Is it too late to change careers in your 40s, 50s, or 60s? NO! Wanting to make a midlife career change is a natural part of being a multipassionate human — and it's completely doable.
Nevertheless, I hear from a lot of folks who are afraid they’re too old to start a brand new career. They worry they don't have what it takes to go back to school, start a business, or follow their passion. They question whether it’s worth disrupting their lives and the people they love.
So when Joanne wrote in about wanting to make a career change from teaching to running her own writing business, I couldn’t wait to tackle this topic.
If you've dreamed of changing careers but are letting age hold you back, don't miss today's MarieTV. You’ll learn 3 keys to making a successful midlife career change — whether you're in your 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s or beyond!
You’ll learn:
0:55 — The most effective way to deal with ageism.
1:15 — Shocking statistics that disprove those “I’m too old” or “it’s too late” myths.
2:20 — What you need *more* than experience to launch your new career.
3:45 — One simple question to help you overcome stress and overwhelm.
Watch the episode below, then keep reading for even more on these three keys!
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Well hello, it’s Marie Forleo and welcome to another episode of MarieTV and The Marie Forleo Podcast. So today we’re talking about what it takes to make a big career change, especially if you’re in your forties, fifties, sixties and beyond. This question is inspired by Joanne who writes, “Hey Marie, please help. I’m 37 years old and I want to make a career change from teaching to running my own writing business. Honestly, I’m not sure where to even start. I have a blog and writing samples, but no idea what to do next. I’m worried that it’s just too late to make a career change this big. Any advice?” Joanne, this is an amazing question and yes, I have lots to share on this, but ultimately you need to know, of course you can make a big career change and I got proof to back it up. But in order for you to do this successfully, there are three keys that I need you to keep in mind.
Key number one, you got to drop the, “It’s too late” and “I’m too old” BS narrative. First, I got to make one thing crystal clear. Nobody cares how old you are, but you. Yes, I know ageism is a thing, but you got to forget about what’s happening on the outside world and you, Joanne, need to get a grip on what’s going on in your inside world, woman. Here’s the fact, the average working age is actually going up as people retire later in life. Some studies showed that in a few years, 25% of the nation’s workforce will be 55 and older. And get this, research by the global entrepreneurship monitor shows that folks over 55 have the highest rate of business startup activity globally over the past decade. Plus, Joanne, I got to be honest, you are not starting from scratch. You have a ton of experience and wisdom and strengths from your previous career that are going to help you thrive in your new writing business.
So please do not sell yourself short my love. Bottom line, there are tons of people crushing it in new careers at all ages, so you’re not too old and it is never too late. In fact, we actually have an entire episode about so-called late bloomers. If you Google “Marie Forleo, late bloomers,” you will watch an amazing episode with 10 success stories that prove it is never too late to start a new business or a new career. But let’s keep on moving to key number two. Key number two is you got to get educated about business. So Joanne, if you want to run a writing business, you can’t just focus on being the best writer, right? You also have to know how to market and sell your services so that your business is sustainable, so that it’s profitable and you make this career change successfully. Let me tell you about a woman named Katrina who actually did our B-School program.
So she was leaving this 25-year career to start her own business as a counselor. Now get this, she actually wanted to make this big career change at a time when she was working 40 hours a week. She had a two hour commute every day. She was the primary caregiver for her sick dad and she was caring for her two daughters and she was in graduate school. Talk about ambitious. Now she took B-School because like you, she didn’t know how to get from point A to point B in terms of finding customers and setting up her shop and so on and so forth. So she did B-School, she took massive action and now she’s got a successful business. Now obviously Joanne, I am partial to B-School because we run it. It’s fricking phenomenal. And you can go check it out at JoinBSchool.com, but no matter what, if you want to make this career change and you want to start your own writing business, you can’t just focus on the writing part.
You also got to focus on the business part. Cool? Okay, finally key number three. Key number three is develop a bias towards action. Look, starting a whole new career, of course it’s going to feel daunting. It’s going to feel scary, but only if you sit around and daydream or stress about it in your head. But Joanne, you’re not going to do that, my love. You are going to be smarter. Instead, here’s what you’re going to do. You are going to develop a bias towards action. So what does that mean? You’re going to focus on taking small steps every single day towards this new career. Remember, clarity comes from engagement, not thought. I’m telling you, you don’t need to know all the steps in advance, just what you need to focus on right here and right now. And any time you find yourself slipping into overwhelm or thinking about how much you still have to do, how far you have to go, how much is ahead of you, I need you to stop. Take a breath and ask yourself this question: What’s the next right action step here?
One more time. What’s the next right action step here? And then I need you to listen for the answer. It may be as simple as, go drink a glass of water, or maybe it’s contact five local businesses and offer to write their newsletter in exchange for a testimonial, or maybe it’s set up a services page on my website. It doesn’t have to be anything major, but there is always a small, tangible action step that you can take to move your new business ahead. Remember, everything is figureoutable, including making this career change. And that was my A to your Q Joanne. I really do hope it helps.
