Unlocking the Psychology Behind Keeping Career Dreams Alive

When you are starting out, you rarely get the life opportunities you genuinely want.

You’re constrained by money and circumstances.

You feel frustrated and disappointed.

Here’s the truth: life rarely moves in a straight line. The key is to maximise the most of the moves you have on your chessboard right now.

But never give up on your dream. Don’t extinguish that fire.

No, I’m not here to motivate you. Life will get harder as you get older.

But there’s something even more crucial to understand. Giving up on your dreams doesn’t just affect your motivation—it rewires your perception.

Giving Up Sabotages the Salience of Your Dream

There’s a concept in psychology called salience.¹Parr, T., & Friston, K. J. (2017). Working memory, attention, and salience in active inference. Scientific reports, 7(1), 14678.(link) When something is salient, it stands out; it’s highlighted in your mind.

When you let go of your dream, it gradually loses salience. In other words, your brain no longer recognises the cues, opportunities, or paths that might lead you closer to it.

This happens subtly, often without you even realising. Your perceptions and intuitions begin to overlook the very opportunities that could make your dream a reality.

When you keep a dream alive, however, your mind stays tuned in to possibilities.

You’ll notice a job post that speaks to your skill-building goals, or an offhand comment from a colleague that could lead to a valuable connection.

Maintaining that awareness doesn’t mean throwing yourself at every opportunity, but it does mean creating a habit of vigilance—keeping an eye on what could be, not just what is.

Practical Moves to Keep Your Dream Alive

So, how can you keep that dream front and centre, even when you are worlds away from where you want to be?

1. Be cautious with debt. Loans can tie you to jobs you don’t want to stay in. Financial freedom gives you flexibility, and flexibility makes room for opportunity.
2. Upskill with purpose. Spend time developing the skills that align with your future goals. Not only does this prepare you for the next step, but it also keeps your mind focused on where you’re heading, even when the path isn’t obvious.
3. Build meaningful connections. Network with people in your target field. Not for instant gains, but to keep yourself aware of the field, the language, the opportunities. Sometimes, the right person can bridge the gap you didn’t think you could cross.
4. Stay reflective. Regularly revisit your dream. Write about it, talk to someone you trust, or simply remind yourself why it matters. This simple act of reflection helps keep that dream alive in your awareness, so you’re ready when the next piece falls into place.²While reflecting on your career dream, integrate it with your overall life success, so you don’t ignore other important aspects like family. See The Interstellar Paradox: Saving the World but Losing Your Family?

Final Thoughts

Career paths—and life in general—aren’t smooth or linear. But the twists and turns are easier to navigate when you keep a vision in mind.

Ignore the fire, and it dies. Keep it alight, and it’ll illuminate paths you may not even know exist yet.

Don’t give up.

Keep that fire alive.

Notes:

• 1
  Parr, T., & Friston, K. J. (2017). Working memory, attention, and salience in active inference. Scientific reports, 7(1), 14678.(link)
• 2
  While reflecting on your career dream, integrate it with your overall life success, so you don’t ignore other important aspects like family. See The Interstellar Paradox: Saving the World but Losing Your Family?