By Eliza Fayle

You are over forty, you are dissatisfied with your job, and you are wondering if you will ever find a career that reflects who you truly are.

Oh, wait! That’s me!

Me and probably a good percentage of the over forty crowd.  We have lived about half our lifetime and we don’t want to waste another minute on anything that doesn’t fulfill us. Fortunately, when it comes to careers, we can actually find one that reflects our passions. It just takes some prep work.

1. Get rid of old scripts

You know what I’m talking about. That voice inside nattering at you:

• I am not smart enough
• Nobody would want to hire me
• I don’t deserve good things

You will probably have to dig deep to get to the source of these scripts. My script comes from listening to my dad say that nobody would actually pay for his paintings. My script from this? Creativity is for pleasure only; you do not get paid for it.

2. Face fears

We all have fears that stop us dead in our tracks.

• Fear of rejection
• Fear of poverty
• Fear of failure

Fear likes us to believe it is protecting us, but in actual fact it is preventing us from experiencing wonderful new opportunities. My fear is the poverty one. What if I start a new job then lose it? I am working at looking fear boldly in the face and saying “Ha! What if I keep the job? Take that!”

3. Take stock of your talents and skills

I do not mean the dry stuff you put on your resume, like proficient in Microsoft Office products, or certified Professional Project Manager. I mean the fun stuff that makes you smile just thinking about it. Things like:

• Love to organize events
• Never without my camera
• Can cook up a mean grilled feast

Don’t censor your list, even if you do not see how your skills fit together. I love writing, engaging people in dialogue, and scheduling and planning. These three things appear unconnected, but you will see shortly they are not.

4. Investigate your options

Now that you have eliminated the nattering of old scripts, and faced down any fears blocking your progress, you are free to think outside the box. Take your list of talents and skills and work your way through online job sites. Monitor your reactions,

• Oh, that sounds cool!
• Hey, I can see how my ability to (insert skill) would work here!
• Seriously? I can do that!

You will be amazed at how your seemingly random talents merge into the perfect combination for a job you never considered before. In my case, I realized my skills lend themselves well to creating an online magazine. Who knew?

5. Validate your selections

This is my favorite part. It comes from Nancy Anderson’s book Finding Your Passion in Midlife and Beyond. She calls it a passion clue, and it is quite simple. Ask yourself this question:

• Would I do this even if I never got paid for it?

If you answer yes, you know you are on the right track. It means this job will reflect who you truly are. Do I answer yes to blogging and working towards an online magazine? A resounding YES.

This is not an overnight, get rich quick process. It takes time to uncover your old scripts and face down your fears, but the time and effort is well worth it. After all, we deserve to live a life filled with passion, and there is nothing stopping us from extending this to our work lives.

About Eliza Fayle

Eliza is author of Silver & Grace, a blog dedicated to all aspects of aging gracefully, both physical and spiritual. She is currently on her own journey to live a passionate life, both at home and at work.

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