Tim followed a career as a lawyer because he was expected to do so. After 20 years of career, he realized that he had to give away a lot of sacrifices: time, energy, stress… He yearned to follow his passions for guitars.
Johnny had big dreams but was finding himself doing the same thing over and over again.
How did they succeed in making a midlife change?
What work you were doing prior to your midlife career change?
“Well, I come from a family of lawyers. So becoming a lawyer was something probably expected of me”. I was promoted fairly frequently. By the time I was in my thirties, I was heading a Global Legal Department, of a company that had a million dollars of turnover”. (Tim Low).
Tim was in a real comfort zone when he decided to move his career. That was difficult because he did need to take risk to go to the “unknown”. “I was, you know, fairly well paid”, said Tim.
On the contrary, probably like many among us, Johnny was in a place where he was not at all fulfilled by his job. “I was finding myself doing the same thing over and over again” (Johnny).
I was finding myself doing the same thing over and over again – Johnny
The most difficult thing for Johnny was to find out how to get out of his situation. Lack of ideas, inspirations, or possibilities. “I knew that there was something that I could do for myself but I just didn’t know how to do it”. (Johnny).
How did you feel in your work before you decided to make the midlife career change?
“There was a lot of sacrifice together right, family time and all that… I was in a job in which I wasn’t satisfied. But I was, you know, fairly well paid”, said Tim. And that was the reason why he felt stuck.
At his midlife career, on the peak of his success, Tim just realized that he “didn’t really want to get there. It wasn’t a promise to be”.
Indeed, like many of us in our modern world, he was divided by the “apparent success”, and the real satisfaction inside of him.
It wasn’t a promise to be. I was in a job in which I wasn’t satisfied – Tim
What is the midlife career change opportunity you’re at?
Tim and Johnny: Build a digital business
How did you decide to make a career change midlife?
Tim shared: “I took my frustrations out on buying more guitars. Over 50 guitars if I’m being honest. And my wife suggested, you know, maybe I could sell a couple of them […] I came across a video saying “if you learn to sell one thing, you can learn to sell anything”. And that opened my mind to possibilities. I didn’t need to be stuck in a job that I was no longer fulfilled by.”
The possibility of doing something else came to both Tim and Johnny in a seemingly “accidental” way. But I believe that deep in themselves, they were ready for it. Because they were ready and open to new ideas and possibilities.
I didn’t need to be stuck in a job in which I was no longer fulfilled – Tim
For Johnny, his realization that his thoughts and opinions mattered to the world, changed everything. “The more and more I think about it, the more and more I thrive on it. I begin to see massive changes in my life”. (Jonny)
Why was the midlife career change possible for you?
“I would say that the one thing that changed my life so far has been my ability to dream, and dream big. And to just realize that everything that I want to do, I can do it”. (Johhny).
Is a midlife career change an impossible task?
Here is what Johnny said from his own experience. No, it was not impossible because he believed in it.
My thoughts and my opinions are something of values, not only to myself but to this world – Johnny
With the digital business, Tim found out that he “could start a business that was a lot less risky than starting a business without that guidance, without the blueprint, without the community that was there to support […] And that made a world of difference” (Tim).
How about you? Do you feel that too, that “everything you want to do, you can do it”?
If yes, then midlife career change is possible…
Tim and Johnny were among many people who have changed their lives because they dared to do it.
Knowing that we are the biggest obstacle to our midlife career change, is the first step. Like Johnny said, the day he “realized that whatever he wanted to do, he could do it”, was the day he witnessed massive changes in his life.
I know that I have a purpose in this world, and I’m going to go out and serve the people whom I’m meant to serve.
Johnny
Heard about the story of Tim and Johnny, I was telling myself, “yes, we can make our midlife career change if we really want it”. What about you?
Read more:
How to find the best job for your midlife career change
Midlife career change – 5 attitudes to go in the right direction