Been thinking about changing careers but I'm scared man. I make decent money now, good benefits, the job is stable even if it's boring. But I'm not fulfilled and my kids see me unhappy. Is it selfish to chase something that makes me happy or is it more selfish to model a life of settling? Anyone taken a risk like this with a family depending on you?
I get the fear man, I really do. But at 38 with three kids you've got a lot of working years left. What kind of pivot are you thinking about? That might help figure out if it's actually doable without tanking your family's stability.
The benefits thing is real but sometimes being unhappy at work seeps into everything else. Your kids feel that energy. Not saying you should jump without a plan, but don't write it off just because it's scary.
Man, I get this. The fear is real when you've got three mouths to feed. But here's the thing - what's actually making you scared? Is it the money or is it something else? Because sometimes the money is just the excuse our brain uses to avoid change.
This hits different at 38 with three mouths to feed. Have you run the numbers on what the new gig would actually pay? That's the real fear talking, not the career change itself.
Man, I get this. I'm in Denver with two kids and the stability thing is real, but you gotta ask yourself if boring for 25 more years is worth it. What's the pivot you're thinking about?
Have you thought about doing something part-time first to test the waters? That way you're not betting everything on the new career right away. With three kids I wouldn't recommend a complete cold turkey switch but a gradual transition might work.
I was in a similar boat a few years back and I'll be honest, staying put felt safer but I was miserable. The benefits and paycheck weren't worth the daily grind anymore. Took the leap anyway and I don't regret it. What kind of pivot are you thinking about?
The financial security angle is real though. Before you make any moves, do you have a solid plan? Emergency fund, new career trajectory mapped out, timeline? That's the difference between a pivot and a panic move.
This is something I think about too with three kids and all the carpools and activities. The good benefits part is what keeps me stuck sometimes because switching jobs means starting over on that. What's making you want to change?
I get the fear man, I really do. But have you thought about what you actually want to be doing in 10 years? Because staying put just because of money and benefits isn't the same as being happy. Your kids pick up on that stuff.
What kind of pivot are you thinking? That matters a lot for the feasibility piece.
This is tough. I changed jobs when I had two kids and it was stressful but worth it. The question is whether staying where you are is eating you up more than the risk of changing would. Only you can answer that.
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Fear is totally valid here but don't let it be the only voice in the decision. Sometimes staying where you are costs you more than the risk of moving. Have you mapped out what a pivot would actually look like financially?