It may seem terrifying, but a career change in midlife is probably your best decision if, you have heard yourself saying:
“ After the pandemic, I just can’t go back to my job with the new requirements!”
“ I’m getting a divorce and need to settle into a new career to support myself”
“ The culture in my current company is abusive”
“ I would love to be in a career that is in more alignment with my purpose”
“ Now that we have an empty nest, I would love to explore doing something outside of the home”
But you may have been feeling:
“ I’m too old”
“ I’d love to do _________ but I don’t know if it can support my lifestyle”
“Is it too late to start a different career?”
“I get excited about making a change and then get paralyzed in taking that first step”
“I haven’t looked for a job in so long that I wouldn’t know the best way to approach it now”
“Maybe I need a coach?”
I’m here to tell you that it’s never too late to make a career change and in this article, I’m going to walk you through why midlife is the best time to start something different and what to consider when starting your process of exploration
Reason #1 You are in good company!
There are a lot of other men and women in midlife deciding to do something different, including making a career change in midlife. Why shouldn’t you be able to go after your dreams and desires too?
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics By 2024, BLS projects that the labor force will grow to about 164 million people. That number includes about 41 million people who will be ages 55 and older- of whom about 13 million are expected to be ages 65 and older
We are living longer and don’t show any signs of slowing down. Take for example the baby boomer population as they continue to stay in the workforce to offset living expenses, obtain health care insurance, social engagement across age ranges in the workplace, and the ability to mentor younger professionals.
Reason #2 Starting a new career in midlife stimulates your creativity!
Learning something new stimulates your mind! That’s what keeps us young is challenging ourselves to learn something new. According to Nutrienhealth.org “ New information introduced to your mind connects new neural pathways, which makes your thinking quicker and more efficient. It also makes our brain matter denser, speeding up our thinking even more. This has even been shown to help the elderly avoid the effects of dementia and slow our cognitive aging. “
When I started my coaching business, I was continually learning new skills for maintaining the website and producing the podcast. There were moments of frustration when it took longer than expected to resolve a challenge but it was so rewarding to know that you can overcome those challenges and learn something new! I would always tell my friends, “ you can teach an old dog new tricks! “. Not only was I strengthening my brain, getting a hit of dopamine, and increasing my self-confidence. The next time I met a new challenge, I was more optimistic that it would be a piece of cake!
#3 Supports your desired Lifestyle
As we get older our responsibilities and priorities shift. Perhaps you are fortunate to be handling the care of aging parents, grandkids, or even children. Perhaps you don’t want to be in the office 7 days a week. Exploring a new career that gives you more flexibility or the ability to work remotely is preferred. Less commuting leaves you more time to take care of not only yourself but others!
If you had more time in your day what additional interests could you pursue? Perhaps they are things you’ve been meaning to do for years?
Being self-employed or experimenting with part-time can be appealing options as we age.
BLS data shows that workers in older age groups have higher rates of self-employment than younger workers and that for workers age 65 and older part-time employment is a higher percent than the younger workers
Bureau Labor and Statics data shows that workers in older age groups have higher rates of self-employment than younger workers and that for workers age 65 and older part-time employment is a higher percent than the younger workers
In Summary
By the time you hit midlife, it is important to find a career that challenges you mentally, finds exciting, sparks creativity, and supports you emotionally. This will in turn keep you feeling young while knowing you are contributing to the common good of society.
If you are thinking of doing something completely different than what you are currently doing it’s important to think ahead of making a transition. Often a new endeavor will take some time to “ramp up” so that it is financially sustainable when you want to make the big leap! Or you may need to go back to school to gain some new skills or certifications. By taking the time now to think about your long-term goals will enable you to develop your dream blueprint for the future!
It’s time to pay attention to those dreams and desires we’ve had in the past. What we sought after earlier in our career may not be as important now. The corner office, title, or late-night meetings.
Take some time today and write down three things you would like to see in your future job and how that will impact not only yourself but your family.
If you feel you are ready to explore your new career but don’t know where to start, please reach out to me via my website www.deborahvoll.com and book a free exploratory call here. Together we will discuss your situation and if life coaching is the best option for you right now!
