Some professionals reach the stage when they want more meaning, joy and reward from their work, but fear it’s too late, too risky, or too complicated to reinvent themselves in their 50s. Photo: freepik.com.
Kathy Caprino has advice for the mid-career professional who finds their work is no longer satisfying, but who has fears about making a drastic move at this late stage in their life.
If you’ve been in your career for a long time and find yourself disliking your work yet can’t see a realistic path to change, you’re not alone.
Many professionals who have built successful careers reach midlife feeling stuck, uninspired — even hopeless.
They want more meaning, joy and reward in their work, but fear it’s too late, too risky, or too complicated to reinvent themselves in their 50s.
The reasons that people come to this point include: their natural talents no longer fit with the skills required for the role; the outcomes they’ve been working towards begin to feel meaningless; or they haven’t advanced as they had hoped to or feel they deserve.
Maybe their personal values, goals and priorities have shifted, or the culture of their workplace has changed since they began.
I hear these concerns often when coaching mid-career professionals. The truth is, it’s not uncommon to feel this way.
People and careers evolve, and what energised you at one life stage may no longer satisfy you now.
If you’re facing a real crisis around your career, it’s important to take time to fully analyse and understand the situation more deeply, along with its contributing factors, and maybe seek outside help.
If, on the other hand, you’re not experiencing a full-on crisis but are disliking where you are today and feel you can’t make a big move, there are things you can do to address your situation.
Here are four steps to help you begin moving towards more fulfilling pursuits, even if a big career change isn’t possible right now.
Redefine what a ”big shift” really means: Many professionals assume that changing their situation requires quitting, going back to university, or starting a new career from scratch.
That assumption often keeps them frozen, but in reality, a ”big shift” doesn’t always mean a radical leap. It might mean reshaping your current role to include more of what energises you.
Perhaps it’s shifting to a different team or department, negotiating responsibilities so you can focus more on what you enjoy, or redesigning how you work day-to-day to align more closely with your natural strengths, interests, and values.
Start by asking yourself these questions: What part of my current work drains me most — and what lights me up, even a little? What would it look like to do 10 per cent more of what I enjoy, and 10 per cent less of what depletes me? What can I do to shift the balance towards more enjoyable, rewarding work with people I respect, even within my current job or field?
Even small course corrections, when repeated over time, create powerful momentum.
Address the fears that keep you paralysed: For many professionals in mid-career, it’s not a lack of opportunity that holds them back, it’s fear.
Fear of losing financial security, fear of being seen as too old, fear that they’ve missed their window for change.
These fears don’t have to define your decisions or prevent you from taking action.
Begin by identifying the stories you’re telling yourself about what’s possible, and then ask: “Is this fact, or just fear speaking?”
Often, we confuse what could happen with what will happen, and that confusion keeps us stuck.
One client, for example, shifted from a corporate leadership role to consulting in a field she loved, leveraging decades of experience while dramatically improving her daily fulfilment and impact.
Fear is normal — but acting with courage doesn’t mean eliminating fear. It means acknowledging it, assessing it realistically, and moving forward in new ways despite the fear.
Reconnect with what you do want rather than what you don’t: When you dislike your career, your energy often goes into focusing intently (sometimes obsessing) on what you don’t want.
You might find yourself constantly thinking: “I can’t do this anymore” or “I’ve made such a mistake choosing this path.”
The problem is that this type of resistance doesn’t tend to create clarity or forward momentum. It sustains an energy that blocks opportunity rather than opens doors for it. Instead, intentionally shift your focus and energy to what you do want.
Ask yourself: What kind of impact do I want to make in the years ahead? Who do I want to become next? What do I want my work and life to feel like? Who do I know who is doing work they love, and what can I learn from them?
Then move forward to explore each of your answers by doing online research, talking to people you trust and admire, or joining a new community that aligns with your goals.
You could even speak with your manager about the possibilities for a shift in work focus (if it’s safe for you to broach that conversation).
Give yourself permission to dream again, even in small ways. That spark of vision is often the beginning of real reinvention.
Sometimes, it’s not about leaving your current career completely but finding ways to incorporate your evolving purpose and strengths within it.
Commit to bringing more joy and excitement into your life and work: If your job feels draining and a career move isn’t possible right now, don’t let that stop you from expanding joy in other areas of your life.
When your personal energy and fulfilment improve, your work (and your mood and approach to life) often shifts naturally as a result.
Consider volunteering for a cause you deeply care about or mentoring those who could benefit from what you know and have achieved.
Consider new hobbies — singing, painting, gardening, dancing, horseback riding — anything that reminds you who you are beyond your job.
When you bring more passion into your life, your energy shifts, and that renewed vitality is palpable and can generate unexpected opportunities.
You’ll also expand your support network, which often opens doors you hadn’t anticipated. Joy is never wasted effort — it’s fuel for your next chapter.
If you feel trapped in work that no longer fits you, it’s important to recognise you haven’t missed your chance.
With these four steps, you can begin to create a career and life that feels more meaningful, rewarding and aligned with who you truly are at this stage.
*Kathy Caprino runs a leadership and career success coaching and consulting firm dedicated to the advancement of women. A trained therapist and coach, she has worked with more than 10,000 emerging women leaders. She can be contacted at kathycaprino.com. This article first appeared on Kathy’s blogsite.
