Considering a mid-career change? Ask yourself these 3 questions

In my 40s, I changed careers. I left a well-respected job at a great organisation with a good, steady income. A decision that made me question my sanity and my responsibility. Was this really the right thing to do? Despite the uncertainty and anxiety, I needed to do this for me. I was lucky to be able to make it happen. Actually making the change is probably easier than deciding to do it. If you are considering a mid-career change, ask yourself these three questions. I hope they can help to bring you some clarity. 

1. Can you see yourself doing this for the rest of your career and still feeling fulfilled?

A shocker for me was realising that I most likely had more years of working ahead of me than behind me. I actually still really enjoyed so many aspects of my job, and I could see meaning in what I was doing. But, I didn't want to spend another couple of decades doing the same thing. That was not the life story I wanted for myself. 

Consider your career. Can you see yourself on this path for the foreseeable future? Does the job that you do now give you satisfaction that is likely to be enough to keep you going for a long time? Do the opportunities to develop your career and take on promotions give you something to work towards? If the answer to these questions is yes, fantastic. If not, it may be worth considering other options. Consider whether you would look back at your working life after retirement and think ‘If only I had tried…’ or ‘I can’t believe that was what I did for so long’.

Now, to clarify, I am not a believer in the idea that everyone should centre their career in their life. If you find your career, day-in-day-out, just fine, carry on! If you take what you need from it and find more satisfaction in other areas of your life, that's right for you. Chasing career goals can sometimes distract us from the things that matter more to us. 

2. Is your work negatively impacting your well-being?

It's probably hard to find a stress-free career. Fulfilment often comes after overcoming some work struggles. However, if you find that work is consistently making you feel awful, maybe it is time to make a change. If you're spending your hard-earned wages on things to make you feel better, something is probably out of balance. Burnout can create all the wrong priorities.

If you are burned out and stressed, deciding to change careers can feel overwhelming. The time and energy to get yourself out of the situation, when you are in the middle of it, can just feel too much. Before you think about those decisions, you may need to set some boundaries. This can help you gain the energy to improve your situation. Be patient with yourself and give yourself grace, lean into those who can listen and support you. This situation may take time to fix. But, work shouldn't affect your life like this. So, change is necessary.

3. Are your values aligned with your organisation and your work?

If you feel like you’re compromising your values, it might be a sign to move on. A growing dissatisfaction can arise from feeling disconnected from your colleagues or the organisation's mission. This often leads to a lack of motivation for your work. Maybe the organisation that you work for has changed. Maybe over time, your priorities and beliefs about what is important have evolved. 

If this is your situation, use information from your feelings and thoughts. They can inform you about what you want from work. If something made you feel uncomfortable or unhappy, consider what it was that made you feel that way. Which of your values was clashing with that situation? This list of factors can help. Reverse it to consider what you want from a career and a workplace. It's the start of exploring your next steps.

Deciding whether a career transition is what you want and need is deeply personal, but I hope these questions can help prompt some thoughts that help in this process. Remember that decision-making is often the hardest part of a transition. I wish you clarity and courage in the considerations ahead!