As long as you have confidence in yourself, you can keep trying until you find the right fit that ... [+]
It's never too late to make a career change. After working in a profession for several years, people hit a wall. They feel burned out and exhausted, which causes them to lose their passion.
There is a tough choice to make: do you keep going through the motions, hoping that things will improve, or is it time to pivot to something different and reinvent your career and rejuvenate your mood? Alternatively, fast-growing trends, like artificial intelligence, have disrupted your job, and now you’re forced to figure out the next play.
In both instances, thoughtfully consider what you want to do next. Honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses and think of how your talents and background experiences can translate to a different type of job. Start exploring roles that spark an interest. Take online courses to learn new skills and create a strategy to reignite your career. Consider choosing something meaningful that offers a sense of purpose and provides you with the compensation you desire. Avoid procrastinating and getting paralyzed by analysis—start now.
Starting Something New Can Harm Your Social Status
Starting something new will take time, and there will be obstacles to overcome. You may have to take some steps backward to move forward in a new direction. If you start over again, the salary likely won’t be near what you previously earned.
You’ll have to put your ego aside. Most people value themselves by the social status of the company they work for, their title, how much money they earn and how much their bank account and stock portfolio boast. It will take mental strength and fortitude to accept that you are transitioning. People may look at you differently.
The Reality Check Of Pivoting
Finances are a reality to consider. Make sure that you have sufficient funds available to take the time to embark upon your new career track.
Conduct due diligence into the job, profession or venture you want to pursue. Do homework to find out if the move will pay enough to provide for your desired lifestyle and if there is an opportunity to grow.
Find people who are currently engaged in the profession that you want to break into. Seek out a mentor in the space who can offer firsthand knowledge, advice and guidance.
Don’t Follow Your Passion Be careful about people who tell you to “follow your passion.” It’s the clichè advice offered in nearly every commencement speech. Following your passion sounds exhilarating, but there’s a catch. Most passions don’t translate to a job that pays well.
A more realistic expectation is to focus on what you are great at and possess the requisite skills and abilities. Over time, you find passion in your work because you continue to succeed, advance within your organization and keep receiving raises, promotions, bonuses and job offers from other companies.
Take One Step At A Time
Look into the Japanese practice of Kaizen for guidance. Kaizen is the mindset and practice of improving yourself through making small incremental improvements daily. Building forward-moving habits compound over time and enable you to reach your goals.
Once you pivot to a new sector, you may not earn as much as you previously did. Don’t get frustrated or give up too soon. Over time, your financial circumstances will improve as you gain experience. As you are highly motivated, you will work harder and smarter than your peers. Management will notice and offer you high-level assignments and promotions.
Try Reinventing Your Job Within The Company
You may not have to leave your job to reinvent yourself. There is an emerging trend of job crafting. This is the practice of reimagining and changing the nature of your role to fit your needs, wants, desires and ambitions. With your boss, human resources and internal decision-makers, start making changes to your job description. Add new responsibilities that offer meaning and purpose.
You Can Always Make A Do-Over
If the new job or profession doesn’t work out, don’t become despondent. Once you’ve socialized making changes, you become more comfortable taking risks and hunting for new opportunities.
Worst-case scenario, you can always return to your past profession or try again to find a new opportunity. As long as you have confidence in yourself, you can keep trying until you find the right fit that makes you happy, fulfilled and earning the money you want.
