Have any of you guys change their careers after 35? At what age?

what field were you in? What did you change to? how was the swich and was it worth it?Have any of you guys change their careers after 35? At what age?
Hello friend!



It seems that you are either scared or at least unsure of what to do. First and foremost, do you want to change career? THAT is the first question you need to answer. It does not matter why, whatever your reasons, DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE? Please answer that question in a very honest way to YOURSELF.



Take a piece of paper, divide it vertically by a straight line, on the left write the FOR reasons why YOU want to do it, then on the right, the AGAINST reasons why you should not. YOU (personally) must know that you do or that you do not really want to change. Once that is established, you need to set your goals to get it done.



I am now 66 and I have decided to change radically when I was 58. I was in upper management in the Hotel/restaurant management industry at the time. I had a good income and enjoyed my work very much; However, my body and the people I was working with, gave me reasons to think about it. I could not go on that way for ever and I needed to do something more fulfilling. I also had decided that I would not want to retire, and that I wanted to continue working as long as I could because I wanted to be useful to someone, I wanted to give/share what I had learned all of my life. I decided to become a teacher.



Now, to answer your last question, YES and HOW! I am, after more than 3 years at the university here in Houston, EXTREMELY happy to have done so. I am still paying my student loan, and probably will for a few more years, and that is OK. The personal satisfaction of having done the conversion and the useful reason for which I did it, (based on the kids response) say that I was right all the time. I only wish that I had done it earlier in my life.



Well, that involved going back to the university for at least a few years, and all the sacrifices that that entailed. Was it worth it? What is the bottom line?



I changed because I had an ideal and desire which were unfulfilled. I am finally doing what I do best: be of service to humans who need it, and I am getting paid (badly!) for it. I feel needed and wanted. I have not reduced the number of hours worked, (at least 10 hours a day) but I increased tremendously the excitement of doing something worthwhile and to be useful to someone! What a treat!



Would I do it again? ANYTIME! I absolutely have no regrets at all on the contrary, and I do feel that I was right all along to do it. I am happy, completely happy, in spite of all the pitfalls in the profession and the tough kids as well. (yes, we do have plenty of those!).



If and when you do feel convinced that you HAVE to and want to change your career, GO for it and do it. Don't look back and look forward to the gain that you are about to get. Enroll you family into it if you have one, I did not. My family is overseas and I am divorced with no kids or kins around.



Just do not loose faith in yourself and in what you do. Believe in yourself! You will get there in no time as it is what you want to do most! It is what you want to accomplish above all to realize yourself! It may be harder to live with the regret of not having done it at all!



DO IT my friend, BE HAPPY! And good luck although you may not need it besides the will you can generate in your decision. Go for it!