if people weren't pressured to immediately pick a career the minute they leave highschool, and if highschool actually focused on teaching life skills and determining what each individual is interested in instead of this stupid standardized bullshit, you wouldn't have to worry about this.
May this post find the right person; I went back to college at age 25 and now I'm 31 and graduating in 3 months. I can't tell you how many times I stumbled along the way dealing with rejection letters, failed exams, work, lack of sleep, money, and social life. In the face of adversity and ever looming self-doubt - when you feel like you can't go on any further - is the moment you get back up and keep on going! because life is difficult and beautiful at the same time. Now go out there and make it happen.
Brian L Im 26 this year and went back to college at 23, this is my 3rd year in Engineering and it's not a life most ppl expect, deciding to change my major due to your encouraging comment, thank you
@@garenthal9638 Just keep making progress on whatever you're doing and grow. I can't believe it's been 4 years! I now make over 80k a year and I'm about to start a business, projected to make 250k. Don't give up!
For everyone who are scared to switch their majors or careers, I hope you find the courage to do it. I have done it myself, and I am now happier than I thought I would be. The anxiousness and uncertainty fades away soon enough and you start to live your life how you planned to live it. Trust me, it is easier on the other side of the decision. You just have to find the courage to make the jump.
I'm turning 21 in May. Almost all my friends are doing their last year of University and have part time jobs. I dropped out of university last year and have had only a few months of work experience as a bartender. I simply haven't decided what I want to do with my life. After watching this I feel like I haven't wasted my life yet,and that there's still time if I keep trying new experiences until I find something I actually enjoy
It's never too late, I was about to drop uni last year I got in deep depression because I didn't like what I was doing ( computer science) I failed 2 years because of that, I am 25 yo now and all of my friends are now working or doing their phd and every time I think of it I get more depressed and think that I made the wrong choice; I am still not sure if I will continue doing computer science for the rest of my life since I didn't find any other thing interesting to do I am trying my best to finish my degree and I already made lots of improvements(and I'm also trying new things while I have the time), the point is, never give up there is lots of things in life to discover and never stop trying new things because success in life is when you find something you enjoy doing doesn't matter what people think of it all that matters is that you are enjoying your life doing it :)
I'm in my 30s, and am considering a career change now. I only went to a technical school, and got a certificate for a healthcare technician profession since I didn't know what to do at 18. Part of me is glad I didn't put myself in student loan debt, plus I'm now more aware of who I am, and what I like. I'm still single, and am in no rush for marriage/kids, so I'm glad I waited. Even if I go back to school, or go down in pay it will only affect me. We can change careers at any time in our lives, just got to figure out how it will affect ourselves, others, and our current, or future goals.
I feel bad for people that base their life upon mental constructs, just follow intuition and true goals, give up when you tire of them and set new ones that are congruent to current self.
I truly wish the world allowed for something so beautiful.But the desire to change and the means to change, don't always go hand in hand unfortunately.
Thanks for this post buddy. I questioned if the urge to give something back to my environment; is some type of mental construct. I now just realize that this is another mental construct. Unbroken, because I fear a lack of usefulness. I am waiting unknowingly what to do and where this will lead me It is all I can do
You have to embrace uncertainty as a constant companion and have a stoic view having a balance of the mind in all times, as for being useful i look at it i contribute with my energy in every interaction i bring more presence or just look at life as game it could easily all perish so contribution would be quite irelevent in that case.
I would say increase your vitality aka health and keep mind clean just thoughtless awareness look at that as a goal in itself and soon after ''real'' goals will pop up , i was in that state for some time with no goal just enjoy the present momment with no stimulus
Disagree completely. at 20 you haven't got a career you have a job you are a child at 20. I'm 33 and over lockdown started a course that's going to wind up taking me to a doctorate and will take over 10 years to complete. My own mum is only just getting a degree at 51.
Yeah. I’m about to get my teaching lisence at 27 and the anxiety of realizing I don’t think I want it has me suicidal. I can’t find a therapist that will take me during covid so I’m watching these
I'm 27 and trying to switch careers: have worked as a graphic designer for 6+ years and now I'm back to studying during 2 years to, hopefully, transition into writing / journalism. To be honest, trying to make a change sometimes seems really worth the effort and sometimes sucks deep, when it does -like now- I feel confused, lonely, frustrated and scared. Its kind of hard to stop measuring yourself against everyone, seeing how friends progress in their lives while you feel yourself in a sort of uncertain limbo…
@@avatardan9317 It didn't match my true interests, when I was younger I was more into aesthetics and visuals, but as I got older I realized I'm much more drawn into intellectual and humanist concerns
I am trying to leave architecture at 30 😅 Just remember you have many years of working ahead of you. Don’t look at your friends or colleagues. Focus on what’s best for you and your satisfaction.
Switching career tracks is not just a struggle/anxiety on the undergraduate level. On the undergraduate level, it easy, we're talking on the scale of 2-3 years which is daunting yet nonetheless not too scary to undertake. I am currently doing a PhD and i am seriously contemplating whether i am doing the right thing. I have so far invested 9 years of my adult life to reach the stage where i am currently, and still have at least 2 more years to finish my phd, so it's by all standards and measures a large investment. Now that's an anxiety that keeps you up at night!!
you have 2 years more, finish the shit and then see what the options are, it may became a piece of paper on the wall but at least you finished it and won't ask why you didn't finish it on the future. Like this video say 2 years are nothing in the long run.
I was at that point, got a lucky opportunity to make a job of my hobby and took it, even though I also like research. Not regretting it at all. It is not like all the thing you have learned and done are wasted just because you didn't end up with a title. Sure people respect it, but that is up to you to decide if you need that.
Yes, you are right, it's definitely way easier for undergraduates than for people who crossed 30 years of age. I spend 12 years studying 2 degrees (archaelogy and botany) plus working in that field. I was accepted to the Ph.D. studies. But I just couldn't do it, I reached my limit. Now I'm at the other side of the world, doing menial jobs, travelling and thinking what other job I could do when I return home. Only thing I regret is that I didn't do this years ago.
Colin O'Briant cool. This video has literally come out just an hour before I decided to visit the career center at my college. I've been planning to study bio and major in neurology, but UCI requires two years of general bio and the classes are ridiculous, nothing to do with neurology for sure. I'm gonna try to switch to an environmental/ecology major that could get me past most Bio GEs, but if it was a perfect world I'd probably major in the philosophy of science. I'm also a freshman in college, so this video convinced reassured me it's best to change before the choice is difficult! Except if I want to major in neurology again later...
This video claims it is never too late to change career, but then only use age of 20 as the base point. WTF? 20 is of course not too late to change your career. Hell, most americans are usually only at their 2nd year of college when they are 20. How about if you are 30? Or even 40? Is it too late then?
My dad studied medicine and specialized, effectively spending all his youth in academia (10+ years), as his father did before him. He became a pediatrician, but switched to his backup degree in Medical Science and became a clinical pathologist when we moved to Australia because he was tired of doing the Board Exams. He was tired of his career. For years my mum encouraged him to do something he wanted to do, so he finally applied for university here and got accepted into graduate law. This is a 47 year old man. Who has two useless degrees, in a field that is renown for being a life-long commitment. I don't think its too late to change careers, *IF* you have a safety net like family or are financially stable.
just contemplate deeply the structure of this thinking. "too late" is just a lable, a judgement, a thought - based on nothing but societal standards. Unconsciously, we adopt the mindset of "At this age, you have to be at this stage in your career" "At this age, you have to marry" "At this age, you have to build a house". Those beliefsystems are deeply ingrained into our mind, and rule us our whole life, because we never look closely at them to see what they actually are. They have no tangible reality. They are real to the degree we (unconsciously) believe in them. If you are convinced and KNOW you want to change, then not do it because of this adopted mindset is the real madness, not changing your career with 50. Now, this is not say to just jump on everything and follow your changing mood/ emotions blindly. Do it strategically.
This is my problem, and also my fear that if I listen to the 'what if's in my head and actually change my career, I might spend my life with other 'what if's in my head (about what it would have been like if I followed my initial career path). I just don't know what's best for me at all, so I'm continuing on this path and dreaming of _maybe_ one day stepping onto a different one.
I appreciate the quote, and I feel like that would be better advice for a mild curiosity about a different life when one is already deeply seated into a certain career path and mostly content with their current position. I've been working towards a certain career for some time, but you could also say that my career is only just beginning, so for me it's more than a mild curiosity. I very often wonder if I should go ahead and leave the life I've been working towards for so long (which would be a huge waste, I'll admit) to do something I have more passion for, but that the people around me disapprove of. And when I think about these things, I always end up with part of my mind dreaming about being where I'm most passionate, and another part of my mind accepting that following my current path might be the most sensible choice. I end up hoping that even if I follow this path I'm on, I'll end up being able to incorporate the things I'm more passionate about into my life somehow, or I'll find more passion for this path along the way. I'm hopeful, realistic and a dreamer. :)
Other people have no business judging you. If they cared about you they might give advice, but otherwise remember that you will have to spend more time with yourself than with them, and it is not your life's purpose to please them.
I had a nervous breakdown because of love failure at 19. Got hooked to cigarettes at 21. Suffered an eating disorder at 23. At 25 I was kicked out of college. Rejoined college at 26. I spent most of my 20s being pathetic. It's not really that bad though.
+Tyrion I watched a talk of Sadhguru where he said that in India everybody picks either Medicine or Software Engineering only because it seems safe. But it's clear that they are not doing it out of interest if they switch from medicine to software engineering if they don't get accepted.
This is reassuring. I'm 30 and in the last year or two finally admitted that I wasted my 20's fighting with the random career path I had chosen as an 18 year old. I have been able to find something with some overlap and already made my first steps towards retraining and gaining new skills. Working on getting my foot in the door somewhere were I can learn on the job too because I'm still not sure if it will be satisfying day to day. It's a constant process from what I have learned.The whole education system seems broken. I feel like I was herded through uni without ever talking to anyone about what I was actually doing, why, how etc. They were more than happy to take my money and send me off on my way. It's my fault too, but talking to friends, reading comments here, it's clear that I'm not the only one who feels like they weren't given enough direction at that young age. Add in the fact that the average 16-18 year old has no idea of the world of work, nevermind the specifics of their chosen career path. Of course there will be loads of people coming out of uni and stepping into their first real job suddenly realising that it is not for them. Big difference between studying something and actually doing it yourself. Big difference between the glamourised, undefined idea of a job, and the daily workings of it. My advice to anyone still deciding what to do with their working life is to spend time researching things. Write lists of things you enjoy and things you don't. Talk to people in careers that might be of interest to you. Phone them up if you have to. Read the job pages and pinpoint the actual day to day skills and qualifications in your field that are in demand and will serve you well. Do what you can to gather those skills whether it's through the course or through extracurricular work.And like the video says, don't be afraid to course correct and change path if something is deeply wrong. 20 is incredibly young. You literally have your whole working life ahead of you. If ever there is a time to take risks, change course and try new things, this is it.The idea that people will work in more than one job for their entire life is relatively new and becoming more and more widespread. Be prepared and expect change. Don't take it as a failure. It is just life these days. Being able to change, adapt and use the skills you have gathered in different ways is a valuable asset.
Hello, i am also 30, a radiologist and accepted that i dont like working in the medical field but im so scared to think what else can i do. Can you please tell me how did you changed your carrer? Did you worked parttime and went to a new University?
Im in my 30s and agree, i have worked 7 different jobs in my life not serving anything longer than 3 years in a job. All sorts of oddball crap that didnt land me anything worth while but built up my knowledge of how things work and my work ethic is reliable. Still battling on getting into a worthwhile career, but as long as we can just survive Im happy.
Protip: having kids is the #1 way to stagnate your life and "run out of time to do XYZ". Once you have a kid, that's 20 years of taking 0 risks and only taking minute, calculated changes to your life.
Yeah, that's one way to look at it. Another way to see it is having kids early means you get to make that change when you're older and you have a much stronger network. It also adds another layer of meaning in your life.
