There’s more than one way to build a rewarding career. Some people know what they want to do from the age of 11, and happily proceed to follow that path for the rest of their life. But others, and we should venture to say most others, don’t figure things out quite that easily. It’s quite common for individuals to change career paths super late in the game—and while it can be a scary thing to do, here’s why it’s also rewarding.
No Risk, No Reward
The reason changing careers late in your life is scary is because the older you are, the less comfortable you feel starting something from scratch. You start to feel the stifling pressure of time, and depending on your various responsibilities (such as family obligations), you may feel like this is too big of a risk to take at this point in your life.
But as they say, “no risk, no reward.” Things might seem risky right now, but there’s a reason you’re thinking about doing this. Whether it’s related to interest, money, flexibility, or autonomy—there are benefits that can arise from taking this risk down the line. As NHL great Wayne Gretzky one said, “You miss all of the shots you don’t take.”
You Have a Different Mindset Now
It’s also important to note that although it seems like you’re starting from scratch, you have a completely different mindset now. You can’t compare your rookie status for your new career to the way you were when you started your old one because you were a different person back then.
Be confident that you’ve grown since then and trust your judgment. If it seems like a promising idea and all signs are pointing towards it, it may be a good opportunity to try it out!