There is never a wrong time to move onto a new career path. You won’t be too young or too old and you will always be able to think of a hundred reasons why it is a risky thing to do, and if you can’t, people around you are bound to have their opinions, but you need to go for it when you feel it is right for you. When you know that you are feeling unfulfilled or unhappy in your work, or when you recognise that there is something out there that you could be brilliant at and enjoy doing, then you need to do all that you can to make that become a reality. It can be daunting, so follow these 4 steps to a new career and embark upon that new chapter.
The idea
This is often the tricky one, many people do stumble at this first hurdle. It might come to you in a blinding flash, it might be something you’ve had a burning desire to do all of your life or you might need to really think through your skills and your passions until you can align them with the perfect job for you. Once you have your idea, turn it over in your mind and look at it from every angle. If it still makes you happy, then move on to the next step.
Planning and preparation
You might just want to go all in on this one once you have made your decision, but hold fire there. You will need to plan and prepare if this is going to work. Think through how you will transition from your current job to your new career. Put financial safety nets
Training
Your new career or business might require an element of retraining. If you are looking to become a marine biologist you are going to need to get back into education. If you are hoping to teach then you are going to need to retrain. If you are planning to launch your own business, then you are going to need to learn all that you can about your niche, along with running a successful business. This element of the plan can be the most daunting and it is likely to be the most time consuming and expensive. But it is a part of your plan, you have prepared for it in the above step, so embark upon it with gusto and focus on the end goal at all times.
Believe in yourself
Whether you have always dreamed of being a Wedding Photographer or feel that now is the right time to write that first novel, it is never too late to change your career and don’t let anyone tell you any differently. It can be easy to falter and give up in the face of negativity, but if you have had the idea, you have prepared for it to become a reality and have undergone the training, then take that leap of faith and enjoy it.
