You don’t want to look back on your life and have regrets about what you could have done in your career, but switching career paths can be a tough decision, especially if the majority of your experience has been in one field, and your family relies on your income.
Fear of the unknown often keeps people stuck in a job that makes them unhappy. Avoiding risk can seem like the safe career path, but it may not be the most enjoyable. If you knew that you couldn’t fail, what would you do? Many of those considering a career change would take the leap if they were given those odds.
Switching careers is a very personal choice, because you are the one who is at work every day, but family members want the best for you, too, so you may find yourself on the receiving end of a lot of advice.
Your challenge is to listen to your own voice, make a plan and follow through. One reason changing careers seems so risky is because many people don’t to their research and make a plan before they make a change.
Charting your path takes time, but if you study the necessary steps and map your transition using a schedule that works for you, it can be far less stressful.
If possible, working part-time on weekends or nights in the field you’re interested in can pave the way for a big change, and it can give you a realistic view of the path you are considering.
At the same time, look at all your career options. A career change need not be extreme to be effective.
