When you think of a dream job, you might envision a venture that individuals pursue when they are younger. For example, many college students are asked about their dream job. However, as an older adult, you have the opportunity to pursue your dream job at this time. Before you balk at the idea, consider the reasons why now is the perfect time.
Stable Income
If you take a look at the median amount of savings people have by retirement, you’ll realize that you may have the extra income to leap into a new profession. In other words, you may have enough money saved to quit the part-time job you’ve been working or to take the necessary classes to get your dream job. Financial instability is often a factor that keeps people from achieving their dreams, so when you do reach that point of stability, going for your goals is a smart move.
Ability to Return to School
At many points in life, returning to college or attending a university for the first time simply isn’t feasible. When you’re younger, you likely have many other bills to pay, such as child care expenses and a mortgage. With the average cost of college, enrolling in a program is simply over budget for many people. At an older age, however, these bills can start to decline, and you may have the ability to afford to get the degree necessary to pursue your dream job. Do look into the degree requirements for the job. You may not need a degree from a four-year university. Also, keep in mind that the cost of state schools is typically lower than the price of private institutions.
Sense of Self
Trying to figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life as a teenager is extremely difficult for a variety of reasons. One of the reasons is that you really do not fully know yourself yet. For example, several teenagers question their faith and give up religion entirely for at least a brief period. On the contrary, becoming a clergy member is a popular job for older Americans. This sense of self does not have to be religious. By the time you are older, you likely know more about your beliefs overall, your interests and your passions.
Confidence
Going for your dream job takes a significant amount of confidence. Sometimes, young people have not yet built up the necessary confidence in their communication skills or simply in the ability of the job to pursue their dreams. Of course, overconfidence can lead to problems, but having enough confidence to pursue your dreams is crucial. By this time in your life, you have likely recognized what your strengths are. You know that you have the skills necessary to pursue the position. This boost of confidence can help you to get in the door for your dream job.
Time and Location
You might also have avoided pursuing your dream job because of time. For example, if you had to work a full-time job to support your family or if you were focused on bringing the kids to their activities and school events, you did not necessarily have the time to chase after your dreams. Now that the kids are grown up and now that you have retired, you have some extra time on your hands to put toward focusing on yourself. Further, these commitments when you were younger might have kept you tied to a specific geographic location. With this extra freedom in terms of time, you may also now have the ability to relocate to an area that will better allow you to get your dream job.
Being older doesn’t mean that you need to give up on having new dreams. In fact, now could very well be the best time in your life to go after these pursuits and passions.