A Decision to Change Career Goals

A personal essay about making a decision

During the course of our lifetimes we make many significant and difficult choices that affect us. These choices affect our personal and professional lives. Therefore, we make these choices with much thought and care. One of the most difficult and important decisions I have made was changing careers. Changing careers at this stage of my life, mid-life, was very difficult. Preparation for my new career required me to resign my job. The former position was providing a major portion of my family's income and most of the medical benefits.

Some means of earning a living while preparing for a new career was foremost on my mind during this stage. If I spent to much time and energy pursuing a job to provide a means for supporting my family while retraining, I might not do a sufficient job of retraining for a new career. Another difficulty equally as important as the the financial one was the possibility of failing at a new endeavor or not being able to find a new job.

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These possibilities made me feel uncomfortable and insecure.

If I failed or could not find a new position, what would my family think of me? Failing at a new career would also cause me to lose confidence in myself. These concerns, failure and financial, and not finding a new job made this decision very difficult. The decision to choose a new career was an extremely important one. The sole function of a career is not just to provide a means to make a living; it should have a larger purpose.

The work I was doing did little for others, and in fact, served only a small, special interest group. In addition to pursuing a meaningful career, a career should be satisfying, and make some significant contributions to other people's lives. Therefore, I choose to become a teacher. It is important to have a career that is satisfying, and that would allow for helping others achieve their goals. Making the choice to change careers was important but difficult. If through my new career, I could contribute something positive to others; then I will have felt that I made the right decision. Improvements can only come through change.