ByKathy Caprino,
Senior Contributor.
If you’ve been in your career for a long time and find yourself disliking—or even dreading—what you do in your work, yet can’t see a realistic path to make a big change, know you’re not alone. Many professionals who have built successful careers, and perhaps spent years raising families or pursuing other outside commitments feel they “should” have it all together in midlife yet quietly admit that they feel stuck, uninspired, or even hopeless. They want more meaning, joy, and reward in their work, but fear it’s too late, too risky, or too complicated to reinvent themselves in their 50s. For some, their dissatisfaction has turned into a full-blown mid-career crisis.
I hear these concerns often in coaching mid-career professionals, and the truth is, it’s not uncommon to feel this way at one point or another. Life and careers evolve, and what energized you (or met your needs) at one life stage may no longer satisfy you now.
If you’re facing a true crisis around your career, it’s important to take some time to fully analyze and understand the situation more deeply along with its contributing factors. And it’s key to pursue some outside support that can help you assess what you want most now, and navigate the necessary changes in effective ways.
