Changing Careers

When is Changing Careers the Right Choice?

Changing careers for most people is a hard decision, although the actual process may not be that perilous or difficult. The motivation behind a career change is usually some sort of mid-life crisis, or just the inner need to do something else. Many people get fed up with the corporate environment and just want to do something for themselves. Whatever your motivation you should pursue, but with caution.

Why Change?

First and fore mostly, I presume that if someone has the urge to change, he/she is not happy with the current state of affairs. So the most important reason you should make the leap is to feel good. Not feeling good about yourself leads to uncountable problems. Family life can turn to the bad if you’re cranky all the time, you could get obese due to the stress, and stress causes all sorts of other psychological problems, that in the end can lead to cancer, for example.

Another good reason is money. You are much more likely to make more money doing something you want, than doing something you don’t like. You might even make more money if you don’t yet know how to do what you want. People learn fast when they’re having fun. So in the end, making the jump could mean substantially more money.

Maybe you need the adrenaline rush, or the excitement in your life. To some people this is a negative thing, but personally I like my life to be interesting and full of challenges. I don’t mean that your life and financial state should be in a constant see-saw ride, but some pressure affects many people positively.

Why not to Change?

Some urges are very temporary. I, for one, am the type of person who can have the intolerable urge to play the piano, and then I will work and work until I can buy one. Luckily I have friends that stop me, but for me these urges pass in a week or two, and then I feel relieved I didn’t go for it. I’m only like this in small things, but for some people the urge to change their career, and ultimately their life could be just a passing thing. It is best not to act on these urges right away. Always think before you leap. You don’t have to walk before you run, as Terry Pratchett says: Always, run before you walk and fly before you jump because you never know who’s after you. While for me this is true, some time to think is always welcome. You have to know that there is substantial risk involved in such a life change. You may end up more miserable, or you may have a totally wrong idea of what your new profession will be like. You may be really bad at it, it may pay really badly, who knows? Thinking it through reduces the risk, but it’s still there, always remember that.

Take into consideration that if you are one of nature’s worrying types it may be hard on you. The transition can be hard, and while many people take this well, maybe even welcome it, for you it could be an unbearable weight on your shoulders. Know yourself, know how much you can take and how much you are willing to take, for main occupations, there is no way back.