You're absolutely right, BUUUUUUUT... If people switch tracks too readily or spontaneously (once the excitement of their new ambition fades or they face the first signs of difficulty), it can be a problem. People must also appreciate the value of commitment, because if they can't commit to anything, then they won't have ANY career!
I've figured out that college isn't worth it. Career experience is better for middle class and below. Don't feel forced to go to college it isn't for the majority of people.
JoeKing K ive wasted 6 years of my life changing careers in college thinking that that was the only answer into finding my place in life, i wasted everything there. I would tell 20 year olds that if youre willing to practice abilities and work soon find something worth doing for the long run, rather than studying your whole youth.
It's true! There are many jobs out there that pay well that require no education. Speaking from Canada (I am graduating with my BA this spring). Unless you want to be something that requires education, it's not necessary past high school.
+Nicholas Malone do you teach yourself to code on your own? is it hard to learn by your own? I'm now taking the generic business management, just for the sake of degree. I fear the menial and drudgeries of day in and day out corporate work. I'm looking for alternatives that can get me set for life without being dependent on a company.
I just got my Masters Degree at 37 after a career change. At first it felt awkward and scary, but after a few months you just get on with it and the hard work consistently reminds you of the importance of reinvention and acquiring knowledge.
I dropped off chemical engineering at 20 and went to biology (just like the example in the video haha). I'm 26 now and I truly can say that was the best decision of my life
This video is wonderful. I graduated with a law degree, always thought being a lawyer was the most sensible option. After I graduated, I took a leap and enrolled on a degree in modern languages (which i'm funding through working in a supermarket stacking shelves). I've never been happier, I genuinely enjoy studying languages, my marks are wonderful and everything is looking up. Always follow your passion!
"Hey there, I am looking for a job, I have spent all of my money on education, have spent all my life in education to get this degree to get some work can I have a job?" "Ehh sorry we need people with some work experience, someone who can just jump on board and start work without any effort sorry" "Soooo what about the 3-6 years of education I have spent my money, time and effort on?"
This is very true. I've graduated since 1 yr and a half but still can't find a job because of lack of experience. Ok, give me a chance to work and gain experience! It's like what came first, the chicken or the egg !! :D
College is not a waste of time and money. Anyone who says this is naive and inexperienced. You must understand that the issue is that the job market is at a low right now for employees -- the supply of workers is greater than the demand, so to say. Employers can therefore make these demands, because there *are* plenty of experienced people, who also have degrees, to select from. But this is a temporary issue that changes all the time. As the job market gets better, and experienced people stay employed and are harder to find unemployed, it will make it easier for fresh college grads. This is an unfortunate result of the recession, but it will get better. Then worse. Then better. It's just another factor that you have to deal with the best you can. In a perfect world where you can accurately predict the future, perhaps it would have been better to hold off going to college. But we can't predict the future, we're not omnipotent, and you shouldn't beat yourself up about decisions you were forced to make without complete knowledge. Especially when you're young and probably wouldn't make the right decision, even with all the facts.
Education != vocational training. Education is good and should be cherished, but it is not job training. Your expectation that you would acquire a job simply because you're education is delusional; it used to be like that, yes, but it no longer is. Education is about becoming a more informed and thoughtful person--if you did not achieve that in your years of study, then you've failed yourself. Also, hopefully you took the ambition to acquire some useful skills (programming, data analysis, modeling etc.) while in school and get an internship, but even if you didn't it's not too late. You can still learn new skills, and you can still go for an internship if the entry-level market proves too competitive (it's pretty ridiculous how competitive everything has become).
Yeah just let me wait 20 years for all the people with more experience to fuckin die. Because the older generation is holding onto those jobs longer than ever and the only thing that makes them stop a lot of the time is them literally dying. We don't have TIME to wait. Fact is, people are retiring a lot less often now, and it COMPLETELY fucks over new workers for years because new positions aren't OPEN for years, and when they are, they're quickly consumed by the other people in your field.
I love when my great-grandma of 94 yo gets surprise for things that were "yesterday" and she is talking about ten years ago. She always helps to see how short my life has been.
As a 21-year-old junior with no idea what he really wants to do and views every possibility as just a "stepping stone" this video really helped. Thanks
This is so valuable. I changed my college major about 6 months ago and I ended up loosing a whole year. It was really scary to do at first as Alain perfectly demonstrates but now my life has completely changed. As Ken Robinson has pointed out, when you do work that you really love, at the end of the day you may be tired physically but on the inside you will be fulfilled. And as far as carrer goes, there is no better feeling than that.
I finished university at the end of 2014. Since then I've had absolutely no love when it comes to finding a job, it seems there's too many qualified and experienced people out there for the jobs available, so entry level jobs can offer very little in the way of pay and demand a lot in qualifications and experience. My channel here has kinda gained a bit of traction over the last year, so now I'm working at making RUclips my job. Its a bit of a gamble really, but if no one is willing to give me a shot, I'm going to try my absolute best at making my own path, no matter what it ends up being
I just turned 25, like literally a week ago. I went to school on a full academic scholarship to study electrical engineering and dropped out because it simply drove me nuts. In hindsight, I should have studied pure mathematics. Drawing out the timeline really helped show me how I've fallen for the time investment trap. I've got time, and I'm latching onto math now. Thank you, Alain!
I hope you guys know that you are changing and saving lives. Even, if not directly, by inspiring the people who will go out and bring peace. Thank you for your work and graciousness!
School of life is stalking me I swear. I'm in my final year studying chemical engineering thinking of switching to a different field and had a 2 hour conversation about it with a good friends last night... I'm scared, is this because I left my bedroom window open last night?
For me i've started a masters specialising in automation engineering. I love programming and maths, that's really my passion ( alongside politics, philosophy etc. but I can do that in my free time). 1 masters year to change my degree path? Worth it imho
I finished my degree and changed careers when I was 42 years old. The career I changed to could even be considered a "young" field (web development). I'm pretty much at the top end of my career now. I was working in computer support, by the way, so it wasn't as big a leap as say...janitor to programmer. That said, I think that leap is still feasible. My mom finished her degree after age 50 and got a job managing a local employment office. She was promoted to regional manager after that. It can happen!
I'm 25 and I just started studying after a 2 gap years. I changed from civil engineering to computer science and honestly is the best decision I ever made. I struggled for a long time trying to find something that I really like and with just 3 months of self studying programming I got my first job. I'm making a website ( its hard but easy at the same time and sooo much fun) Yes it sucks to live again with my parents and yes all my friends are starting to get dream jobs with really good salaries and yes party's can become anxiety triggers when asking what you do, but the satisfaction of knowing that I'm in the right path for the long run is amazing and I really love what I do now. It's never too late( I wanted to avoid this frase because it's a cliche but it does makes sense if you think about it).
I am 27 and changed majors ... I still feel guilty about it but at least now I feel self motivated to achieve and don't get over stressed over tasks... I just wish I wont wont regret it someday You never know what is the right thing to do really ... Just hope
sara meachel G'luck to you mate. I'm 27 and am just now becoming a CNA. I don't know yet if I want to go further in the medical field. so I feel you and I wish you well in your endeavors. 😊
I'm 53 years old and just realized in the past few years that I have chosen the wrong career. I'm thinking about changing careers. I wished somebody would have offered me some guidance when I was 20.
I worked in production for a newspaper for 9 years, realized that there was no future for print. So I went to university age 36 instead of buying a house. After five years I obtained my honours in Sociology minor Philosophy and decided to give teaching a try and moved to South Korea. I have been here for 4 years and am in the process of moving back to Canada to once again look at different avenues of work/career. I am 45 now. There definitely are varying levels of anxiety that come with these changes. And that is something worth investigating in itself. The 'why' is always ever present. Comparing oneself to another peer, norm, or history can have its negative repercussions for the self. Try to resist this. It is challenging, but this is life. Remember and know that you will be ok. Now go and live. Go and rage into that dying light^^
@@oumaimaelmejjarmi6553 Oh I was terrified! I was raised with traditional social conventions/being in a specific category at a specific age progressing forward in that linear direction; but, as soon as I completed my first year abroad and all the new experiences and insights that accompany that, I began to loosen my grip on the past conventions and welcome the organic nature of life experiences and how non-liner they are. I am now back in Canada working as a language instructor for a local school board/adults and very much enjoy my new life/lives. Thank you for your positive vibes! I totally forgot about this video/comment^^ Peace^^
@@watereddown1s thats so cool ! Now that ur happy with ur life this is all that matters i loved ur comment and had to answer, all positivity to uu ❤✌ I ll try to go with it thank uuu love ur vibe
@@Omi23_3 Internship opportunities will resume after the pandemic and you will still have chances to apply for internship after graduation. I would look to see if there are any volunteer opportunities also. This will help you practice your law skills and gain valuable experience to present to future employers. You are so young with some many chances to learn new things. What are other things in your life that you can focus on. What else are you passionate about. Growing as a person means so much more than your title or profession. All is not lost. You have so much to offer. Try to find ways to express this to others. You never know what other doors you will open through other experiences and new connections. Life is organic and will always finds a way to grow, even in the darkest places. Peace and love my friend^^
You have no idea how much I needed this today. I'm studying literature and I have doubts if it is really good to me (I'm dreaming of film studies). I was doing it for eight years - I have depression and a lot of anxiety issues - and I started thinking maybe it's not really something I REALLY want to do in life, even if I love literature. It's very good point, your thought of time.
Love the animation and the way you presented this information. One of the most commonly asked questions I get is “How do I change careers after realizing my current career is ‘just not right’ for me?” Thanks for sharing.
YES! This is sooo recognizable. I spent 3 or 4 years agonizing over whether to switch from logistics to software development... I've been studying for nearly 2 years to get the a degree in applied computer science - but it's difficult to combine that with working full time in a field I've wanted to leave for 6 years!
School of Life you have come to my rescue. I have been uncertain about whether the dream I want to pursue is too much of a fantasy. I have been putting in my best effort to make it a reality but now I have more conviction that I am choosing what will make me happy and I believe I can attain it. Wish me luck people.
I studied for 5 years a bachelor´s degree in international trade and customs management. I did a two month internship and wasn't hired, the company is still too small to employ more people. Then I was hired by a bigger company but the commute was too long, and the amount of stress and working hours vs the paycheck I was getting was not worth it. Unfortunately I had to return to a call center, which I also hate but at least I get a better payment and work from home for the time being. I feel lost, although I am trying to switch careers towards becoming a front end developer and then a full stack engineer. Good thing about this is that there are plenty of resources available to learn for free. I am betting all my cards to this right now and I'm 27, all I want is never to return to a call center and finall have a meaningful job while I have my own businesses and live off rents, I never want to be dependant of a job in my life. Hope this strategy works.
23-year old here. Studying Forest Science which in and of itself leads to a good career but it's not at all what I actually want to do. Like when I think about working within this industry I get really unmotivated and not at all excited about the future. At the moment I'm considering blow this popsicle stand and study computer science (I really want to work with gaming and be a game designer/programmer) cause it's what's the most interesting to me atm but my family (especially my mom) has already put so much money into my education that I don't want to disappoint them/her...at least I'll have a degree in SOMETHING when I'm done with this I guess that counts as something fml.
Last year I started university for the second time and now I'm in 2nd year and will be 25 at end of the year. When I was 20 I was in 2nd year my sister, who was just starting as a teacher passed away. I decided to quit university and find a job. With no degree the only jobs I could get were as salesman, or a tutor, neither which guarantees constant income. In 2015 I was a labourer digging trenches and laying sewage pipes, went to a shelf packer in a grocer. Now I'm employed by the university as a tutor and I plan on going into lecturing. My majors are mathematics, physics and chemistry.
It's not because things are difficult that we dare not venture. It's because we dare not venture that they are difficult. If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.
