“Don’t ever feel like your best days are behind you. Reinvention is the purest form of hope. Make today your best yet.” —Phil Wohl

They say that when you reach your 40s, changing careers is a tall order. It may be a leap of faith even. The fact that you are virtually leaving behind all the years of experience in your present career and preparing to transition to another career is something that is a bit fearful and challenging at the same time. Another concern is age – there may be some job openings in a different career path that may desire a specific age range, and that is one of the dilemmas to consider. What’s even worse, changing career paths may also mean a restructuring of compensation may not be avoided. That could also mean a change in your financial budget for daily needs and even lifestyle. But they also say that one must not stop learning – and to fulfill that, you have to move and get on with that new career path. If you still feel hesitant in changing your career to learn new skills, here are some of the facts to further motivate you:

• Starting another career in your 40s is not too late. You quite possibly already have about a decade of working experience in your current career. Changing to another job at this time will enable you to amass a decade more in your new field, and you’d still have good working years ahead of you before retirement age. There are also companies that are looking for experienced employees who could infuse wisdom and calculated suggestions/input to be mixed with younger employees.

• Having a new career can infuse new energy into your career life. One of the main reasons why people move on with their careers is that they are longing for something new. If you are feeling demoralized with your current career and realizing it is Monday again is a pain, then transitioning into a new career may help you ease that feeling.

• Looking for a new career may help you attain your true calling. It may be the reason why you are no longer happy with your current career; it is probably because the right job for you is not what you are in right now. Looking for it could give you new meaning, thus looking for a new career can be exciting. You should not miss out on it when the chance presents itself to you.

There are a lot of things to consider when deciding to change careers while you are in midlife. Age is just a number, and should not be a hindrance in pursuing what is right for you. What is important is that you find that renewed excitement and enthusiasm for working. After all, staying on a path and remaining as-is while feeling you don’t want to anymore is not the best for you. It would be unhealthy for your emotions, your mind, and demeanor.

• Start planning your reinvention plan now. Commit to a date when you want to take that leap. Save enough money to get you through the hard times (at least three months savings).

• Consider getting new skills utilizing a degree, certificate or online classes. Don’t fear to go back to school. Many universities offer Professional Studies degrees (and certificates) online and on campus.

• Now is the time to test drive a new career. A part-time job or volunteer work will give you additional skills and an opportunity to meet new people in an area you enjoy. Also, with a part-time job, you can save much-needed money to help you in your career journey.

Just remember, it is not too late to change career paths, but be ready for some adjustments, little sacrifices, and a little patience in order to successfully accomplish it. This way you will be able to feel renewed and have motivation by transitioning to a new career path and have a chance to obtain new skills and learn new things. In the upcoming weeks, I’m introducing a podcast series on transitioning to a new career path.