Making enough to keep a roof over your head and food on the table is good, but the time may come when you want more. Some individuals just fall into jobs and while these fit some, others feel trapped. Some individuals believe they can’t make the same amount of money at any other job. People often believe they are too old to start something new. However, these concerns don’t need to stop them from checking out possibilities. A friend in her sixties recently stated she wished she’d become a nurse instead of pre-school teacher. It’s when we don’t allow ourselves the freedom to explore ways to do what we want to do in life.
If you’ve been on a certain track for years, changing to a new career can be scary and complicated. Sometimes, the hardest thing is discovering what you want to do, instead of what you’re doing. Where the heck do you start in figuring this out?
Think about what you like to do. While there aren’t many jobs in playing computer/video games, you may have a hobby that you picked up because you have a knack. It can be difficult to assess what you’re actually good at because most of us have a tendency not to be impressed with things that come naturally for us.
You may very well have a gift that indicates you’re intelligent spatially or especially good with words. You need to ask those close to you, what they think are your best abilities. While your friends and family might have a hard time being objective about your future, their opinions can be helpful. You can start there.
The next step is to talk to someone who is objective–both about you and about the availability of jobs. Remember to take with a grain of salt the things said to you by individuals who are invested. Don’t rely on the “counselor” at an expensive school or training facility to give you an accurate picture on the jobs open to you, if you trained there. Check it out yourself.
Talking to a therapist or counselor can help you sort through both what you have to offer and what you want from a new career. The therapist might very possibly have an idea what would be involved in such a career shift–training, relocation, job realities.
If you feel stuck where you’re at, looking at other possibilities might be a good choice. After all, hating what you do and waiting around until your retirement can leave you bitter, unhappy and potentially too tired to do the things you’ve always dreamed of.