Im 20, currently at uni, studying psychology, had ideas about my future, i like the subject, im only on my 3rd semester and it feels like it's way too soon to change paths, i feel lost, and i think biology makes more sense to me, not because im "bad" at psychology, i would say im pretty good, but i can't visualize myself being a therapist anymore, and im slowly realizing i don't really see myself in any of the other branches; it's scary, means a huge change in everything, have to move to a big scary city i know very little, by my own, leaving my job, family, friends and boyfriend behind to do something im not shure i will be capable of doing or living from. I wish someone could give me another perspective, a teacher, other students, professionals, students who have changed careers or anything really. Maybe i could wait to finish psychology and then go study biology but it feels like a huge investment.
I've done some time soul searching and took some extra classes in university (which, I contend, has put me behind schedule (Because I am 22 and a junior. But I plan to enter grad school directly after, so I should actually be a bit young for that). And after trying physics, biology, computer science, etc... I finally settled on history. It was a hard choice, and involved a lot of research into demographics. And I realize I will never make the same money as an engineer. But as long as I can do what I enjoy and have a somewhat decent standard of living, I think I'll be happy.
I think gratefulness solves most of the anxiety surrounding this. If you're grateful just to be alive, to have the chance to love, then I think life feels much less weighted. Sometimes I think people just need to take the magnifying glass off of their lives and zoom out to see a much bigger world than the tiny worries of oneself.
If you are still in your 20’s or even early 30’s make the change. You will not be judged harshly. Nobody expects you to know what the hell you are doing with your life. You are expected to mess up, change your mind, and explore. But when you hit 34 that is when these changes are frowned upon. This is when people expect you to have direction. So if you are in your 20’s or early 30’s just go for it. Oh and hey 👋 all you college kids, stay in as long as you can. Become a career student and keeps getting advanced degrees. The adult world kind of sucks lol. But I’m also serious.
This is probably one of the most important topics in my life right now, not because I'm switching, but because I haven't done anything yet at the age of 20. I dropped out of high school at 16 and spent the next 4 years joining courses and dropping out because I got tired of them, so I've got practically 0 experience in anything. I keep telling myself that I need to stick to something but I never do.
Thanks school of life, the thought that my career is set in stone after higher education, really troubled me. But with some clearly defined goals and long term planning, it no longer will.
I made the mistake when I was younger of listening to my parents and not becoming a police man and going to college , i ended up quitting and getting a meaningless technical degree, associates. It's not worth the paper to wipe with!
Dan What if what interests you doesn't pay as much as careers with a degree? That's one of the main reasons my parents want me to go to college; to get a high paying career.
I'm 20, I have no skills to make money off (I play a couple of instruments, but that pays less than what teens get for mowing people's lawns in american movies). I'm going to change the subject I went to university for this year, but I still know it won't make me a valuable employee. Every job I've heard of anyone doing (except dream jobs like being a rockstar or an audio engineer) seems like a soul-destroying bundle of pain and waste of life. I'm deeply envious of people who feel like there is a job for them that won't make them feel like they're wasting their time for a little over minimal wage.
It is very challenging to apply ones passions to the world's professions, but don't give up on it and over time you will find a way. Mastering it before monetizing it, is always better in the long run.
Me too. I have interests, not exactly talents, and I'm working in care and support at the moment, which I feel I need more than, but can't figure out what. I never seriously considered support work until the past 2 years, I'm 23 and it is a barely above minimum wage job...I got a 2:1 economics degree but no longer like economics, I feel like what I'm doing now is far less of a waste of time though, because it fits more of my interests. I feel I should have done psychology instead, but don't really know where I'd go with that, and it's a crowded field. I think, how much you earn or how high up you are in a career shouldn't matter, but I feel I still compare poorly to someone climbing the ladder in marketing, for example,because I'm not actually climbing anything, even though I am happy in my day to day existence. Hopefully I will find something that I can aim for, and you also.
If I were you I would focus on jobs you could enjoy, do, or be good at, not just ones that involve your talents and are above minimum wage. There's nothing really wrong with earning something and doing a job that is just okay, also it teaches you stuff about yourself and other people, and hopefully that will help you find a good direction. Good luck?
i'm 38years old and i really want badly to change career . I was thinking that i was too old to do that... Thank you so much for this perspective...I'm glad i saw this vídeo, Thank you very much!!!
For the first eight years of my adult life (starting at 16), I believed that my ultimate purpose and calling in life was to be an actor. For years and years, everything in my head revolved around that. Even throughout college (which I attended simply to appease and satisfy my parents - although I wound up attending a film program anyway), my ultimate aim was to one day be working as a professional actor among the greats. That was my dream; that was my goal. But as time went on, I grew and gained perspective as many do, graduating into an almost entirely different person altogether. The 16-year-old version of me who had gone home one day after his first drama class and had announced to his to-be-disappointed parents that he was going to become an actor now seemed like a lifetime away. Through different experiences and personal encounters following that day (namely working in an entertainment PR agency in Hollywood for a week and seeing the really nasty side of the showbiz world), I had developed a different outlook on it all. No longer was I seduced by vanity, fame, celebrity, or glamour. No longer did I yearn to be basking in the fortunes of show business and the Hollywood lifestyle. No longer did I long to be on the cover of GQ Magazine. Instead, I now saw fame as a toxic hinderance and a disposable distraction with little value, if any. I saw the plastic artificiality of Hollywood as a poisonous force to be avoided at all costs. Little by little, I began to shift my opinions about all the aspects of showbiz - and the final part of that crusade was running away from acting itself. I officially called it quits last June. I no longer saw a place for myself in the profession of acting, mainly for these reasons. It was undoubtedly vain and naïve of me to assume I would ever achieve A-list-level success, but the narcissistic culture surrounding the profession itself had begun to really bother me. I no longer saw a reason to continue acting. The bad simply outweighed the good. The extended period of time following this turning point was agonizing, to say the least. I spent about seven months at home feeling lost, aimless, and confused. "What should I do *now*?" I thought to myself everyday. Questions like "What is my real purpose in life?" and "What do I *really* want to do?" plagued and haunted my conscience for every waking minute of my existence. Every once in a while, I would consider another career path - usually one that involved a lot more financial security, overall stability, and income than that of a starving actor. But none of them really sounded at all interesting to me - or at least interesting enough to deal with all of the uninteresting aspects that came with the job - however monetarily pleasing they may have seemed. Then one night late last December, I went to the movies with my cousins on a whim and watched La La Land for the first time. I walked in with zero expectations, and by this point I had kind of developed a distant and cynical outlook on films in general - a sort of smug, "Oh, yeah, I used to make movies too" attitude that even I knew wasn't healthy to have. If you haven't seen La La Land yet, I won't spoil it for you - but let me just say that the characters and their stories captivated and moved me to such a level that I sat there paralyzed for minutes after the film had ended and the credits had rolled. Much more than anything stunning about the craft of the film, what La La Land did was remind me of the reasons I had wanted to become an actor. It reminded me that even as fantastical and otherworldly as the film depicted it, optimism is still an invaluable virtue that will take you much farther than cynicism or pessimism could ever hope to. Sure, the odds are definitely lined up against you and there are a million other reasons you could come up with to not go after your dream - but why not the hell try? Why *not* take everything you've got right now and go give it your best, most ambition-charged shot? I could write a book on a million "Yeah, but"s if I wanted to. But none of those things will help me get anywhere or achieve anything, period. I spent a lot of time second-guessing myself and doubting why I was doing what I was - which can be healthy to an extent in order to keep yourself grounded and in check - but in the end, I realized that I was the only one keeping myself from moving forward. Enough doubt and uncertainty, and you can really cripple yourself. That isn't to say that my reasons for despising the show business side of things were unfounded - in fact, I still feel the same way about them. But whereas before I had mentally coupled the craft of acting with show business, I now see the show business aspect of it (agents, casting directors, managers, other network-ites) simply as a means to a way of getting better and meatier roles, rather than fame - real captivating roles that carry true meaning and can hopefully touch someone deeply in the way that La La Land did to me. I think this whole 360º turn has reminded me of my real priorities in life - that no matter how much money I might earn doing something else, this is the only thing I can really feel content doing (at least for now). It's the only thing that can keep me present and in the moment, and it's the most raw way that I can feel like I'm impacting other people. In hindsight, I had let the negative aspects of it blind me into thinking that this was a profession not worth pursuing. Whereas before I had wanted to act in order to become famous, I now want to act in order to tell compelling and memorable stories that touch people.
Um no, the main problem is that most people go into massive debt with a 4 year degree. Why on earth would we want to switch careers, go back to college, and potentially double that debt?
Some people will never find a job that suits them, and will rely on daily drugs and entertainment to be able to make their lives a bit more tolerable. You have a choice : Whether you hate your job and find meaning somewhere else, or you find a job that absolutely suits you and don't need to fill your life with useless things. I've started giving classes in a private college at 29, and discovered slowly that it was the perfect work environment for me. Every other workplaces I've done in my life never seemed to fulfill me at all, and I was left searching day & night for anything to be happy. Now that I found it, I finish everyday with an eased mind and a relaxed body, and I will never swallow for antidepressants in my life ever again. It takes time, so be sure to try everything until you find the right thing for you. Good luck.
Wow! this video came in such a perfect time! I'm 20 now and I'm going to change my career from Law to Medical studies (I don't know exactly how you call this in english). In my case, it's now about two, but five to six years of my life. But I don't care, I'm going after what I always dreamed of and didn't chase before because I thought I was uncapable.
@@JF-sh2sm I actually ended up back in Law school. And I don’t regret coming back, I guess. Didn’t make it into Med school because I didn’t have enough time and resources for the required dedication.
The worse thing about a career change is that my family does not support me. I’m 32, and so afraid because I don’t really know what I want to do. I made a career change at 28 and because of intense instability in my family, ended up not really being able to pursue that new career path fully. Not to mention, I’m still in that unstable family, and am always feeling that my need to get away from it overshadows my ability to comfortably settle into the transitional moments of a career change. I feel very stuck, very scared, and very unsure how to remedy this!
I don't have anything useful to say, but never give up ever on your/our hopes and dreams, it will happen eventually. Scary stuff happen all the time, learn to accept it that it's being in this world, because let's face it, if a world without any scaryness, That's probably not even real loll, so don't worry too much about it! We're all walking into a hardcore direction, and so be it😎 I'm on with it as well, never be afraid!
Thank you so much for this! I'm 24 and I'm Chemical Engineering undergraduate student... but as a child I wanted to be... a marine biologist! Since my 2nd year in college, I've been thinking to change my career, but I still don't know what I'd like to do... Maybe marine biologist, maybe writer... I usually feel anxious about changing my career, especially because I do like science, but I'm starting to look at it more carefully :)
If only someone had given me this talk at 20. Now I'm 60 and it's all been a wasted career doing something I've hated for 39 years. Now it's way too late and I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up.
I spent about 6 years thinking about what career I want and I'm still thinking :D. I got a degree in Economics, but my jobs since graduation has been cashier->mortgage->IT->mover->sales rep. I'm just trying to see what I enjoy doing and saw so many different work environments along my journey. I wouldn't recommend this path, as you won't have a solid work experience in one field, but it got me to my current sales rep position and its amazing.
Im 25 and wanting to study again, thinking computer science, bit whenever i look at routes back it seems almost pointless, but people older have managed so why cant we?
It is necessary to sit down with yourself and figure out if you are happy where you are at. A paycheck is nice, but doing something you love is more than just a paycheck. When you get the nudge to do so, listen to that. A job typically is a burden. A burden that needs to be removed from your life. Do something you love rather than doing something for the finances. Happy Thursday!!
I'm 20. I decided a few weeks ago to quit college to become a musician, though I have no previous musical experience. I am starting with learning the piano, which I love and always wanted to learn. What a coincidence that I stumbled upon this video!
I wasted my early 20s with a toxic relationship that finally ended. I’m about to be 25 in one week and just want to get back into college. I want to become an anesthesiologist in the future and right now I’m an electrician. I have almost 5 years in the trade and it has its perks but it’s not me. I want to be more. I need to finish college in my life and get myself back on track.
Yeah man i hear ya, trades are good but are only for a certain type of person, some people love practical work. I work as a joiner and would love to make my way into IT industry, looking at all the ways i can.
