How to change your career
Many of us go through our lives doing a job that we perhaps do not hate completely, but one that does not fulfill our ultimate goals or provide an outlet for our creativity. There are many reasons why you get stuck in whatever profession you’re in. Maybe you studied Law and became a lawyer only to find that in mid-life you were merely providing a paycheck for your family – but not really filling your inner need for growth and personal enrichment. Or perhaps you are many of the support personnel that found a “safe” job under the corporate umbrella. It was a fine job providing good benefits and a steady paycheck while the kids were young, or while your spouse was finishing up graduate school, but maybe – lately, you’ve come to realize that during all the struggle someone was lost in the process over the years, YOU! Well baby it’s time. Read my article and get on your way to doing something you love or enjoy. Gone are days when you must stick to the career path you set out on. Maybe you want to pick up some of those old dreams and find a little something for yourself in the process!
What do you want to do? This is the first question you must ask yourself. Many things may have changed since you first had an idea for a career. If you were thing you’d become an expert at WANG software..it’s time to revisit your dream. Do the research. Figure out what kind of career you’d like.
Make a plan. After you figure out what it is you want to do. Create the plan. BE as creative you like. Write it down. Are you going to go to school? Are you going to take some classes? Are there books you need to read? What kind of preparation will you require in order to do the job? Don’t skip any steps. It’s important to know all the perameters before you set forth on your path.
Give yourself a reality check. Realize your own limitations. Nothing is more embarrassing than going beyond your prime. For example, there was a very rich woman who decided late in life to become a ballerina. She used her money, power and influence to assemble some of the world’s best dancers to train her. She bought theatres to perform in and worked day and night. But she was in her fifties, and no matter how good she became, she’d never be the 16 year old prima ballerina. They laughed behind her back as the swallowed up her money. It’s a very sad story. The arts may have benefited from her donations, but she lost out in the end. Do yourself a favor, don’t be the poster child for a dream that requires youth, vim and vigor. Choose a path you can follow. Do not set yourself up to fail. A good example could be an accountant who has always wanted to run their own flower shop. With enough planning and prepartion, this is a feat that can be accomplished. Another dream might be to own your own business. This requires hard work, but can be done, if it’s in a field you know something about and you are willing to do the homework.
What are you willing to sacrifice? This is a hard question. I know many people who are working as administrative assistants and making excellent money. They live in fine homes and some even own a few investment properties. Sometimes in order to gain something, we must give up something. For some of us, it means a healthy paycheck. But as one philosopher once said, “you can not put a price on happiness.” If you are going home from work miserable every night and dreading going in to the office every day, it might be a sacrifice you are willing to risk. An unhappy life can lead to an early death – and then who prospers from it, your off-spring, your relatives? Now is the time for you! So figure out if you can cut your costs, or whatever this present job brings in order to do something for yourself.
Once the plan is in place-step outside your box and begin! You’ve done the homework, figured out how to manage on your income, housing, whatever. You know which kind of education to take. Now is the time to begin your plan. It could start with something as simple as one night course a week. In this way you could keep your “day job” and still pursue your dream job. Stay away from abandoning everything all at once. It may prove to be to great a shock to your system. Take it slow -take baby steps. You can add momentum as you go along. If your dream is to become a night club singer, there is no reason why you can’t work it into your schedule, by maybe taking some voice lessons practicing and turning off the television and pehaps starting at a karaoke club in order to getyour confidence up. Television robs many of us of our dreams. If you have a dream in your head to change your career, keep it set out in front of you and work until you drop to get it. The secret to fulfilling your dream and becoming a success is this, “you have to want it badly enough.” Work hard and follow your plan.
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