Do you have thoughts of things you wished you had accomplished? Is your employment one in which you receive fairly good pay, but leaves you dissatisfied? Do you often wish your career had gone in another direction? Are you thinking that it is now too late to follow your heart and implement your God-given talents and desires?
As a society, we are living longer, retiring earlier, and not achieving Maslow’s “self-actualization.” More and more, men and women are staying employed beyond the full Social Security age of 65-67 years of age. Why? Perhaps we need to be around the friends we have developed in our years of working. Perhaps the economy does not support a 25-30 year retirement for us. Perhaps we need to feel productive at something. If we are going to work longer, we might just as well work doing what we like to do. My brother-in-law, Paul, says that if you struggle to get up to go to work, you have the wrong job.
So what is the answer to the problem? “I am just too old to change my career path.” Perhaps not. Borrowing the Brief Therapy technique of the miracle question, ask yourself, “If I woke up tomorrow morning and everything was just what I wanted, what would that look like?” Then ask yourself, “What do I need to do to make that happen?” From this beginning, you can forge ahead with a plan to reach a goal of making your vision achievable. So far, this is free to you. You can research the internet to locate the resources you need. You can interview college advisors to learn how someone your age can enter into academics and even excel. Are there scholarships available to you? Does your employer offer reimbursement for getting an education?
Your plan should include a timeline, means to afford your plan, motivation and determination, family support (but don’t let that stop you), and prayer. The younger people in your life will witness your effort to reach your dreams and instill in them the importance of using their God-given talents to bless their careers.
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