At 28 I knew i needed a change in m career path, at 30 I decided to change my career path, at 32 I figured out how to change my career, by 33 I'll be changed... But it's still never to late to change your career path.
I'm on the verge of suicide. I picked Business administration because I was scared to follow an artistic field. "You should pick Business Administration if you are so indecisive" "Business Administration is very broad, you can do anything with it once you graduate" so I was told... only to realize that the career being BROAD was the worst part of it all. I was about to graduate and I still didn't know what I wanted to do. The funny thing is that I graduated with a 3.9 GPA and still felt like I learned nothing. I randomly got a job through my brother in law in the business intelligent department of a bank and hell... I suck at this. I burnout easily in this kind of jobs. I'm surrounded by mathematicians economists and engineers who have at least some clue of what to do and they expected to be in a position like that I'm surprised I even got hired. Its definitely a dead end job for me since I struggle to do my work as a simple data analyst with no signs of progress and I also happen to be very introverted and my work environment celebrates and promotes only the extroverted ones. I'm not even interested in getting promoted if I'm honest. I'm just feeling lost and crazy and its affecting every area of my life. I feel powerless. Looking back I regret not picking that cinematography degree. I also happen to live in a third world country, I also happen to be gay. I dont see a future here for myself since the living conditions are complicated and there's still a conservative perspective on the whole gay thing. I want out. I want to leave to Europe ASAP... there are some scholarships for international masters that are being offered in my country but they force you to return and stay in the country after finishing the degree. I feel lost and living in a cage. I also have some savings and a student loan debt I dont know what to do with it and I feel paralyzed
I am an interdisciplinary, from STEM and Humanities. It was jarring, energy consuming, also comes with enormous investment (both individually and financially). Spent 9 tears at university for gaining a couple of masters. I can relate to each and every single word of this content. Overwhelmingly, also fulfilling, sometimes, confusing, and mostly hard.
i am studying Philosophy at the moment, currently in my last 2 years, before this i studied Psichology but that didnt work out in fact confused me more. Philosophy is something i always loved studying but is it really worth it? im at that point in my career where i dont know what to do and how to feel, if i will find a job to suit my abilities or do i have to do something else, i dont want to study nothing more since i am utterly tired of going to college. I honestly feel desperate at the moment.
I also wish my parents had earned more money before i made mistakes, because i was fool enough to not be more independent and find jobs and hobbies that would help me in the future. College really fucks you up.
I finished my degree in philosophy and psychology last year. Been an accountant, pizza delivery, motorcycle instructor, mechanic, and starting a new job Monday at a charity veterinary hospital. :D It still takes some figuring out, but there is value in philosophy in and of itself, and a degree will help you to get your foot in the door. I've been where you are, and it's pretty horrible, but it will be okay!
MiiiK3EY thank you, i can tell the difference on people who actually learn about their experiences and know about the importance of Philosophy when they try to help out other people with their own advice, not by mocking them on comments. There is value in philosophy its true, i just gotta find my way into life somehow :') thanks
Hi Layqa, a few points: - As someone who studied English Lit (in the UK, so I ain't even multilingual from it) I can tell you that the skills you learn from your degree can be useful. I've voluntarily written for blogs/done internships that focus on writing, and I'm sure your degree is pretty close to mine in that regard. And yup, Chinese fam still look at me (compared to my Chemistry PhD sister) with a "wtf you gonna do? YOU CAN STILL GO DO LAW. GET A MASTERS.BE A TEACHER.HINT HINT." (Um, fuck no.) - I totally understand the "UTTERLY DONE WITH THIS SHIT THE DEGREE AND SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS HAVE LEECHED MY ENTHUSIASM AND I'M BROKE AND SCARED AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH MY LIFE WHY AREN'T I SMART/ INTERESTED ENOUGH TO DO A STEM DEGREE SO I DON'T STARVE IN A BOX" feeling. More than just the degree itself, you've been in education for about 2 decades, so it's probably a accumulation of things but due to these things PLEASE CUT YOURSELF SOME SLACK. Many, many, many people feel this way. If you can endure your degree, hold on and distract yourself with some fun stuff if you can. Get as much experience as possible, if you can relate it to your major even better. - I've failed a BUNCH of interviews cause I was too nervous/under prepared/the other candidates were more confident. Not once have I ever failed an interview cause of "experience/degree choice," and employers don't expect grads to have THAT much anyway, and chances are they will/want to train you. - One of the biggest mistakes I've made is shunning my hobbies and trying to put on a more "job" focused mindset, but in reality the things you love CAN and WILL help you in the long run. I've now got two interviews lined up due to my writing portfolio ( Buzzfeed style stuff, beauty stuff, freelanced for absolute SHIT pay), and many employers WANT you to prove you have passion (whether you've been a snow boarding instructor, have you own blog, volunteer somewhere etc.) So yes, your passions are worth it. - If you're really confused at the moment, think about what you actually LIKE about your degree, I found writing a list to be very helpful. Are you a people person? A tech whizz? You love debating? You love reading big, long ass books about very specific things and analysing the shit out of them? It's unlikely you'll get a job that solely focuses on your degree, but it's surely not impossible for you to find a job that demands certain skills you love using when studying Philosophy. Sorry for the long ass comment, but I wanted to write this down cause I've absolutely been where you are right now. I originally got into university for statistics and hated it after one day and changed my major in the same week. The fear and anxiety to succeed often cripple people into a certain kind of paranoid overdrive, when in reality it's OK to fail and in many ways, much better for you at this stage.
I changed careers at 24. I got a degree in finance and accounting at 23. Worked 2,5 years in banking and about a 1,5 in accounting throughout college. Realized that accounting was very dry and banking was too strict. Now I'm studying International Relations and diplomacy as my masters ( I have always loved reading about politics, geopolitics, diplomacy but I never considered working in these fields)
I seem to be hitting that sweet spot in the middle. I turned 30 in October. I have been back in school for a while, and it feels long but still manageable. I recently had to make a decision--upturn everything I was doing to accommodate one required class, potentially setting myself up to fail, or to add another 6 months to my program and potentially a year to my overall goals, based on timing. When I was younger, I probably would have done the latter. Now... I decided to go ahead and take the longer road, to ensure I do everything right. I would rather not have to give up another year, but now I realize it isn't so bad.
I take my career very seriously, but I have started working full time since 18, now 21 and changed 3 careers over that period of time. As frank Reynolds says, "I went to a nitwit school" which ironically i went to a special needs school, education hasn't been something that's been successful due to circumstances. Go out there, fail a few interviews and meetings, and develop your social skills. I am currently working as a support worker, and I absolutely love it. It's challenging in the best way possible. Education doesn't always have to be a full time process, you can take courses language, team leader skills, IT skills. Don't be afraid to switch up every now and then.
This video couldn't change my mind, but it really helps me. On my own way, I often forget that i'm too young to take the whole responsibility for my life.
I'm 30 and did this. I put an end to a career in finance which went from bad to worse and started a new career in clinical research.. I coudn't be more thrilled
This video does a good job of making people who are definitely older than 20 and considering a career change feel like they've wasted all the time between age 16 and now :)
danekarl no unless you live in other parts of the world were you can't even go to college. Because it's to expensive and there's no loan. And then you live your life from one migniless minimum pay job to another and die in poverty cursing your sadly dam life.
at 22 years of age, about to finish a degree in biology and to start one in a ppssibly 9+ years of medicine, this video was a luff of fresh air! thank you school of life!
If you are in your 40's and end up unemployed even if at no fault of your own, it's a real challenge finding work. There is so much ageism in the work place these days
My friend's dad changed careers, went to med school, and became a doctor all after she was born. It's cliche as hell, but it's true: "where there's a will, there's a way"
I had a friend who took her own life after not being able to land a job for 12 months after graduating her journalism degree. She had no idea what to do and I feel so sorry for people who are at an impasse in life.
I have been struggling with hust exactly this. I'm 19 and thunking about switching into an entirely different field if study. this definitely helped to put things into perspective!
if people weren't pressured to immediately pick a career the minute they leave highschool, and if highschool actually focused on teaching life skills and determining what each individual is interested in instead of this stupid standardized bullshit, you wouldn't have to worry about this.
Ben Belt exactly!!
true!
Ben Belt blame it on someone else. spoken like a true millennial. nice.
thersten dude what the fuck am I blaming anyone for? I'm 16 with mostly A's and B's, so I'm not failing school.
Ben Belt you spoke truth
May this post find the right person; I went back to college at age 25 and now I'm 31 and graduating in 3 months. I can't tell you how many times I stumbled along the way dealing with rejection letters, failed exams, work, lack of sleep, money, and social life. In the face of adversity and ever looming self-doubt - when you feel like you can't go on any further - is the moment you get back up and keep on going! because life is difficult and beautiful at the same time. Now go out there and make it happen.
Brian L Damn, i'm 25 now and gonna change my major this year. Thank you for your encouraging words!
Brian L Im 26 this year and went back to college at 23, this is my 3rd year in Engineering and it's not a life most ppl expect, deciding to change my major due to your encouraging comment, thank you
Brian L I agree with you. I am also going through this period.god bless us for a great life ahead
The issue is figuring out what I wanna do
@@garenthal9638 Just keep making progress on whatever you're doing and grow. I can't believe it's been 4 years! I now make over 80k a year and I'm about to start a business, projected to make 250k. Don't give up!
Time is not the issue.
The problem is lack of money.
It's always about money, because with money you can buy time, right?
Pretending that having no source of income doesn't cripple one's chances of succeeding in ambitous goals is silly.
Vincent you have plenty of time if you don't have to sell it.
It depends on the person. For some it's more of a time issue. More likely when the person isn't American.
You could get started at iTunes University. Won't get a degree, but you don't need to start from zero.
For everyone who are scared to switch their majors or careers, I hope you find the courage to do it. I have done it myself, and I am now happier than I thought I would be. The anxiousness and uncertainty fades away soon enough and you start to live your life how you planned to live it. Trust me, it is easier on the other side of the decision. You just have to find the courage to make the jump.
Best way is to pick a new career that still have some kind of relevance with your experience.
I am preparing for that jump. I will revisit if I land safely. 😊
What did you change too and how old were you?
Basically "As long as you're not dead, you can change something". Well wisdom of the year award.
I'm turning 21 in May. Almost all my friends are doing their last year of University and have part time jobs. I dropped out of university last year and have had only a few months of work experience as a bartender. I simply haven't decided what I want to do with my life. After watching this I feel like I haven't wasted my life yet,and that there's still time if I keep trying new experiences until I find something I actually enjoy
Jordan Leach take your time, you're still young! find what you really want to do so you don't regret it
It's never too late, I was about to drop uni last year I got in deep depression because I didn't like what I was doing ( computer science) I failed 2 years because of that, I am 25 yo now and all of my friends are now working or doing their phd and every time I think of it I get more depressed and think that I made the wrong choice; I am still not sure if I will continue doing computer science for the rest of my life since I didn't find any other thing interesting to do I am trying my best to finish my degree and I already made lots of improvements(and I'm also trying new things while I have the time), the point is, never give up there is lots of things in life to discover and never stop trying new things because success in life is when you find something you enjoy doing doesn't matter what people think of it all that matters is that you are enjoying your life doing it :)
Definitely. You are still so young.
Think of it this way. Ricky Gervais is one of the most successful comedians, and he didnt start until he was 40.
Jordan Leach I'm 25 and no degree worked my whole life and haven't saved a penny don't worry about the past it's just a teacher not a reflection
I'm in my 30s, and am considering a career change now. I only went to a technical school, and got a certificate for a healthcare technician profession since I didn't know what to do at 18. Part of me is glad I didn't put myself in student loan debt, plus I'm now more aware of who I am, and what I like. I'm still single, and am in no rush for marriage/kids, so I'm glad I waited. Even if I go back to school, or go down in pay it will only affect me. We can change careers at any time in our lives, just got to figure out how it will affect ourselves, others, and our current, or future goals.
