When we’re honest with ourselves about the thought that we want to change our career, it can be an anxiety-inducing realization. For many of us, we assume this translates into some hard-to-stomach material changes: a big drop in salary, moving back home, not having much to offer in terms of professional achievements at social events, and having to start over again.

Like that first bite of your favorite dinner, life will start returning to your extremities, eventually reaching the place where your passion, interests, and regenerative curiosity lie (sounds dramatic, but it's a real sensation of feeling EXCITED about what is coming next).

You’ll experience many different types of transitions in life: personal, physical, professional, and more. The average adult faces 30-40 disruptors in their life, which is basically a pace of 1 disruptor every 12-18 months. For every 10 of them, 1 will be a major lifequake. We typically have 3 to 5 life quakes during our life. Buckle up, baby!

When you feel stuck in your current job and you look for a more fulfilling career, it’s difficult to make a career change, especially as a mid-career professional. You’ve established a streak of skills and experience tailored to the current industry you’re in and it can seem scary to pivot your career direction in a new path.

In my own life, confusion and social pressure popped up from time to time. But I’ve also worked across several industries and for a few startups, so I’ve gained some well-earned perspective through these pivots. As I like to say, “I do the research so you don’t have to.” Today, 20 years in, I see things very differently. And I can say--unequivocally--that none of the reasons I’ve just shared are sufficient to keep you stuck in a career you hate...or even one you feel just “meh” about.