Job shift, as in a major one

[JoeP]

Curious of others have successfully switched job roles, or know someone who has, from one that pays very well but is full of stress, to one that pays a lot less but provides happiness? I'm talking along the lines of going from a physician to driving a school bus.

Asking because I am currently in such a situation, where my current role is not providing the level of happiness I had enjoyed for 30 years. People change, and technology changes, and I'm not assigning blame.

I almost consider it an early retirement of sorts. We have no debt and have a very good net worth with our house comprising about 20% of it on paper. So I don't "need" the income I have right now, but would need a job with health benefits, like a union one.

Thanks!

[ua_guy]

I rolled out of a decade+ career making decent white-collar, college-educated money in IT. Gave my notice at the office. Signed up for CDL school and drove heavy trucks in construction. It was the kind of change I needed at the time.

I also have a friend in his early 40's who struggled with what he wanted to do for a long time. He was an IT nerd who never got into corporate life, and ended up in retail out of necessity. One day, he found his drive. Now he's a union Bricklayer. Never worked construction in his life. Loves the heck out of it.

There were days driving truck that I loved. It's a neat job. Helps that I'm a gearhead and 105,000lbs going down the road on 8 axles is thrilling, I don't care who you are. A few years ago I second-guessed my path and found myself back in IT work. I'm at a crossroads again, another big corporate change. I've still got my CDL and I've thought about putting it to work again.

If you're able to replace the pay and benefits you need to make a living, what is stopping you?

[LivingAlmostLarge]

DH left a good job for another good job. But it took training to leave behind what he trained years for total 21 year for and then go into something else because we wanted to move elsewhere. If not for me he'd have stuck with the same job, career, and location. He liked it. He also took a huge gamble and we didn't know if he would get a job paying equally as well. He did and hasn't ever looked back. He also didn't know if he would even enjoy doing what he's doing now. Turns out he loves it.

So the job move was = career change to potentially making 50% less (this is what we were expecting), we were wrong by the way, so we could be happier as a family not because of personal happiness. He tied his luck to use. Turns out everything worked out for us.

For me? I hated working in a lab as well. I dreaded and still do the idea of going back. I make a lot less doing taxes and financial planning. But I can work from home, make my own hours and work anywhere. I am no longer tied as well to a 40 hour a week job in specific cities. I have to say DH and I learned a lot about ourselves and schooling and being two poster kids of overly educated idiots. 2 phds and a MBA, it'll be hard for our kids to go to more schooling. He always tells the kids please don't do what we did. Think about it more carefully. Most of our friends think we're the strangest parents ever.

I'm like don't go to college unless you are sure. Really consider what you want to do. I don't want you wasting your time and my money.

[ua_guy]

JoeP Did you make a move?