I feel bad for people that base their life upon mental constructs, just follow intuition and true goals, give up when you tire of them and set new ones that are congruent to current self.
I truly wish the world allowed for something so beautiful.But the desire to change and the means to change, don't always go hand in hand unfortunately.
Thanks for this post buddy. I questioned if the urge to give something back to my environment; is some type of mental construct. I now just realize that this is another mental construct. Unbroken, because I fear a lack of usefulness.
I am waiting
unknowingly what to do
and where this will lead me
It is all I can do
You have to embrace uncertainty as a constant companion and have a stoic view having a balance of the mind in all times, as for being useful i look at it i contribute with my energy in every interaction i bring more presence or just look at life as game it could easily all perish so contribution would be quite irelevent in that case.
Areté what if u dont have any ? and dont know where to start ? for me currently i would just set at home and watch tv 😂
I would say increase your vitality aka health and keep mind clean just thoughtless awareness look at that as a goal in itself and soon after ''real'' goals will pop up , i was in that state for some time with no goal just enjoy the present momment with no stimulus
Changing career at 20 or 22 is seriously no big deal, changing the career when you're 30 and beyond, is a different thing
Totally agree. Mostly because you're not responsible for only yourself and there are other people on board now.
Only if you choose to have people on board. Block out everyone until you become what you desire to be.
@Kevin You how? Lol
I'm 22 and it's a stress to me.. And is a big deal not bcoz of age bcz I have to pass a really tough exam to change it
Disagree completely. at 20 you haven't got a career you have a job you are a child at 20.
I'm 33 and over lockdown started a course that's going to wind up taking me to a doctorate and will take over 10 years to complete. My own mum is only just getting a degree at 51.
This video makes me feel better about wasting away all of my early/mid twenties. Yay!
PB Johnny 😂😉
Yeah. I’m about to get my teaching lisence at 27 and the anxiety of realizing I don’t think I want it has me suicidal. I can’t find a therapist that will take me during covid so I’m watching these
@@garenthal9638 that means you maybe don‘t want to become a teacher? I‘m in a similar position with my law studies..
I'm 27 and trying to switch careers: have worked as a graphic designer for 6+ years and now I'm back to studying during 2 years to, hopefully, transition into writing / journalism. To be honest, trying to make a change sometimes seems really worth the effort and sometimes sucks deep, when it does -like now- I feel confused, lonely, frustrated and scared. Its kind of hard to stop measuring yourself against everyone, seeing how friends progress in their lives while you feel yourself in a sort of uncertain limbo…
why did you leave graphic design?
@@avatardan9317 It didn't match my true interests, when I was younger I was more into aesthetics and visuals, but as I got older I realized I'm much more drawn into intellectual and humanist concerns
@@Ruonerful I see. Well I hope everything turns out well then
@@avatardan9317 Thanks!
I am trying to leave architecture at 30 😅 Just remember you have many years of working ahead of you. Don’t look at your friends or colleagues. Focus on what’s best for you and your satisfaction.
Switching career tracks is not just a struggle/anxiety on the undergraduate level. On the undergraduate level, it easy, we're talking on the scale of 2-3 years which is daunting yet nonetheless not too scary to undertake. I am currently doing a PhD and i am seriously contemplating whether i am doing the right thing. I have so far invested 9 years of my adult life to reach the stage where i am currently, and still have at least 2 more years to finish my phd, so it's by all standards and measures a large investment. Now that's an anxiety that keeps you up at night!!
Miscousi
Sorry.
you have 2 years more, finish the shit and then see what the options are, it may became a piece of paper on the wall but at least you finished it and won't ask why you didn't finish it on the future. Like this video say 2 years are nothing in the long run.
I'm in my last semester of my undergraduate studies and i can feel the anxiety building up!! I really wish you the best of luck!
I was at that point, got a lucky opportunity to make a job of my hobby and took it, even though I also like research. Not regretting it at all.
It is not like all the thing you have learned and done are wasted just because you didn't end up with a title. Sure people respect it, but that is up to you to decide if you need that.
Yes, you are right, it's definitely way easier for undergraduates than for people who crossed 30 years of age. I spend 12 years studying 2 degrees (archaelogy and botany) plus working in that field. I was accepted to the Ph.D. studies. But I just couldn't do it, I reached my limit. Now I'm at the other side of the world, doing menial jobs, travelling and thinking what other job I could do when I return home. Only thing I regret is that I didn't do this years ago.
I just switched majors. Thank you for validating my decision.
Colin O'Briant I wish you a best of luck
did you change from writer on the simpsons to tv host?
Colin O'Briant I'm considering doing the same now and your decision is encouraging. Good luck.
Me too! I am an economist but I am going to teach french. I just started to go to University again! :)
Colin O'Briant cool. This video has literally come out just an hour before I decided to visit the career center at my college. I've been planning to study bio and major in neurology, but UCI requires two years of general bio and the classes are ridiculous, nothing to do with neurology for sure. I'm gonna try to switch to an environmental/ecology major that could get me past most Bio GEs, but if it was a perfect world I'd probably major in the philosophy of science.
I'm also a freshman in college, so this video convinced reassured me it's best to change before the choice is difficult! Except if I want to major in neurology again later...
This video claims it is never too late to change career, but then only use age of 20 as the base point. WTF? 20 is of course not too late to change your career. Hell, most americans are usually only at their 2nd year of college when they are 20.
How about if you are 30? Or even 40? Is it too late then?
ikr
My dad studied medicine and specialized, effectively spending all his youth in academia (10+ years), as his father did before him. He became a pediatrician, but switched to his backup degree in Medical Science and became a clinical pathologist when we moved to Australia because he was tired of doing the Board Exams. He was tired of his career.
For years my mum encouraged him to do something he wanted to do, so he finally applied for university here and got accepted into graduate law. This is a 47 year old man. Who has two useless degrees, in a field that is renown for being a life-long commitment.
I don't think its too late to change careers, *IF* you have a safety net like family or are financially stable.
Jon Bartolo thank you. I appreciate your answer. I am thinking of leaving Academy. I am 32.
Aw. Good luck buddy, I wish you nothing but the best!
just contemplate deeply the structure of this thinking. "too late" is just a lable, a judgement, a thought - based on nothing but societal standards. Unconsciously, we adopt the mindset of "At this age, you have to be at this stage in your career" "At this age, you have to marry" "At this age, you have to build a house". Those beliefsystems are deeply ingrained into our mind, and rule us our whole life, because we never look closely at them to see what they actually are. They have no tangible reality. They are real to the degree we (unconsciously) believe in them. If you are convinced and KNOW you want to change, then not do it because of this adopted mindset is the real madness, not changing your career with 50. Now, this is not say to just jump on everything and follow your changing mood/ emotions blindly. Do it strategically.
Going through with it. Other people judging you is a significant problem.
This is my problem, and also my fear that if I listen to the 'what if's in my head and actually change my career, I might spend my life with other 'what if's in my head (about what it would have been like if I followed my initial career path). I just don't know what's best for me at all, so I'm continuing on this path and dreaming of _maybe_ one day stepping onto a different one.
I appreciate the quote, and I feel like that would be better advice for a mild curiosity about a different life when one is already deeply seated into a certain career path and mostly content with their current position. I've been working towards a certain career for some time, but you could also say that my career is only just beginning, so for me it's more than a mild curiosity. I very often wonder if I should go ahead and leave the life I've been working towards for so long (which would be a huge waste, I'll admit) to do something I have more passion for, but that the people around me disapprove of. And when I think about these things, I always end up with part of my mind dreaming about being where I'm most passionate, and another part of my mind accepting that following my current path might be the most sensible choice. I end up hoping that even if I follow this path I'm on, I'll end up being able to incorporate the things I'm more passionate about into my life somehow, or I'll find more passion for this path along the way. I'm hopeful, realistic and a dreamer. :)
Other people have no business judging you. If they cared about you they might give advice, but otherwise remember that you will have to spend more time with yourself than with them, and it is not your life's purpose to please them.
Vio, what about disapproving parents? They don't tend to be so understanding. :(
Samiha Islam who cares about other people?
I had a nervous breakdown because of love failure at 19. Got hooked to cigarettes at 21. Suffered an eating disorder at 23. At 25 I was kicked out of college. Rejoined college at 26.
I spent most of my 20s being pathetic. It's not really that bad though.
Stay strong out there bro. I hope things are going well for you.
Abhilash S Its especially hard to be so in India since everyone be doing engineering and shiet, and later crying
Best thing is to never give up, seek great inspirations, work on your character and body aaaand never be dick to other people.
+Tyrion I watched a talk of Sadhguru where he said that in India everybody picks either Medicine or Software Engineering only because it seems safe. But it's clear that they are not doing it out of interest if they switch from medicine to software engineering if they don't get accepted.
Are you on middle-high class ?
This is reassuring. I'm 30 and in the last year or two finally admitted that I wasted my 20's fighting with the random career path I had chosen as an 18 year old. I have been able to find something with some overlap and already made my first steps towards retraining and gaining new skills. Working on getting my foot in the door somewhere were I can learn on the job too because I'm still not sure if it will be satisfying day to day. It's a constant process from what I have learned.The whole education system seems broken. I feel like I was herded through uni without ever talking to anyone about what I was actually doing, why, how etc. They were more than happy to take my money and send me off on my way. It's my fault too, but talking to friends, reading comments here, it's clear that I'm not the only one who feels like they weren't given enough direction at that young age. Add in the fact that the average 16-18 year old has no idea of the world of work, nevermind the specifics of their chosen career path. Of course there will be loads of people coming out of uni and stepping into their first real job suddenly realising that it is not for them. Big difference between studying something and actually doing it yourself. Big difference between the glamourised, undefined idea of a job, and the daily workings of it.
My advice to anyone still deciding what to do with their working life is to spend time researching things. Write lists of things you enjoy and things you don't. Talk to people in careers that might be of interest to you. Phone them up if you have to. Read the job pages and pinpoint the actual day to day skills and qualifications in your field that are in demand and will serve you well. Do what you can to gather those skills whether it's through the course or through extracurricular work.And like the video says, don't be afraid to course correct and change path if something is deeply wrong. 20 is incredibly young. You literally have your whole working life ahead of you. If ever there is a time to take risks, change course and try new things, this is it.The idea that people will work in more than one job for their entire life is relatively new and becoming more and more widespread. Be prepared and expect change. Don't take it as a failure. It is just life these days. Being able to change, adapt and use the skills you have gathered in different ways is a valuable asset.
Hello, i am also 30, a radiologist and accepted that i dont like working in the medical field but im so scared to think what else can i do. Can you please tell me how did you changed your carrer? Did you worked parttime and went to a new University?
Im in my 30s and agree, i have worked 7 different jobs in my life not serving anything longer than 3 years in a job. All sorts of oddball crap that didnt land me anything worth while but built up my knowledge of how things work and my work ethic is reliable. Still battling on getting into a worthwhile career, but as long as we can just survive Im happy.
Protip: having kids is the #1 way to stagnate your life and "run out of time to do XYZ". Once you have a kid, that's 20 years of taking 0 risks and only taking minute, calculated changes to your life.
sesociopath I disagree
Yeah, that's one way to look at it. Another way to see it is having kids early means you get to make that change when you're older and you have a much stronger network. It also adds another layer of meaning in your life.
You're absolutely right, BUUUUUUUT... If people switch tracks too readily or spontaneously (once the excitement of their new ambition fades or they face the first signs of difficulty), it can be a problem.
People must also appreciate the value of commitment, because if they can't commit to anything, then they won't have ANY career!
I've figured out that college isn't worth it. Career experience is better for middle class and below. Don't feel forced to go to college it isn't for the majority of people.
JoeKing K ive wasted 6 years of my life changing careers in college thinking that that was the only answer into finding my place in life, i wasted everything there. I would tell 20 year olds that if youre willing to practice abilities and work soon find something worth doing for the long run, rather than studying your whole youth.
what do you do now?
+Shelby F my mom pimps me and i make around $4 an hour. Not too bad lately as I've been granted the opportunity to go on walks during the weekend.
