CHANGING YOUR CAREER PATH !

How many times have you heard friends ask: "Should I follow my dreams or should I do the sensible thing and..."
This is where the alarms bells should be calling loud and very clear.

Here's some food for thought on the matter. First of all - if you feel like you're devoting your energies and efforts to something that you're not passionate about in the career department, WATCH OUT!

Imagine this situation transposed into your relationship life - would you marry someone who makes you feel the way you describe? I don't think so.

So why would you contemplate a career path about which you're not excited? Sounds like you'd be trading away years of productive life to something you don't love. If the sensible thing involves a job in the field you don't like, why why why?
We've all got limited time on this earth, and that time shouldn't be wasted on something that doesn't give you pleasure.

But how can you change tacks once you've already invested time and money into a certain project?

I'd say a few things. First of all, you've got to realistically assess your passion. If you love to paint, for example, be realistic about the kind of lifestyle the choice to devote all your time to painting will give you. Financially, unless you're the next Picasso, you'll probably have a rough time. But what kind of lifetyle do you want? How much money do you want to make? Or do you want time to paint as a hobby?

Write this stuff down.

Once you have a clearer picture of what you (and not your family, your dog or your girlfriend want for you !!) you'll be able to make an informed decision about your future.

One additional comment: if there is a conflict of priorities between you and your family/community, you need to take an additional step back. To this I'd give the same advice stock-brokers gave to investors who've lost a lot of money recently.

"Why throw good money after bad?"

If you know you've wasted time doing something you don't want to do, why waste more time on it? Why not concentrate your efforts on finding out what you REALLY want to do with your life. If finishing a course or working a bit longer at a job you don't like will be useful to this future path, do it. If not, let it go and get on with what you were put on this earth to do!
Don't use the excuse of "something sensible" as a cop-out to avoid going at life gangbusters. It's your responsability to your kids, spouse, and parents to find your passion. Otherwise you'll be breaking their ears with complaining and existential angst for the rest of your life. Nobody wants that!

So what if you have a few tough months trying to find work or sorting out your priorities. Aren't a few tough months now worth the benefit of 40 years of working at something you love? How could they not be!