Five Steps to Mid-Life Vocational Passion

By C. Nathanson

There's a famous song lyric that asks, "Is that all there is?" Every five seconds, an American or Canadian turns 50 years old. So there's a good chance that song is running through some of their heads.

The question captures the ennui that many people feel in mid-life. They look up at the clock, see it ticking, and begin counting in their heads all the mountains not climbed, the poems not written, and the songs not sung.

It's time to stop asking the question idly. I'm offering five initial steps that you can take to evaluate your situation and to begin the transition away from a meaningless grind toward a new life that provides you with energy and fulfillment.

Vocational passion is an alignment of your abilities and interests in a role that gives you unlimited energy and happiness. This is not an overnight process. But it's a process you can begin today.

Step One: Evaluate

Lots of people settle for jobs that pay the bills but leave them feeling empty. If you want to break out of this trap and find another kind of life, you need to evaluate where you'd like to go.

Examine where your passions lie. On a scale of 1-10, where are you when it comes to vocational passion? A "1" is a living drudgery where you force yourself to your desk every morning and dream about the end of the day; a "10" is a perfect alignment between interests and livelihood.

Too many of us are closer to "1" than "10". Anything lower than a "5" suggests your working life may be feeding your family, but at the expense of starving your soul.

Step Two: Envision Your Future

You may have seen the U.S. Navy ad that asks: "If someone wrote a book about your life, would anyone want to read it?"

Here's your chance to write that book - or at least the outline. Sit down and write a short biography that describes who you are five years from now. Describe exactly the life you wish to lead, doing work that you love. You will know you're done with the exercise when your heart races with excitement.

Then imagine and write down your vision of a perfect vocational day. It's difficult to achieve something that you have not clearly envisioned. Make sure your vision has clarity. Then document it and pull it out regularly, to refresh your desire to achieve that vision.

Step Three: Tune Out Negative Feedback

Understand this: The moment you announce plans to make a radical change in your life, many people will find the move threatening and they will not wish you well. They will try to talk you out of it and tell you what a big mistake you're about to make.

Never let the naysayers dictate your life. People who listen to negative voices end up with the status quo.

Step Four: Build Your Support Network

Anyone making a change needs supportive friends, and lots of them.

I suggest a three-tiered model for analyzing your personal support network. The three tiers will include people who are 1) "interested" in your work; 2) "supporters" who are not only interested, but offer creative ideas to move you forward; and 3) "believers" - this group includes your most active supporters.

Make your lists now. Examine whom you have in your support network and rank them according to these tiers. Focus on networking with your tier-one supporters, while trying to move those people in tiers two and three up the ladder.

Step Five: Assess Your Risk

When taking action to follow one's passion, people trying to change their life fall into one of four categories. Each requires a different strategy.

Category One: Plenty of money and plenty of time. People in this category have a high tolerance for risk based on their relatively young age and solid financial means.

Category Two: Plenty of money and little time. Because of failing health and/or advancing age, those in category two have some risk tolerance. But they probably lack a solid support network, since most friends will advise against change because they are "too old" or "too sick."

Category Three: Little time and little money. I define "little money" as having less than six months of cash flow in the bank. Risk tolerance is low in this category, and supporters are probably hard to come by. Most people are in this category.

Category Four: No money and no time. I define "no money" as less then three months cash flow in the bank. Anyone is this position will have a very low risk tolerance. They will find little support to help them move toward doing what they love.

What to do?

What's the worst that can happen?

Remember this: You won't die or become homeless if you pursue what you love. You may, however, find that your relationship to your money will change. You'll respect money more, and you'll find that you can manage on less of it.

Also understand that pursuing vocational passion doesn't always mean making less money. But it does mean that money is not the only consideration - or even the most important consideration - in choosing your new vocational path.

If you don't act to pursue your vocational passion, then every seven seconds someone else will come along and ask themselves: "Is that all there is?" Many of them will answer, "No," and will do something about it. You can be one of the doers.

Craig Nathanson, The Vocational Coach, is the author of "P Is For Perfect: Your Perfect Vocational Day," by Book Coach Press. He publishes the free monthly e-zine, "Vocational Passion in Mid-life." Craig believes the world works a little better when we do the work we love. He helps those in mid-life carry this out. Visit his online community at
www.thevocationalcoach.com where you can sign up for his next Tele-class.