Career
Change Midlife
Things to Consider - Pros & Cons
A career
change midlife brings a variety of feelings and
emotions. Learn how to put a positive spin on the three most
common concerns when facing a midlife career change.
Career
Change Midlife
Introduction
I'm
sure you're at that point where you feel as if you’ve lost
track of yourself... or you’re losing track of
what’s going on with your life.
Nothing
seems to go right, or nothing seems to thrill you about your life
anymore, especially when it comes to your work life.
If
you're like most at this age, you've become dissatisfied with your job,
and are considering a career change midlife.
Let's
weigh your options and discuss what may lie in store for you as you
contemplate this change of careers.
I've
discussed the "cons" in red, and then put the positive spin to that con
in
“green.” Later in this article, I'll go
over some “pros” of a midlife career change.
1.
RISK
Changing
careers
midlife can
be risky.
Today,
the world is experiencing a huge financial crisis, so it's getting
harder to get jobs and change careers – especially if you are
“degree-less.” Even those with degrees,
who are younger find it difficult today to change careers.
So,
perhaps it's time to think “outside of the box” and
put a “positive spin” to this worry. Ask
yourself:
“Am I
willing to
let go of
this lifeline in order to explore the world out there at this point of
my life?”
Do I have to
entirely
let go?
“Maybe
there are “safer” less risky ways to bridge the gap
from where I am right now, to where I want to be in the
future?”
“How will
I
grow as
a
result of taking this risk – especially if I do it in
bite-sized pieces?”
2. EMPLOYABILITY
Being
middle-aged, despite anti-discrimination laws, simply makes you less of
an asset in today’s youth-oriented market.
It's
all about youth, spirit, vitality, energy, having a degree and
“what can you do for the company 50 hours a week?”
Are
you “up” for that?
Are you
still “in vogue,” so to speak?
At
your age, you know that balance is more important than a 50-hour work
week. But that's not common in today's marketplace. So you
find yourself “behind the pack” and not fitting in
anymore...
Simply put, your
values have
changed from
“eager opportunist” to “let's have a life
because we're getting to the end of it!”
So, to
put a positive spin on this problem, ask yourself:
“What
values do I bring to the table?”
“Where
can I find opportunities that agree with my values?”
“What
life experience can I draw upon that will benefit others as well as
myself?”
“How can I
find a
place
that values my life experience and is upbeat and positive for 'over 40'
people?”
There's a
place out there for you somewhere. When you're clear on what
you want, you'll attract it (after all this is a positive thinking site
and that's what we do here.)
3. FEAR OF
THE UNKNOWN
Considering
a career
change
midlife can be scary.
This
might be a time of confusion for you...
Of
introspection...
Of hormonal
changes...
And
chaotic inner battles with yourself, your plans, goals, beliefs!
How
do you handle all this? Can you trust yourself to make such decisions
if you are so confused as to what to do?
How can
you be sure that
whatever negativity and restlessness you’re feeling is good
enough reason to change careers?
There's
an unknown world out there.
The answer to
this is
trust...
Trust that by
keeping
a
positive attitude
and being clear on your purpose, you'll start attracting
opportunities. Ask yourself:
“How
can I create the trust I need to step out of my comfort zone?”
“What
help can I get to feel better mentally and physically so I can make my
life work the way I want?”
Meditation,
hypnosis or creating a personal development plan at this point in your
life could clarify your purpose, as well as help you step out of your
comfort zone gradually...
So you become
more
positive and work steadily toward a new goal.
Career
Change Midlife
Pros
Okay,
so that's enough of the
“concerns.” Let's look at some of the
good things that happen when you're making a career change midlife:
CHANGE
IS GOOD
Once you've accomplished your
midlife career change,
here's what you can look forward to happening:
CONFIDENCE
You
will have gained more confidence from making the change, especially
when you've done something you didn't “think” was
possible.
POWER
You'll
have tapped into your power
source deep inside and ignited it. Once this happens, you'll
be on fire and living life again.
INCOME
Many
times, once you risk a change, you are rewarded by a larger income,
especially if your last position was monetarily stagnant.
FREEDOM
What
also happens frequently at midlife is that you go into business for
yourself. This gives you autonomy, independence and true
financial freedom. You have your future in your own hands,
not the “hands of the company.”
An
after 50 career change is the perfect time to find your own freedom
with your own business. And these days, home businesses are
by far the best choice out there...
Home businesses
have matured and have “state-of-the-art” internet
marketing systems instead of the “home party”
dinosaur of the past.
And a high profit home
business allows you time with your family – simply because
you're home...
Or wherever you want to be in the
world, since so many of them are Internet based now, you can operate
them from a cell phone and a laptop (from the beach.) I love
my “mobile office” that consists of a cell phone,
laptop and binder.
And when you're in business for
yourself, you don't need a “sheepskin” to validate
you as a person.
My personal choice is a personal
development home business because its focus is staying positive and
prosperous, as well as encourages personal growth and expansion.
Career
Change Midlife
Summary
When
you’ve achieved the middle point in your life, you can be
more assured of the accomplishments that you have made, and when you
“put a positive spin” on problems, you
can rally yourself to do more, especially when it comes to changing
careers.
"Twenty years from now,
you will
be more
disappointed by the things that you didn't do
than
by the
ones
you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail
away
from the
safe
harbor.... Explore. Dream.
Discover." - Mark Twain
For
more information about a career change midlife, check out this other
midlife career change article:
Midlife
Career
Change: Get Positive & Earn Six Figure Income
A midlife career change is a perfect time to pursue a more
positive
career. Your choices, however, are limited with the downturn
of the
economy. So, how do you expand yourself and still make money?