My Newbie is Showing...Part 3

30BC: MidLife Crisis

Talk Tuesday!

If you were looking into making a full-scale career change, what are some things you'd consider? Would you go back to school? Would you just pick a field that interests you now that maybe didn't interest you as much in the past, and try to get in on the ground floor? And how well do you think you'd be able to do this time around, especially if you still had to work full-time at your current position, and/or raise a family, and/or hold up social obligations?

Career change would hint that the person is facing a mid-life crisis. At least that is how it occurred for me when I chose to pursue a ground up career change.

It was not worth it. I did not consider kids. I did not consider cost. I did not consider the down side. I was all in and ended up without the skill sets needed to complete my goal. So what did i get? Missed time with the kids, debt, and a failure funk that lasted a good long time. If I could do it over again, I would have taken that path 10 years earlier so that I could have had a recovery time or a better chance at success. These decisions require the freedom to go all in. You can't really go all in when you have obligations to anyone or kids.

My advice to anyone wanting a ground up career change? Only do it if you are independently wealthy or a lot of disposable income where you can afford the things that go off dream (the outcome will never look like your mind picture). Only do it if you are alone and don't have the people baggage to support while you try to be superhero. If you look at it, the only ones who can do ground up are those that have a one track mind and either prepared for years or are independently wealthy.

The one guy I know who did a ground up with success is the guy who was divorced, had the money saved, and focused only on getting through law school. He never did remarry, he is now successful but it took 20 years. He is now in a relationship but won't marry her. Those brain neurons never did get reconnected.