Changing Careers

I’ve been doing the same thing for a number of years now – accounting. I’m pretty good at it and I’m at the stage where I can get a decent salary. But, doing the same thing can get boring and I wonder if a change is in the air …

I think this happens to everyone at some point – we go to school, study for a career, find a job in our field and then work at it for 10 years or more.

The problem is, after so many years, the routine sets in. I wonder how many people look around and ask themselves: is that all there is?

It seems odd that we spend so much time and money studying for careers that ultimately may end up becoming dreary and monotonous. We may like or even love our jobs initially, but anything becomes boring after a while.

I think when the boredom sets in, it is so tempting to want to do something completely different from what we're doing now.

But changing careers is hard because we’ve become used to a certain level of income and status. Let’s face it, if you’ve been at a career for a long period of time, the money is usually pretty good and we may become used to people knowing us in a certain occupation.

What keeps people from switching?

It looks like money and status – or what people thing of us – are serious barriers to taking that first plunge into pursuing new challenges.

I don’t really care what people think so the status thing doesn’t really interest me. But, to many people, status is important. Wearing the right clothing, driving the right car or hanging out at the right restaurants are serious currency to many people.

The money thing is a little more challenging. If we’re used to living a certain lifestyle, taking a pay cut can be really difficult. It could mean that we might have to give up certain luxuries in the short term, to start that new career or job that we’ve always wanted.

Sometime changing careers may not be the issue – ask yourself why you’re bored in your current situation. It could be something else entirely. Is there something else in your life that you’re not happy with that is manifesting itself at work?

Maybe it’s just middle-age – approaching those annoying milestones in our ages – the 40 & 50 can cause people to panic and do silly things, like dumping their spouses or buying sport cars.

Anyways, if you’re feeling restless, ask yourself what is going on.

If it’s time for a change, then make the change or have a plan, and don’t worry what people think. That means pay off those bills that are holding you back.

Life is too short.