First a quote: “You are never too old to reinvent yourself.” – Steve Harvey
Hello and happy Monday.
Is it time to reinvent yourself?
This question has become more personal for me as of late. I know of at least three close family members who are looking to start a new, different, chapter in their career. I’m also spending a lot more time contemplating the next phase of my life, as I draw closer to writing the last chapter or two of my career.
I’ve heard that students graduating high school today can expect to make more than 7 major career changes in their lifetime – not job changes… but career changes! I went looking for that research but was unable to find anything verifiable.
If accurate, that statistic doesn’t surprise me. I have personally had at least that many since entering the workforce in the early 70’s. In my day, it seemed most people were more likely to have a “career for life, ” which is almost unheard of today.
According to a Harris Poll, done for Fast Company; 52% of U.S. workers are considering a job change this year. Another study found that 32% of workers between the ages of 25 and 44 are considering changing careers and 29% have already made at least one significant change.
Clearly, lots of people are considering reinventing themselves, or at least their jobs and careers.
When it comes to reinventing oneself, I have always been amazed when reading about Clint Eastwood’s career… and talk about reinventing oneself; he has been a master and an interesting role model.
As an important side note, at least one source claims he was “held back” in middle school because of low academic scores and may not have graduated from high school. Regardless, his career success is as impressive as it is varied.
His career includes: (this is an incomplete list intended to illustrate his wide range of experiences and a few of his significant career transitions)
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US Army
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Acting debut - Rowdy Yates in the television series Rawhide (1959 – 1965)
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Transitioned from TV to movies starring in – Fistful of Dollars, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, which became known as spaghetti westerns since they were filmed largely in Italy. (Eastwood was a huge star in Italy and most of Europe at the time.)
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Launched his own production company named Malpaso Productions
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The Dirty Harry series featured his directorial debut (“Go ahead, make my day!”)
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Tried his hand at acting in comedies including: Every Which Way but Loose and Any Which Way You Can featuring an orangutan.
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He starred in Paint Your Wagon (his only musical)
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Trying politics, Eastwood was also Mayor of Carmel, CA
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Barkeep/restaurant owner – Hog’s Breath Inn, Carmel, CA
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Jazz musician playing at Carnegie Hall in 1996
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Develops a line of golf clothing
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Co-starred in the love story Bridges of Madison County – showing his bandwidth as an actor.
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Great acclaim as a director - often staring in his own movies:
Eastwood is one of only two people to have been twice nominated for Best Actor and Best Director for the same film (Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby )
If you have a minute or two, research the careers of Charles Bronson and Marlon Brando, (Eastwood contemporaries) … both of which seemed to stick with primarily Hollywood tough guy roles.
Clint Eastwood seemed to completely reinvent himself, or at least his movie genres, numerous times throughout his career, and evolved beyond merely acting and into directing films. He was immensely successful in doing so.
I wonder how many of us could learn from his experience.
Is it time for you to reinvent yourself or your career? Following are a few suggestions to ponder:
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Start with an honest self-assessment: Evaluate your skills, strengths, interests, and values. Identify what you enjoy doing and what aligns with your values. What activities seem to give you a sense of fulfillment or purpose? Many people report becoming clearer about what they don’t want to do as the starting point in narrowing down their options.
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Do research : Explore potential career options. Look into industries, roles, and companies that align with your skills and interests. Set up Google alerts for articles & news about your target professions, trades, or industries.
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Analyze any possible skill gaps: Identify the skills required in your desired field and assess possible gaps in your current skill set. Invest time in acquiring new skills, or enhancing existing ones through training, workshops, or courses.
“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning. ”– Meister Eckhart
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Network, network, network: Connect with people who are doing what you want to do. Attend networking events, join on-line forums, and reach out to people for informational interviews. Talk to people who are already doing what seems interesting to you. Ask them what they like, and don’t like, about their career choices. Networking can provide valuable insights and open doors to potential opportunities.
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Update your resume and online presence: Tailor your resume to highlight relevant skills and experiences for your new career. Ensure that your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and reflects your aspirations. You might want to consider seeking guidance from LinkedIn experts for setting up your profile to be most “search-engine” friendly.
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Seek guidance: Consider seeking advice from career counselors, mentors, or industry experts. They can provide valuable insights, share their experiences, and offer guidance on making a successful transition.
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Gain experience: Whenever possible, gain relevant experience in your target field. This could include volunteering, internships, or freelancing. Practical experience can strengthen your resume and make you more marketable.
“ “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. ”– C. S. Lewis
If you’re serious about finding something you’re passionate about, don’t let the “little voice in your head” talk you out of getting started. Remember it is the “start” that stops most people.
If you are one of the 52% of people looking for a new job or career, I hope this missive has been thought provoking.
If you are one of the 29% who have already made a career change, what advice would you offer my readers? We would all benefit from your experience and suggestions.
Related Articles:
Bonus Quotes Below.
How will you live, love, or lead, differently, or better this week?
Sincerely,
Bryan Yager
“Expanding Your Capacity for Success”
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Bonus Quotes:
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“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. ”– Thomas Jefferson
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The most important thing to remember is this: To be ready at any moment to give up what you are for what you might yet become . ” – W.E.B. Du Bois
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It is never too late to be what you might have been . ” – George Eliot
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Each of us has that right, that possibility, to invent ourselves daily. If a person does not invent herself, she will be invented. So, to be bodacious enough to invent ourselves is wise . ” – Maya Angelou
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“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” – George Eliot
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“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” – Seneca
