Harvard researchers: The people who are happiest with their careers share this mindset

After a decade of interviewing and studying more than 1,000 workers — from Fortune 500 CEOs to Chipotle kitchen managers — Harvard researchers might have cracked the code to being happier at work.

The secret, according to the researchers, is to focus on progress over perfection in your career, which leads to greater fulfillment than chasing a “dream job” that ticks all of your boxes.

In other words, “identify what energizes you, understand what your priorities are and embrace the trade-offs needed to get there,” Michael B. Horn, a co-author of the research and lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, tells CNBC Make It.

The findings are detailed in “Job Moves,” a new book co-authored by Horn; Ethan Bernstein, a professor at Harvard Business School; and Robert Moesta, CEO and founder of consulting firm The Re-Wired Group.

Letting go of the “dream job” ideal doesn’t mean abandoning ambition — it’s about building a more satisfying and balanced career, Horn explains. 

Before making a significant career decision — whether it’s accepting a promotion or quitting — Horn recommends weighing your top three priorities and considering the trade-offs involved.

For example, are you willing to accept a longer commute for a role that offers better career growth opportunities? Or take a job with a micromanaging boss in exchange for a higher salary?

Keep in mind that your priorities will change over time. If you’re saving up to buy a house, for example, you might want to maximize your earnings, but down the line, you might want a job that offers the strongest health-care benefits you can find.

Accepting certain trade-offs in a job that suits some of your needs — but not all of them — isn’t settling, Horn stresses. Instead, it can help you set realistic expectations for your career progression, and have a more positive outlook on your work overall.

The people Horn interviewed who were most satisfied with their jobs and optimistic about the direction their career was heading understood this implicitly: No job is perfect, but finding one that matches your values or puts you in a better position to hit longer-term goals can be the most honest, achievable path to fulfillment.

“Being clear about your priorities and tolerance for certain trade-offs can help you make choices that better align with your values and goals, bringing you that much closer to a career in tune with your passion and purpose,” Horn adds. “And if you you don’t account for trade-offs upfront, you may feel blindsided and frustrated later.”

Want to make extra money outside of your day job? Sign up for CNBC’s online course How to Earn Passive Income Online to learn about common passive income streams, tips to get started and real-life success stories.

Sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.