What is your dream job? Ask yourself these 4 questions to find out.

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Countless clients, colleagues, and friends have told me something like this: "My work is good, not great. It pays the bills. I don't know what I'd be doing if I wasn't doing it. I'm not supposed to be in love with my career; a lot of people don't love their jobs. I'm bored. It's okay for now."

These comments make me cringe. Most of us spend more waking hours at our jobs than with our families. Most of us also spend 40 years (or more) of our lives working. Shouldn't we all have a job we really love? Shouldn't we all find a job that lights us up inside? Shouldn't we love being at work? I think so.

Since becoming a professional coach, I have encouraged clients to really push the boundaries when it comes to their work. If you're not in love with your work and want to improve it, here are four places to start. Take a pen.

Related: 4 Barriers Standing Between You and Your Dream Job and How to Overcome Them

1. What do you like to do?

If you could do anything, what would you do? If you had to work without pay, what would you do? When you feel happiest at work, what do you do? Is it the filing of reports; pay over finances; negotiate with customers; coach your employees; or give presentations?

Often people like some of their work, but not all of it. What if you could love it everything? Sharpening the parts you love will help you identify the type of work that lights you up. Once you know what it is, you can consider roles where you would do more of the work you love.

In the past, when I did this exercise myself, I realized that I enjoy coaching and mentoring others. I also liked to write and create things like consulting reports or training manuals. I have to do these things often, but not always. My job also required me to devote time to risk, audit, compliance and technology.

Although I loved my boss and the organization, I realized that in order for me to truly love my role, I would need to coach more. This is where my idea of ​​becoming a coach was born. Start by asking yourself what you really like and what you don't like.

Related: How to Turn Your Passion Into Your Dream Job

2. What are your natural talents?

What were you praised for doing well? What compliments have you received on your work? How are you naturally better than others? We all have natural talents - things our brains and bodies are naturally more inclined to do better than others. When we practice and apply effort to our natural gifts, we often become superstars. Being a superstar feels good.

A job that uses your natural talents and gifts will fit you like a glove. For example, communicating, teaching and building relationships have always been easy for me, unlike technology, computer science and engineering.

Over the years, the accolades I've received at work have all focused on my ability to inspire and engage people, but I've never been complimented on my ability to solve technical problems. I would be a terrible IT employee. It would take me months or years to learn space skills because I know I don't have a predisposition for it and it doesn't interest me either. Doing what we are naturally good at does us good. Figuring out what you can be best at is a great place to start.

Related: Why You Should Give Up Your Day Job for Your Dream Job

3. What can you get paid well for?

When we love our job and are naturally good at it, we tend to excel at it. When we excel, we deliver enormously significant value. Good work will be