It's true! There are many jobs out there that pay well that require no education. Speaking from Canada (I am graduating with my BA this spring). Unless you want to be something that requires education, it's not necessary past high school.
+Nicholas Malone do you teach yourself to code on your own? is it hard to learn by your own? I'm now taking the generic business management, just for the sake of degree. I fear the menial and drudgeries of day in and day out corporate work. I'm looking for alternatives that can get me set for life without being dependent on a company.
I just got my Masters Degree at 37 after a career change. At first it felt awkward and scary, but after a few months you just get on with it and the hard work consistently reminds you of the importance of reinvention and acquiring knowledge.
Hey how does it feel? Because I'm changing my direction at 30 and they say 30s is like your 20s with or without kids 🤔 is it true?
I dropped off chemical engineering at 20 and went to biology (just like the example in the video haha). I'm 26 now and I truly can say that was the best decision of my life
What do you do now? Just curious.
@@dimlighty I’m a successful scientist working for one of the best European institutes. It was definitely the right decision
@@PedroFox Wow, I'm happy for you. Congratulations.
@@PedroFox hey can we talk
This video is wonderful.
I graduated with a law degree, always thought being a lawyer was the most sensible option.
After I graduated, I took a leap and enrolled on a degree in modern languages (which i'm funding through working in a supermarket stacking shelves). I've never been happier, I genuinely enjoy studying languages, my marks are wonderful and everything is looking up.
Always follow your passion!
Remember we only live ONCE.
says the cat with 9 lives...
Thanks.... meow
but there is also the afterlife
Scholar Cat unless your a cat then you live nine lives.
Scholar Cat unless you're a cat
"Hey there, I am looking for a job, I have spent all of my money on education, have spent all my life in education to get this degree to get some work can I have a job?"
"Ehh sorry we need people with some work experience, someone who can just jump on board and start work without any effort sorry"
"Soooo what about the 3-6 years of education I have spent my money, time and effort on?"
This is very true. I've graduated since 1 yr and a half but still can't find a job because of lack of experience. Ok, give me a chance to work and gain experience! It's like
what came first, the chicken or the egg !! :D
This is why you should always do everything you can to get an internship while you are still in college.
College is not a waste of time and money. Anyone who says this is naive and inexperienced. You must understand that the issue is that the job market is at a low right now for employees -- the supply of workers is greater than the demand, so to say. Employers can therefore make these demands, because there *are* plenty of experienced people, who also have degrees, to select from. But this is a temporary issue that changes all the time. As the job market gets better, and experienced people stay employed and are harder to find unemployed, it will make it easier for fresh college grads. This is an unfortunate result of the recession, but it will get better. Then worse. Then better. It's just another factor that you have to deal with the best you can. In a perfect world where you can accurately predict the future, perhaps it would have been better to hold off going to college. But we can't predict the future, we're not omnipotent, and you shouldn't beat yourself up about decisions you were forced to make without complete knowledge. Especially when you're young and probably wouldn't make the right decision, even with all the facts.
Education != vocational training. Education is good and should be cherished, but it is not job training. Your expectation that you would acquire a job simply because you're education is delusional; it used to be like that, yes, but it no longer is. Education is about becoming a more informed and thoughtful person--if you did not achieve that in your years of study, then you've failed yourself. Also, hopefully you took the ambition to acquire some useful skills (programming, data analysis, modeling etc.) while in school and get an internship, but even if you didn't it's not too late. You can still learn new skills, and you can still go for an internship if the entry-level market proves too competitive (it's pretty ridiculous how competitive everything has become).
Yeah just let me wait 20 years for all the people with more experience to fuckin die. Because the older generation is holding onto those jobs longer than ever and the only thing that makes them stop a lot of the time is them literally dying.
We don't have TIME to wait. Fact is, people are retiring a lot less often now, and it COMPLETELY fucks over new workers for years because new positions aren't OPEN for years, and when they are, they're quickly consumed by the other people in your field.
I'm exactly 24 years old and this video is EXACTLY what I needed
I love when my great-grandma of 94 yo gets surprise for things that were "yesterday" and she is talking about ten years ago. She always helps to see how short my life has been.
As a 21-year-old junior with no idea what he really wants to do and views every possibility as just a "stepping stone" this video really helped. Thanks
How are you now? I'm 21 now, and I want to quit this degree (in my 3rd year of a 5 year program) and pursue a different one
This is so valuable. I changed my college major about 6 months ago and I ended up loosing a whole year. It was really scary to do at first as Alain perfectly demonstrates but now my life has completely changed. As Ken Robinson has pointed out, when you do work that you really love, at the end of the day you may be tired physically but on the inside you will be fulfilled. And as far as carrer goes, there is no better feeling than that.
I finished university at the end of 2014. Since then I've had absolutely no love when it comes to finding a job, it seems there's too many qualified and experienced people out there for the jobs available, so entry level jobs can offer very little in the way of pay and demand a lot in qualifications and experience. My channel here has kinda gained a bit of traction over the last year, so now I'm working at making RUclips my job. Its a bit of a gamble really, but if no one is willing to give me a shot, I'm going to try my absolute best at making my own path, no matter what it ends up being
I just turned 25, like literally a week ago. I went to school on a full academic scholarship to study electrical engineering and dropped out because it simply drove me nuts. In hindsight, I should have studied pure mathematics. Drawing out the timeline really helped show me how I've fallen for the time investment trap. I've got time, and I'm latching onto math now. Thank you, Alain!
Yo, how its going man, any updates?
Im currently a 1st year electrical engineer student, and I dont have a passion for it anymore and im thinking of being a teacher
I hope you guys know that you are changing and saving lives. Even, if not directly, by inspiring the people who will go out and bring peace. Thank you for your work and graciousness!
School of life is stalking me I swear. I'm in my final year studying chemical engineering thinking of switching to a different field and had a 2 hour conversation about it with a good friends last night...
I'm scared, is this because I left my bedroom window open last night?
Yoxorg better close your curtains ;)
For me i've started a masters specialising in automation engineering. I love programming and maths, that's really my passion ( alongside politics, philosophy etc. but I can do that in my free time). 1 masters year to change my degree path? Worth it imho
I felt like that yesterday, the video came out shortly after I was notified that I wouldnt get a job. I was crushed.
We are watching you
Yoxorg I finished pharmacy and switched to veterinary medicine a year ago, and I'm actually very happy with my decision!
I finished my degree and changed careers when I was 42 years old. The career I changed to could even be considered a "young" field (web development). I'm pretty much at the top end of my career now. I was working in computer support, by the way, so it wasn't as big a leap as say...janitor to programmer. That said, I think that leap is still feasible.
My mom finished her degree after age 50 and got a job managing a local employment office. She was promoted to regional manager after that. It can happen!
I'm 25 and I just started studying after a 2 gap years.
I changed from civil engineering to computer science and honestly is the best decision I ever made.
I struggled for a long time trying to find something that I really like and with just 3 months of self studying programming I got my first job. I'm making a website ( its hard but easy at the same time and sooo much fun)
Yes it sucks to live again with my parents and yes all my friends are starting to get dream jobs with really good salaries and yes party's can become anxiety triggers when asking what you do, but the satisfaction of knowing that I'm in the right path for the long run is amazing and I really love what I do now.
It's never too late( I wanted to avoid this frase because it's a cliche but it does makes sense if you think about it).
I am 27 and changed majors ... I still feel guilty about it but at least now I feel self motivated to achieve and don't get over stressed over tasks... I just wish I wont wont regret it someday
You never know what is the right thing to do really ... Just hope
sara meachel G'luck to you mate. I'm 27 and am just now becoming a CNA. I don't know yet if I want to go further in the medical field. so I feel you and I wish you well in your endeavors. 😊
Doing this for the 3rd time at age 45. Rock on!
💪
I'm 53 years old and just realized in the past few years that I have chosen the wrong career. I'm thinking about changing careers. I wished somebody would have offered me some guidance when I was 20.
I worked in production for a newspaper for 9 years, realized that there was no future for print. So I went to university age 36 instead of buying a house. After five years I obtained my honours in Sociology minor Philosophy and decided to give teaching a try and moved to South Korea. I have been here for 4 years and am in the process of moving back to Canada to once again look at different avenues of work/career. I am 45 now. There definitely are varying levels of anxiety that come with these changes. And that is something worth investigating in itself. The 'why' is always ever present. Comparing oneself to another peer, norm, or history can have its negative repercussions for the self. Try to resist this. It is challenging, but this is life. Remember and know that you will be ok. Now go and live. Go and rage into that dying light^^
Oh this is inspiring how did feel about it back then?
@@oumaimaelmejjarmi6553 Oh I was terrified! I was raised with traditional social conventions/being in a specific category at a specific age progressing forward in that linear direction; but, as soon as I completed my first year abroad and all the new experiences and insights that accompany that, I began to loosen my grip on the past conventions and welcome the organic nature of life experiences and how non-liner they are. I am now back in Canada working as a language instructor for a local school board/adults and very much enjoy my new life/lives. Thank you for your positive vibes! I totally forgot about this video/comment^^ Peace^^
@@watereddown1s thats so cool ! Now that ur happy with ur life this is all that matters i loved ur comment and had to answer, all positivity to uu ❤✌
I ll try to go with it thank uuu love ur vibe
@@Omi23_3 Internship opportunities will resume after the pandemic and you will still have chances to apply for internship after graduation. I would look to see if there are any volunteer opportunities also. This will help you practice your law skills and gain valuable experience to present to future employers. You are so young with some many chances to learn new things. What are other things in your life that you can focus on. What else are you passionate about. Growing as a person means so much more than your title or profession. All is not lost. You have so much to offer. Try to find ways to express this to others. You never know what other doors you will open through other experiences and new connections. Life is organic and will always finds a way to grow, even in the darkest places. Peace and love my friend^^
You have no idea how much I needed this today. I'm studying literature and I have doubts if it is really good to me (I'm dreaming of film studies). I was doing it for eight years - I have depression and a lot of anxiety issues - and I started thinking maybe it's not really something I REALLY want to do in life, even if I love literature. It's very good point, your thought of time.
Love the animation and the way you presented this information. One of the most commonly asked questions I get is “How do I change careers after realizing my current career is ‘just not right’ for me?” Thanks for sharing.
YES! This is sooo recognizable. I spent 3 or 4 years agonizing over whether to switch from logistics to software development... I've been studying for nearly 2 years to get the a degree in applied computer science - but it's difficult to combine that with working full time in a field I've wanted to leave for 6 years!
School of Life you have come to my rescue. I have been uncertain about whether the dream I want to pursue is too much of a fantasy. I have been putting in my best effort to make it a reality but now I have more conviction that I am choosing what will make me happy and I believe I can attain it. Wish me luck people.
*slow clap*
I studied for 5 years a bachelor´s degree in international trade and customs management. I did a two month internship and wasn't hired, the company is still too small to employ more people. Then I was hired by a bigger company but the commute was too long, and the amount of stress and working hours vs the paycheck I was getting was not worth it. Unfortunately I had to return to a call center, which I also hate but at least I get a better payment and work from home for the time being. I feel lost, although I am trying to switch careers towards becoming a front end developer and then a full stack engineer. Good thing about this is that there are plenty of resources available to learn for free. I am betting all my cards to this right now and I'm 27, all I want is never to return to a call center and finall have a meaningful job while I have my own businesses and live off rents, I never want to be dependant of a job in my life. Hope this strategy works.
23-year old here. Studying Forest Science which in and of itself leads to a good career but it's not at all what I actually want to do. Like when I think about working within this industry I get really unmotivated and not at all excited about the future. At the moment I'm considering blow this popsicle stand and study computer science (I really want to work with gaming and be a game designer/programmer) cause it's what's the most interesting to me atm but my family (especially my mom) has already put so much money into my education that I don't want to disappoint them/her...at least I'll have a degree in SOMETHING when I'm done with this I guess that counts as something fml.
Last year I started university for the second time and now I'm in 2nd year and will be 25 at end of the year.
