From Marine Biologist to Glass Artist: A Study in Career Change

If you're passionate about the arts - fine arts, graphic arts, performance art, or any other art I've left out here - have you convinced yourself that pursuing it is fruitless?

Many of the people I coach through career decisions are artists (either out there or closeted) who have never pursued it professionally, but who daydream and reminisce about their passion frequently. They are people who used to paint, used to write, used to act or used to play music and perform.

They left their artistic interests behind and have been stockbrokers, medical sales representatives, research scientists, lawyers, or pharmacists for years. They have mortgages, children, or other financial commitments. They are understandably attached to their lifestyle. Trading in a secure, well-paid position for an insecure, low paying situation appears impossible.

A true passion can be put off, forgotten and ignored for a while, but it eventually shows up, sometimes without warning and sometimes, well, passionately.

When yours shows up again, what will you do?

Some of my clients have decided to keep their day jobs and renew their commitment to their artistic interest in their off hours. They make small adjustments in their lives, such as changing their work schedule a couple of days a week, cutting TV time, hiring a babysitter once a week, taking a class, or reducing their stress so they have more energy to pursue a hobby. Simply spending a few hours each week on a pursuit that feels truly sustaining improves their overall quality of life quite a bit.

If you're tempted to make a more drastic change, please do your homework first. Pursuing a passion is commendable; doing so recklessly is just not smart. Have a financial cushion, a plan for health insurance, make your change without burning bridges, and research, research, research!

I was inspired to write this post after I read this article about a California man who ten years ago traveled to Europe, felt compelled to enroll in his very first art class (at the age of 40) upon his return, left his marine biologist world behind and today manages a college's glass studio. Some of his glass pieces are displayed in a museum in San Francisco.

This man managed not only to pay attention to his growing and changing interests, but figured out a way over time to earn a living while pursuing his passion in a whole new way. Although the article doesn't detail his career change step by step, clearly this was not an overnight process.

What did you used to love doing that you don't do anymore? How can you bring it back into your life?

Or, what new interest has caught your attention but seems impractical to pursue? How can you pursue it without risking what is really important to you?

I'd love to hear your stories on this one.

Heather Mundell
Dream Big Coaching Services
www.dreambigcoaching.com
heather@dreambigcoaching.com 

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