How To Switch Careers

Here is a run down of how to switch your careers, and I'll tell you this: if you follow my easy to follow plan, nothing will stand in your way!

1. Think about what you'd like to be when you grow up.  Ballerina?  High powered executive?  World famous author?  Write it down.  Think about your options.
2. Slow your roll, reader.  Go back to that list and cross of ballerina, high powered executive, and world famous author.  Be realistic about your dreams.  If you are 41 years old with zero dance experience, the chances of you making a living as a ballerina is exactly zilch.  Zippo.  Ain't happening.  And while becoming a high powered exec is within the realm of possibility, it isn't within the realm of probability.  Same for becoming the next J.K. Rowling.  Narrow your field and make it reasonable.  
3. Make a plan.  Take some dance classes but keep your day job.  Be more ambitious at work and claw your way to the top.  Write.  Write good stuff, write horrible stuff, write a blog post.  Write.  Then write some more.  Send your writing to people who will reject your writing.  Then write some more.
4. No really: make a real plan.  Say you want to be... I don't know... maybe an author.  And your stuff is getting rejected.
1. Feel sorry for yourself for a little bit.
2. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and look into self publishing.
3. Freak out because the story of self publishing isn't what you thought it'd be.  It's full of a lot of Business Sense, of which you don't have any.
4. Panic.
5. Research more into how to self publish.
6. Panic some more.  I also like to put in here some healthy coping mechanisms like meditation and deep breathing.  I also find that consuming a lot of sugar helps in the short run (although it will backfire on you.  Practice with caution).
7. Realize that self publishing is you not only writing a book but also taking on the role of publishing, go figure.  You have to price your book, promote it, and distribute it all by yourself.  You have to figure out how to get your book in front of people's eye balls.  You have to sell sell sell.  You will not just be an author anymore.  You will have to run a business.
8. Panic a bit more.  Procrastinate by writing blog posts about publishing a book.  
9. Hope that over the next few months an agent will want to champion your book.
10. Despair that you wrote a shit book that no one really likes and everyone is being nice.
11. Stop the self loathing and realize that you finished a book.  And while you are not J.K. Rowling (see item #2), you wrote a darn cute story that kids will want to read.
12. About writing that plan...
1. Research how to self publish, but seriously this time.
2. Take notes.  
3. Realize that this won't be easy but it will be worth it.
4. Identify the problem you will solve with your book.
5. Identify who will have this problem that your book can solve.
6. Revolve your marketing strategy around that target demographic.
7. Utilize social media to promote your book.
8. Sell the book.
9. Be sure to Google some of this yourself for your own particular career because I missed some stuff.
5. Execute the plan.  Words are wind (thank you Mr. Martin) until you action those words.  So take a look at your plan and create a list of things to do to make those words reality.  Take action because no one else will.
6. Don't give up.  It might take a while for your dream to become reality.  It might suck for awhile, but in the end, you will have a new vocation, a new lease on life, a new pep in your step.

In my particular case, I will have at least another 25 years of professional life ahead of me so I feel like I can really hone my craft for 25 years.  Heck, I feel really accomplished as a permit writer and I did that for only seven years.  

No matter how much time you have left, whether you are switching careers in your 20's or 50's, you can do this.  You just have to want to do the hard work.  Beyond that, the sky is the limit.

Good luck!