When I was 20 I was in 2nd year my sister, who was just starting as a teacher passed away. I decided to quit university and find a job. With no degree the only jobs I could get were as salesman, or a tutor, neither which guarantees constant income.
In 2015 I was a labourer digging trenches and laying sewage pipes, went to a shelf packer in a grocer.
Now I'm employed by the university as a tutor and I plan on going into lecturing. My majors are mathematics, physics and chemistry.
It's not because things are difficult that we dare not venture. It's because we dare not venture that they are difficult. If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.
SuperiorSeven well said
And here I am wondering if ill even be able to get the qualification for one job.
Iamsosaucee you can succeed in what you love with true passion and hard work ... without qualification !
Just gotta do the work to read the job description, close that skills gap, and market yourself the right way
Im 20, currently at uni, studying psychology, had ideas about my future, i like the subject, im only on my 3rd semester and it feels like it's way too soon to change paths, i feel lost, and i think biology makes more sense to me, not because im "bad" at psychology, i would say im pretty good, but i can't visualize myself being a therapist anymore, and im slowly realizing i don't really see myself in any of the other branches; it's scary, means a huge change in everything, have to move to a big scary city i know very little, by my own, leaving my job, family, friends and boyfriend behind to do something im not shure i will be capable of doing or living from.
I wish someone could give me another perspective, a teacher, other students, professionals, students who have changed careers or anything really.
Maybe i could wait to finish psychology and then go study biology but it feels like a huge investment.
I've done some time soul searching and took some extra classes in university (which, I contend, has put me behind schedule (Because I am 22 and a junior. But I plan to enter grad school directly after, so I should actually be a bit young for that). And after trying physics, biology, computer science, etc... I finally settled on history. It was a hard choice, and involved a lot of research into demographics. And I realize I will never make the same money as an engineer. But as long as I can do what I enjoy and have a somewhat decent standard of living, I think I'll be happy.
I think gratefulness solves most of the anxiety surrounding this. If you're grateful just to be alive, to have the chance to love, then I think life feels much less weighted.
Sometimes I think people just need to take the magnifying glass off of their lives and zoom out to see a much bigger world than the tiny worries of oneself.
If you are still in your 20’s or even early 30’s make the change. You will not be judged harshly. Nobody expects you to know what the hell you are doing with your life. You are expected to mess up, change your mind, and explore. But when you hit 34 that is when these changes are frowned upon. This is when people expect you to have direction. So if you are in your 20’s or early 30’s just go for it. Oh and hey 👋 all you college kids, stay in as long as you can. Become a career student and keeps getting advanced degrees. The adult world kind of sucks lol.
But I’m also serious.
Who cares if anything is "frowned upon" after 34. That's absolutely not a reason to not do something.
a job is a job. As long as you still have income, no one's going to judge.
This is probably one of the most important topics in my life right now, not because I'm switching, but because I haven't done anything yet at the age of 20. I dropped out of high school at 16 and spent the next 4 years joining courses and dropping out because I got tired of them, so I've got practically 0 experience in anything. I keep telling myself that I need to stick to something but I never do.
Thanks school of life, the thought that my career is set in stone after higher education, really troubled me. But with some clearly defined goals and long term planning, it no longer will.
I know so many people in university with doubts about changing course, I always support people who wanna change
I was hoping this would inspire me, im over 40, but it just made me more depressed!:)
Dan Never give up until you succeed in something you enjoy! 40 isn't even that old.
This Girl actually 47
I made the mistake when I was younger of listening to my parents and not becoming a police man and going to college , i ended up quitting and getting a meaningless technical degree, associates. It's not worth the paper to wipe with!
I tell kids all the time, dont listen to your parents, do ehat interests you, or youll regret it for the rest of your life
Dan What if what interests you doesn't pay as much as careers with a degree? That's one of the main reasons my parents want me to go to college; to get a high paying career.
Thank you for this from the bottom of my heart. I'm 19 and just changed from Pharmacy to Biology.
I'm 20, I have no skills to make money off (I play a couple of instruments, but that pays less than what teens get for mowing people's lawns in american movies).
I'm going to change the subject I went to university for this year, but I still know it won't make me a valuable employee.
Every job I've heard of anyone doing (except dream jobs like being a rockstar or an audio engineer) seems like a soul-destroying bundle of pain and waste of life.
I'm deeply envious of people who feel like there is a job for them that won't make them feel like they're wasting their time for a little over minimal wage.
It is very challenging to apply ones passions to the world's professions, but don't give up on it and over time you will find a way. Mastering it before monetizing it, is always better in the long run.
I love my job. It's my passion and my reason to get up in the morning! :D
jspr2k5 You my friend are living the life.
Me too. I have interests, not exactly talents, and I'm working in care and support at the moment, which I feel I need more than, but can't figure out what. I never seriously considered support work until the past 2 years, I'm 23 and it is a barely above minimum wage job...I got a 2:1 economics degree but no longer like economics, I feel like what I'm doing now is far less of a waste of time though, because it fits more of my interests. I feel I should have done psychology instead, but don't really know where I'd go with that, and it's a crowded field. I think, how much you earn or how high up you are in a career shouldn't matter, but I feel I still compare poorly to someone climbing the ladder in marketing, for example,because I'm not actually climbing anything, even though I am happy in my day to day existence. Hopefully I will find something that I can aim for, and you also.
If I were you I would focus on jobs you could enjoy, do, or be good at, not just ones that involve your talents and are above minimum wage. There's nothing really wrong with earning something and doing a job that is just okay, also it teaches you stuff about yourself and other people, and hopefully that will help you find a good direction. Good luck?
i'm 38years old and i really want badly to change career . I was thinking that i was too old to do that...
Thank you so much for this perspective...I'm glad i saw this vídeo, Thank you very much!!!
I switched Mercs in Dirty Bomb, thanks to you my teammates can appreciate my efforts in contributing to battle.
I am not going to lie I was not expecting to see that here wtf
For the first eight years of my adult life (starting at 16), I believed that my ultimate purpose and calling in life was to be an actor. For years and years, everything in my head revolved around that. Even throughout college (which I attended simply to appease and satisfy my parents - although I wound up attending a film program anyway), my ultimate aim was to one day be working as a professional actor among the greats. That was my dream; that was my goal.
But as time went on, I grew and gained perspective as many do, graduating into an almost entirely different person altogether. The 16-year-old version of me who had gone home one day after his first drama class and had announced to his to-be-disappointed parents that he was going to become an actor now seemed like a lifetime away. Through different experiences and personal encounters following that day (namely working in an entertainment PR agency in Hollywood for a week and seeing the really nasty side of the showbiz world), I had developed a different outlook on it all. No longer was I seduced by vanity, fame, celebrity, or glamour. No longer did I yearn to be basking in the fortunes of show business and the Hollywood lifestyle. No longer did I long to be on the cover of GQ Magazine. Instead, I now saw fame as a toxic hinderance and a disposable distraction with little value, if any. I saw the plastic artificiality of Hollywood as a poisonous force to be avoided at all costs. Little by little, I began to shift my opinions about all the aspects of showbiz - and the final part of that crusade was running away from acting itself.
I officially called it quits last June. I no longer saw a place for myself in the profession of acting, mainly for these reasons. It was undoubtedly vain and naïve of me to assume I would ever achieve A-list-level success, but the narcissistic culture surrounding the profession itself had begun to really bother me. I no longer saw a reason to continue acting. The bad simply outweighed the good.
The extended period of time following this turning point was agonizing, to say the least. I spent about seven months at home feeling lost, aimless, and confused. "What should I do *now*?" I thought to myself everyday. Questions like "What is my real purpose in life?" and "What do I *really* want to do?" plagued and haunted my conscience for every waking minute of my existence. Every once in a while, I would consider another career path - usually one that involved a lot more financial security, overall stability, and income than that of a starving actor. But none of them really sounded at all interesting to me - or at least interesting enough to deal with all of the uninteresting aspects that came with the job - however monetarily pleasing they may have seemed.
Then one night late last December, I went to the movies with my cousins on a whim and watched La La Land for the first time. I walked in with zero expectations, and by this point I had kind of developed a distant and cynical outlook on films in general - a sort of smug, "Oh, yeah, I used to make movies too" attitude that even I knew wasn't healthy to have.
If you haven't seen La La Land yet, I won't spoil it for you - but let me just say that the characters and their stories captivated and moved me to such a level that I sat there paralyzed for minutes after the film had ended and the credits had rolled. Much more than anything stunning about the craft of the film, what La La Land did was remind me of the reasons I had wanted to become an actor. It reminded me that even as fantastical and otherworldly as the film depicted it, optimism is still an invaluable virtue that will take you much farther than cynicism or pessimism could ever hope to. Sure, the odds are definitely lined up against you and there are a million other reasons you could come up with to not go after your dream - but why not the hell try? Why *not* take everything you've got right now and go give it your best, most ambition-charged shot? I could write a book on a million "Yeah, but"s if I wanted to. But none of those things will help me get anywhere or achieve anything, period.
I spent a lot of time second-guessing myself and doubting why I was doing what I was - which can be healthy to an extent in order to keep yourself grounded and in check - but in the end, I realized that I was the only one keeping myself from moving forward. Enough doubt and uncertainty, and you can really cripple yourself. That isn't to say that my reasons for despising the show business side of things were unfounded - in fact, I still feel the same way about them. But whereas before I had mentally coupled the craft of acting with show business, I now see the show business aspect of it (agents, casting directors, managers, other network-ites) simply as a means to a way of getting better and meatier roles, rather than fame - real captivating roles that carry true meaning and can hopefully touch someone deeply in the way that La La Land did to me.
I think this whole 360º turn has reminded me of my real priorities in life - that no matter how much money I might earn doing something else, this is the only thing I can really feel content doing (at least for now). It's the only thing that can keep me present and in the moment, and it's the most raw way that I can feel like I'm impacting other people. In hindsight, I had let the negative aspects of it blind me into thinking that this was a profession not worth pursuing. Whereas before I had wanted to act in order to become famous, I now want to act in order to tell compelling and memorable stories that touch people.
Thats really inspiring!
Um no, the main problem is that most people go into massive debt with a 4 year degree. Why on earth would we want to switch careers, go back to college, and potentially double that debt?
Keith Treason Learn German and go to study in Berlin :) ( I wish I was German sob)
Keith Treason I go to a private uni in my hometown for free, due to scholarships; I suggest anyone who has the opportunity to do the same.
So true
Some people will never find a job that suits them, and will rely on daily drugs and entertainment to be able to make their lives a bit more tolerable.
You have a choice : Whether you hate your job and find meaning somewhere else, or you find a job that absolutely suits you and don't need to fill your life with useless things.
I've started giving classes in a private college at 29, and discovered slowly that it was the perfect work environment for me. Every other workplaces I've done in my life never seemed to fulfill me at all, and I was left searching day & night for anything to be happy. Now that I found it, I finish everyday with an eased mind and a relaxed body, and I will never swallow for antidepressants in my life ever again.
It takes time, so be sure to try everything until you find the right thing for you.
Good luck.
Wow! this video came in such a perfect time! I'm 20 now and I'm going to change my career from Law to Medical studies (I don't know exactly how you call this in english). In my case, it's now about two, but five to six years of my life. But I don't care, I'm going after what I always dreamed of and didn't chase before because I thought I was uncapable.
I would love to hear from you, where are you 5 years later? Did you make it?
@@JF-sh2sm I actually ended up back in Law school. And I don’t regret coming back, I guess. Didn’t make it into Med school because I didn’t have enough time and resources for the required dedication.
The worse thing about a career change is that my family does not support me.
I’m 32, and so afraid because I don’t really know what I want to do. I made a career change at 28 and because of intense instability in my family, ended up not really being able to pursue that new career path fully. Not to mention, I’m still in that unstable family, and am always feeling that my need to get away from it overshadows my ability to comfortably settle into the transitional moments of a career change.
I feel very stuck, very scared, and very unsure how to remedy this!
Leap and do something new. You can do it
I don't have anything useful to say, but never give up ever on your/our hopes and dreams, it will happen eventually.
