Decoding Your Dreams: How to Interpret Symbols for Career Success

Have you ever awoken from an incredibly complex dream only to feel inspired to jump out of bed and take drastic action to achieve a future corner office? Dreams can be powerful indicators of what lies ahead in your career journey. Whether you're a believer in Freud or Jung, these dream symbols can help you read the future and strategize your next steps toward success.

1. Transportation

Dreaming about different modes of transport—whether it's a car, bus, plane, or even roller skates—can symbolize the direction your life is taking and the control you feel in reaching your goals. According to Laurie Quinn Loewenberg, a professional dream analyst and pin-up artist, these vehicles can reflect how you are progressing on a particular path in life. Be it a car, bus, plane, or even roller skates, pay attention to the type of vehicle, who is driving it, and how it behaves. This can mirror your current progress in certain areas. Obstacles and fears may also pop up, but with the right attitude and strategy, you can climb your way to the top!

2. Other People

Specific people from your waking life can show different sides of yourself. Dreaming of a boss, celebrity, or even a quiet friend can indicate areas where you need to work on yourself. A boss in your dreams can mean you are handling things like a boss; even having sex with the boss can be a sign of your authoritative energy. A celebrity you admire represents the qualities you wish to recognize within yourself. Dreaming about hanging out with or being in a relationship with a favorite celebrity often means you are in tune with and recognize your own strengths. Pay attention because this could be the subconscious telling you the only thing keeping you from that promotion is not asking for it.

3. Water

Water in dreams reflects the state of your emotions and unconscious mind. The nature of the water can give you insights into how you are dealing with your own headspace. Water that is full of beautiful fish and sea creatures is a good sign that your creative ideas are flourishing, so take it as a call from your subconscious to get to work on your projects. However, if the water is choppy, you might be facing a challenge and feeling uneasy in a new situation. Frequent dreams of drowning or tidal waves are a sign of being easily overwhelmed. To succeed, you need to be able to handle pressure and let criticism and rejection roll off your back. Once you recognize this and find a way to reel these feelings in, you can turn that raging river into a placid puddle.

4. Death

Death in a dream often symbolizes a transition, the end of one thing, and the start of another. While endings can be painful, they also imply increased self-awareness and learning. When you dream of someone dying—even if it's your own death—ask yourself what has changed and what needs to be released. Stagnation will not open up opportunities, so get moving!

5. Babies

Babies in dreams can symbolize a need to feel loved, a feeling of vulnerability, or a fresh start. Perhaps you just got a new project at work or a headhunter is offering you a new opportunity. Dreaming of a baby is an excellent sign of potential success. According to Loewenberg, babies in dreams represent growth and nurturing. Our subconscious might show us our new careers, relationships, projects, or ideas in the form of a baby. This potential for growth should not be ignored, and your dreams are telling you so.

6. Flying

Flying through the air like a majestic hawk can mean you are ready to seize control and start building your empire. The act of flying and the ease with which you do it in dreams symbolize how much control you feel in your life. If you are zipping around like Supergirl, you are probably feeling pretty confident in achieving your goals. According to Loewenberg, dreaming of flying means you are feeling great about what is going on in your life because you are realizing your ability to rise above where you are now and are feeling confident about reaching the high goals you have set for yourself.

7. Sex

Dreaming of getting down and dirty with a coworker doesn't necessarily mean you have feelings for them. Sex in dreams can symbolize intimacy, but it can also be a moment of clarity and self-actualization. It can also be a good indicator of a change you should make in your life. According to Loewenberg, the advice these dreams give us can be found in whomever your sex partner is in the dream. No matter if it's a coworker, friend, or someone from your past, your dream lover represents something you need to incorporate into your own life or behavior.