Now I want to hear from all of you. Have you ever made a big career change and if so, what was the most important lesson that you learned in the process? I want to crowdsource some wisdom for Joanne and anybody else out there who wants to make a big career change, especially if they have concerns that it’s just too late for them. So come chat me up on social media. I’m @MarieForleo on all the platforms, or tell me in the comments at marieforleo.com. Now once you’re over there, be sure to subscribe to our email list and become an MF Insider. You’re going to get a burst of love and positivity and action-based learning every single week.
Until next time, stay on your game and keep going for your dreams because the world really does need that very special gift that only you have. Thank you so much for tuning into MarieTV and the Marie Forleo podcast and I’ll see you soon. Hey, are you ready to bring your dream business to life? Is it finally time to make the difference you were born to make? Good, because we can help. Get started now at JoinBschool.com.
Key #1: Drop The “It’s Too Late” and “I’m Too Old” BS Narrative
Nobody cares how old you are but you. Yes, ageism is real, but it’s going to exist in the world whether you choose to make a midlife career change or not. Focus instead on what you can control — your beliefs and your actions.
Are your beliefs and actions supporting or hurting your aspirations? You may not realize it, but every belief has a consequence.
Acknowledging your limiting beliefs is the first step to changing them.
The best part is, plenty of statistics support midlife career changes. People are retiring later in life and the average working age is going up. In a few years, 25% of the nation’s workforce will be 55 and older.
Because of this, folks are getting creative with their career choices. Research by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor shows that for the last decade, folks over 55 have the highest rate of global business start-up activity.
And if you're worried about not being taken seriously because of your age, you've got science on your side. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, there’s a ton of research that proves our brains and intellectual functions actually improve as we get older.
For example, as we age we experience:
- Improved reasoning, planning, and communicating.
- Quicker problem solving.
- Better, wiser decision making.
- Stronger comprehension and distillation of complex ideas.
It’s a myth that people are less creative and innovative as they age. Humans are creative at every age. In fact, we have an entire MarieTV episode about 10 inspiring women who prove it’s never too late to start a new business or new career. In short, the person who is likely making the biggest deal of your age is you.
Key #2: Learn How to Market Yourself
Once you get yourself into the right mindset, you’ll need to learn how to market yourself in this new career of yours.
The great news about making a midlife career change is that you’re not starting from scratch. You have the experience, wisdom, and strength from your previous career that can help you thrive in a new one.
Need proof? Take a moment and list your:
- Transferable skills.
- Hard-earned life lessons.
- Personal qualities.
Remember, nothing in your life is a waste. Every job, every experience, and every setback provides a powerful lesson or skill. You're not losing your wisdom or experience — just channeling it in a new direction.
What's going to make the biggest difference is how well you can package, market, and sell yourself to a client or employer. You might be the best writer, juggler, or painter in the world but no one will know or care if you don't know how to communicate your value.
Trust me — the right marketing strategies are incredible, miraculous tools that can be used for good.
I've been teaching them for years to tens of thousands of multipassionate, big-hearted entrepreneurs from all over the world in B-School. I’ve seen countless B-School grads use marketing to grow meaningful businesses, provide for their families, and leverage their passions to make a positive impact.
Whether you’re starting your own business or getting a job in a new industry — marketing is essential to making your midlife career change a success.
Key #3: Develop a Bias Toward Action
Making a midlife career change may feel daunting and scary, but daydreaming or stressing about it in your head will only make it worse. Develop a bias toward action. Resist the urge to overthink because clarity comes from engagement, not thought.
Knowing something doesn’t change your life. Doing something does.
Focus on taking small steps every day towards your new career. You don’t need to know all the steps in advance — just what you need to focus on right now.
Anytime you slip into overwhelm, stop and ask yourself, “What’s the next right action step here?” The answer may be as simple as, “Go drink a glass of water.” Or it could be, “Contact 5 local businesses and offer to write their newsletter in exchange for a testimonial.” Or, “Set up a services page on my website.”
There's always a small, tangible step you can take to move your new career ahead. Remember, everything is figureoutable, including making this career change.
Now I’d love to hear from you. If you’ve ever made a big career change, what was the most important lesson you learned in the process?
Let’s crowdsource some great wisdom for anyone out there who wants to make a big career pivot — especially if they have concerns that it’s too late.
Share as much detail as you can. Hundreds of thousands of souls come here for insight and inspiration. Your story may be just what someone needs to see things from a fresh perspective. Important: please share your thoughts and ideas directly in the comments. Links to other posts, videos, etc. may be removed.
Let this be the year that you take a stand for what makes you come alive. Stop questioning yourself and what you really want. Remember, you are a one-time mega event in the universe. Don’t waste it!
With SO much love ❤️,
XO
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