Scary stuff happen all the time, learn to accept it that it's being in this world, because let's face it, if a world without any scaryness, That's probably not even real loll, so don't worry too much about it!
We're all walking into a hardcore direction, and so be it😎 I'm on with it as well, never be afraid!
Thank you so much for this! I'm 24 and I'm Chemical Engineering undergraduate student... but as a child I wanted to be... a marine biologist! Since my 2nd year in college, I've been thinking to change my career, but I still don't know what I'd like to do... Maybe marine biologist, maybe writer... I usually feel anxious about changing my career, especially because I do like science, but I'm starting to look at it more carefully :)
What are you doing now
If only someone had given me this talk at 20. Now I'm 60 and it's all been a wasted career doing something I've hated for 39 years. Now it's way too late and I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up.
When you read the title, get inspired, but then remember you're retired :/
I spent about 6 years thinking about what career I want and I'm still thinking :D. I got a degree in Economics, but my jobs since graduation has been cashier->mortgage->IT->mover->sales rep. I'm just trying to see what I enjoy doing and saw so many different work environments along my journey. I wouldn't recommend this path, as you won't have a solid work experience in one field, but it got me to my current sales rep position and its amazing.
I'm 32 and thinking about studying again and this video didn't inspire me much.
That was more helpful than this video. Thank you.
Did you do it?
Im 25 and wanting to study again, thinking computer science, bit whenever i look at routes back it seems almost pointless, but people older have managed so why cant we?
@@BradleyCTurner24 here also wanna persue a cs degree , it's been 2 years since ur comment I hope u went for it
It is necessary to sit down with yourself and figure out if you are happy where you are at. A paycheck is nice, but doing something you love is more than just a paycheck. When you get the nudge to do so, listen to that. A job typically is a burden. A burden that needs to be removed from your life. Do something you love rather than doing something for the finances. Happy Thursday!!
I'm 20. I decided a few weeks ago to quit college to become a musician, though I have no previous musical experience. I am starting with learning the piano, which I love and always wanted to learn.
What a coincidence that I stumbled upon this video!
did it work out?
I wasted my early 20s with a toxic relationship that finally ended. I’m about to be 25 in one week and just want to get back into college. I want to become an anesthesiologist in the future and right now I’m an electrician. I have almost 5 years in the trade and it has its perks but it’s not me. I want to be more. I need to finish college in my life and get myself back on track.
Yeah man i hear ya, trades are good but are only for a certain type of person, some people love practical work. I work as a joiner and would love to make my way into IT industry, looking at all the ways i can.
Is this about me? I just finished a BSc in Chemical engineering but I don't want a career in it
Yo what you doing now?
At 28 I knew i needed a change in m career path, at 30 I decided to change my career path, at 32 I figured out how to change my career, by 33 I'll be changed... But it's still never to late to change your career path.
I'm on the verge of suicide. I picked Business administration because I was scared to follow an artistic field. "You should pick Business Administration if you are so indecisive" "Business Administration is very broad, you can do anything with it once you graduate" so I was told... only to realize that the career being BROAD was the worst part of it all. I was about to graduate and I still didn't know what I wanted to do. The funny thing is that I graduated with a 3.9 GPA and still felt like I learned nothing. I randomly got a job through my brother in law in the business intelligent department of a bank and hell... I suck at this. I burnout easily in this kind of jobs. I'm surrounded by mathematicians economists and engineers who have at least some clue of what to do and they expected to be in a position like that I'm surprised I even got hired. Its definitely a dead end job for me since I struggle to do my work as a simple data analyst with no signs of progress and I also happen to be very introverted and my work environment celebrates and promotes only the extroverted ones. I'm not even interested in getting promoted if I'm honest. I'm just feeling lost and crazy and its affecting every area of my life. I feel powerless. Looking back I regret not picking that cinematography degree. I also happen to live in a third world country, I also happen to be gay. I dont see a future here for myself since the living conditions are complicated and there's still a conservative perspective on the whole gay thing. I want out. I want to leave to Europe ASAP... there are some scholarships for international masters that are being offered in my country but they force you to return and stay in the country after finishing the degree. I feel lost and living in a cage. I also have some savings and a student loan debt I dont know what to do with it and I feel paralyzed
Dude it's like half of business administration students want to kill ourselves. I'm 22 and want to get my 19 yo ass and slap him in the face
I am an interdisciplinary, from STEM and Humanities. It was jarring, energy consuming, also comes with enormous investment (both individually and financially). Spent 9 tears at university for gaining a couple of masters. I can relate to each and every single word of this content. Overwhelmingly, also fulfilling, sometimes, confusing, and mostly hard.
I really needed this. Thank you.
i am studying Philosophy at the moment, currently in my last 2 years, before this i studied Psichology but that didnt work out in fact confused me more. Philosophy is something i always loved studying but is it really worth it? im at that point in my career where i dont know what to do and how to feel, if i will find a job to suit my abilities or do i have to do something else, i dont want to study nothing more since i am utterly tired of going to college. I honestly feel desperate at the moment.
I also wish my parents had earned more money before i made mistakes, because i was fool enough to not be more independent and find jobs and hobbies that would help me in the future. College really fucks you up.
I finished my degree in philosophy and psychology last year. Been an accountant, pizza delivery, motorcycle instructor, mechanic, and starting a new job Monday at a charity veterinary hospital. :D It still takes some figuring out, but there is value in philosophy in and of itself, and a degree will help you to get your foot in the door.
I've been where you are, and it's pretty horrible, but it will be okay!
Layqa S. You could go to graduate school and became a college professor or lawyer.
MiiiK3EY thank you, i can tell the difference on people who actually learn about their experiences and know about the importance of Philosophy when they try to help out other people with their own advice, not by mocking them on comments. There is value in philosophy its true, i just gotta find my way into life somehow :') thanks
Hi Layqa, a few points:
- As someone who studied English Lit (in the UK, so I ain't even multilingual from it) I can tell you that the skills you learn from your degree can be useful. I've voluntarily written for blogs/done internships that focus on writing, and I'm sure your degree is pretty close to mine in that regard. And yup, Chinese fam still look at me (compared to my Chemistry PhD sister) with a "wtf you gonna do? YOU CAN STILL GO DO LAW. GET A MASTERS.BE A TEACHER.HINT HINT." (Um, fuck no.)
- I totally understand the "UTTERLY DONE WITH THIS SHIT THE DEGREE AND SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS HAVE LEECHED MY ENTHUSIASM AND I'M BROKE AND SCARED AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH MY LIFE WHY AREN'T I SMART/ INTERESTED ENOUGH TO DO A STEM DEGREE SO I DON'T STARVE IN A BOX" feeling. More than just the degree itself, you've been in education for about 2 decades, so it's probably a accumulation of things but due to these things PLEASE CUT YOURSELF SOME SLACK. Many, many, many people feel this way. If you can endure your degree, hold on and distract yourself with some fun stuff if you can. Get as much experience as possible, if you can relate it to your major even better.
- I've failed a BUNCH of interviews cause I was too nervous/under prepared/the other candidates were more confident. Not once have I ever failed an interview cause of "experience/degree choice," and employers don't expect grads to have THAT much anyway, and chances are they will/want to train you.
- One of the biggest mistakes I've made is shunning my hobbies and trying to put on a more "job" focused mindset, but in reality the things you love CAN and WILL help you in the long run. I've now got two interviews lined up due to my writing portfolio ( Buzzfeed style stuff, beauty stuff, freelanced for absolute SHIT pay), and many employers WANT you to prove you have passion (whether you've been a snow boarding instructor, have you own blog, volunteer somewhere etc.) So yes, your passions are worth it.
- If you're really confused at the moment, think about what you actually LIKE about your degree, I found writing a list to be very helpful. Are you a people person? A tech whizz? You love debating? You love reading big, long ass books about very specific things and analysing the shit out of them? It's unlikely you'll get a job that solely focuses on your degree, but it's surely not impossible for you to find a job that demands certain skills you love using when studying Philosophy.
Sorry for the long ass comment, but I wanted to write this down cause I've absolutely been where you are right now. I originally got into university for statistics and hated it after one day and changed my major in the same week. The fear and anxiety to succeed often cripple people into a certain kind of paranoid overdrive, when in reality it's OK to fail and in many ways, much better for you at this stage.
it's too late for me I'm a settler and a settler has got to settle...
I changed careers at 24. I got a degree in finance and accounting at 23. Worked 2,5 years in banking and about a 1,5 in accounting throughout college.
Realized that accounting was very dry and banking was too strict.
Now I'm studying
International Relations and diplomacy as my masters ( I have always loved reading about politics, geopolitics, diplomacy but I never considered working in these fields)
im 24 and i wish i had the COURAGE to drop out of law school and go study psychology like i always wanted :/
don't, you'll regret it later. trust me
Jeremiah makaveli Hey, can I ask why you think it's a bad idea? (So many people have said the same to me on the law to psychology shift lol).
I seem to be hitting that sweet spot in the middle. I turned 30 in October. I have been back in school for a while, and it feels long but still manageable. I recently had to make a decision--upturn everything I was doing to accommodate one required class, potentially setting myself up to fail, or to add another 6 months to my program and potentially a year to my overall goals, based on timing. When I was younger, I probably would have done the latter. Now... I decided to go ahead and take the longer road, to ensure I do everything right. I would rather not have to give up another year, but now I realize it isn't so bad.
Just in time for me. You guys always know how to help people, nice job!
I take my career very seriously, but I have started working full time since 18, now 21 and changed 3 careers over that period of time. As frank Reynolds says, "I went to a nitwit school" which ironically i went to a special needs school, education hasn't been something that's been successful due to circumstances. Go out there, fail a few interviews and meetings, and develop your social skills. I am currently working as a support worker, and I absolutely love it. It's challenging in the best way possible.
Education doesn't always have to be a full time process, you can take courses language, team leader skills, IT skills. Don't be afraid to switch up every now and then.
Thank You😇 I needed this.
Going for Porn audition tomorrow.
Divvy Div buhahahaha
I'm 39 and think I want to change career again. And feel.like I'm too late.
This video gave me anxiety
This video couldn't change my mind, but it really helps me. On my own way, I often forget that i'm too young to take the whole responsibility for my life.
yeah, if only employers bothered to listen to you instead of going "30 years old, no experience in our industry, NEXT"
I'm 30 and did this. I put an end to a career in finance which went from bad to worse and started a new career in clinical research.. I coudn't be more thrilled
I just want to save the world
Billderbeerg S lol
Jar Jar Elon very noble of you.
This video does a good job of making people who are definitely older than 20 and considering a career change feel like they've wasted all the time between age 16 and now :)
For real
Unless you live in the US, where you will need to go back to school, then you will drown in debt and die. sigh.
danekarl no unless you live in other parts of the world were you can't even go to college. Because it's to expensive and there's no loan. And then you live your life from one migniless minimum pay job to another and die in poverty cursing your sadly dam life.
College can be free where I live, but because of that everyone has a degree and you need to have one to compete for even the shittiest job.
Mezurashii5 where you from?
at 22 years of age, about to finish a degree in biology and to start one in a ppssibly 9+ years of medicine, this video was a luff of fresh air! thank you school of life!
Is anyone out there?
no
CaptainRonRico Nien!
If you are in your 40's and end up unemployed even if at no fault of your own, it's a real challenge finding work. There is so much ageism in the work place these days
Good video, but unfortunately I'm not 20. :/
My friend's dad changed careers, went to med school, and became a doctor all after she was born. It's cliche as hell, but it's true: "where there's a will, there's a way"
I had a friend who took her own life after not being able to land a job for 12 months after graduating her journalism degree. She had no idea what to do and I feel so sorry for people who are at an impasse in life.
Where are you from?
Me encantó! Pues estoy viviendo una situación similar y esto no hace más que darme buenas vibras para el cambio! :)
I have been struggling with hust exactly this. I'm 19 and thunking about switching into an entirely different field if study. this definitely helped to put things into perspective!