would be a cool job as well.
I clean houses occasionally and it's therapeutic. I hate cleaning my own house because I end of being pissed at my family for being slobs, but I really like the instant gratification when I clean someone else's. It's a lot of work so I couldn't do it every day.
Don't Let A Thing Like Location Be The Thing To Stop You
Ever since I was a kid I wanted to be a marine biologist. Only two problems are that I live in a land locked state and I am deathly afraid of deep water.
Why is this such a common dream job for kids?
Going to the aquarium is a pretty common family activity
That's A Radical Change
Detective or someone who focuses on Fraud detection. I love discovering how corporate criminal's mind works.
Edit: It seemed stressful, I wanna be a PANDA CARETAKER instead.
Is This Too Much To Ask?
season 3 sleeping GIF
Giphy
One where I have a close knit group of coworkers and bosses that become like family. (ETA: many commenters have pointed out that this is a double edged sword. You are correct, however I don't have a lot of friends outside of work, so having some at work would be a nice change. Just one or two. I definitely don't want a toxic, drama-filled work environment)
One that doesn't completely drain me both physically and mentally so that I can have hobbies after work besides napping or passing out by 8:30
One that pays me enough to live, and maybe even gives benefits (such as reimbursement for gas or bus fare for my commute).
One that lets me be creative and use my talents
One that is flexible with me, letting me leave early, work from home, or go to appointments as long as my work gets done
I don't know how to keep selling my labor without losing my soul
Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.Redditor Doctor_Disaster asked:
"What is something that you have purchased in the past, but have never used once since then?"
Never Gonna Make That Telescope
"On a trip to Chicago at about age 14 to visit the museums, my parents bought for me a telescope mirror grinding kit from the Adler Planetarium which I desperately wanted. It had all the components needed to construct a 6" mirror for a beautiful reflector scope. I kept that kit until I was about 50 years old, moving from apartment to apartment and city to city, until I finally decided I probably just wasn't gonna make that telescope."
-konqueror321
You Probably Don't Need The Book
"College textbooks, as a freshman you think you need them but it’s a scam most of the time. Just get the pdf online tbh. I’ve even had professors that strongly hint at a textbook being available online and for students not to buy it."
-vanynoose
"I had a professor complaining and complaining that a mass anonymous email went out to all his students with a pdf of the text book. He just kept asking if 'everyone saw it and how terrible it was… but everyone saw it right? Everyone… did anyone miss it or not get it… that terrible anonymous email sent too ALL of his students got'"
"He was a good dude lol."
One Day...
"I bought a book on methods to tackle procrastination, 7 years ago. It remains unread though I’m sure the methods within are glorious."
-PhotoKaz
"On page 1 it just says, 'Congratulations! You have taken the first step towards conquering procrastination! Now just keep taking one step at a time!' Or some other cheesy stuff like that."
-tiredoflife2212
Bye Bye Bicycle
"Not me but my dad - bought a bicycle he never used, a year rolled by and the shop he bought it from called him and asked if he wanted it serviced, to which he agreed. Still hadn’t used it. I went to his place one day and saw the bike and asked if I can borrow it. He then tells me this story and said I can have it. Thanks dad!"
-WallyButterbean
Aspiring Artist
"I bought a wacom pad like a year ago cause i wanted to start drawing. Never got around to start learning."
-LordofthePigeons619
"You know, I got one to use as a mouse. I know that sounds crazy, but I was starting to get some RSI in my hand from constant mouse use at work and home."
"No lie - once I got over the first 24 hours of it being awkward as a daily pointing device, I quickly realized that I by far preferred using it to the alternatives. When you're over the learning curve it starts to feel so much more precise. It always got me funny looks and questions when co-workers stopped by my desk, since my roles never had anything to do with illustration or design."
"Absolutely useless for anything game related, mind you. But day to day document/office/browser/other stuff? Super useful. Maybe give it a try."
-infosec_qs
Time For A Game Night
film opening GIFGiphy"*Looks at the shelves of unplayed board games*"
-Mortlach78
"One day, the perfect group of people will be assembled in your house and ready to play that game... Until that day it sits on the shelf awaiting its time."
-silentknight111
Forever Disorganized
"Containers to get myself organised. Months ago. And now I’m on reddit. Not being organised."
-ReaganInc
"At least now, when you someday get the urge to organize your stuff, you will have the containers ready & be able to just do it."
-batsofburden
You Mean You're Not Supposed To Just Collect Them?
"I'd like to introduce you to my steam library."
-Fynn_the_Finger
"Me: there are no games to play."
"Steam library: *sad game noises*"
-SeparateBluejay9818
Banger Banjo
Sloth Banjo GIFGiphy"When I got my job back in April after a 3 year attempt at freelancing, my first pay check was the most exciting."
"I bought a banjo. I'm a city boy in the UK. I have no idea how to play instruments."
"To this day it stays in the corner of my room getting an occasional twang when I get a little spicy."
-schofield101
Yarn Hoard
"Yarn, so much yarn."
-erabera
"Yes, I am more a yarn collector than a knitter."
-shinyacorns
It's not too late to use that thing you bought forever ago and forgot about. It's never too late to pick up that hobby or read that book!
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.