Truth About Career Change - Insights From a Motivational Speaker

When Do You Stop Believing in Yourself?

At what point do you decide that chasing your dreams is no longer practical? Is there a set age when taking risks and starting fresh is no longer an option? Many people seem to believe that at 40, career change becomes too risky. But is that really true?

Scott Barlow, host of the Happen To Your Career podcast, recently interviewed Enrico Torres, who has navigated multiple career changes—from restaurant kitchen manager to roofer to software developer. During their conversation, Torres casually mentioned, “I’m almost forty, I’ll be forty in November, so taking on a risk like this, this career change, is pretty crazy to do ….”

That statement stood out. Why 40? Is this an unspoken deadline for reinvention?

Challenging the Idea That 40 Is “Too Old” to Change Careers

Host Scott Barlow challenged the notion that Torres was taking an extreme risk, pointing out that he was making a calculated transition rather than an impulsive leap. Rather than abandoning his roofing business overnight, Torres was methodically building his new career in software development alongside it.

This careful, strategic approach to change is a powerful reminder that career shifts don’t have to be all-or-nothing. You don’t have to drop everything and start over from scratch. Instead, you can develop new skills, test new opportunities, and ease into a transition that makes sense for you.

The Fear of Change vs. The Fear of Regret

Yesterday, I was invited onto ABC Radio Brisbane to discuss career change. It’s late January, and in Australia, many people are returning to work after the long summer holiday. At the studio, I ran into several former colleagues—people I had worked with at ABC for over 25 years. We’re all in the 55–60 age bracket, so naturally, retirement was a big topic of conversation.

Financially, most of them are well-prepared. They have comfortable superannuation packages and a secure path forward. But what about their health? Their enthusiasm? Their purpose?

Beyond the initial excitement of taking a big trip or enjoying some downtime, none of them shared future plans, creative aspirations, or personal goals. That concerned me. Because while financial security is important, it’s not enough. Money is just water and fertilizer—without new seeds to plant, its value diminishes.

Looking at my former colleagues, I saw a version of myself that could have been. Had I stayed in my secure career, I too would be on the verge of retirement with a safety net beneath me. But would I feel fulfilled? Would I have regrets?

The answer was clear to me: I made the right choice. I left a secure career in television at 45, and I have never looked back. Not once did I feel envy for the security they have because I know their stability came at a cost. Many of them confided in me that they felt stifled, creatively drained, and disengaged. They were just going through the motions, waiting for the finish line. That wasn’t a trade-off I was willing to make.

The Power of Experience in Reinvention

People often think career change is a young person’s game, that it’s easier to start over when you’re in your twenties or early thirties. But what if your years of experience are actually an advantage?

When I left my TV career, I had zero knowledge of business. As a public servant at a government-funded broadcaster, I didn’t truly understand how businesses worked. I thought money just appeared. My first business plan was laughable—so naive that I’m almost embarrassed to admit it. And yet, despite my inexperience, I figured it out. Why? Because I had decades of problem-solving skills, resilience, and adaptability behind me.

You don’t need to know everything when you start. You just need to start.

The Role of Ritual in Change

One of the most effective ways to navigate change is through ritual. For me, that means getting up at 5 AM every day, walking for an hour while listening to podcasts, jotting down ideas that come to mind, and then writing from 7 AM to 9 AM. This daily practice has been instrumental in helping me shape my thoughts, refine my direction, and stay committed to my own evolution.

The more I write, the more I uncover my own answers. Change isn’t just about switching careers—it’s about continuously growing, refining, and adapting. It’s about creating a structure that supports your transition.

The Danger of Staying Stuck

At the end of the Happen To Your Career episode, host Scott Barlow asked Enrico Torres for advice on making a big career change. Torres’s response was insightful:

“Make sure you do the research … you don’t want to take the risk if it’s not really going to pan out … but you want to do it, take a chance, take a careful chance and slowly start building it … because at the end of the day what you don’t want is regret … I don’t want to be eighty years old and think darn it, I should’ve done it, I knew I could do it … regret is the worst thing …”

That’s the key takeaway: The biggest risk isn’t changing careers—it’s looking back and wishing you had.

If you’re 35, 40, or even 55 and feeling stuck, ask yourself: Am I afraid of the risk, or am I more afraid of the regret? Because time will pass either way. The question is, how do you want to spend it?

Final Thoughts: Start the Conversation

There’s no universal rulebook for career change. No set timeline, no prescribed age. But what does help is starting the conversation—whether that’s listening to podcasts like Happen To Your Career, writing down your thoughts, or surrounding yourself with others who have navigated transitions before you.

Talking and writing about change brings clarity. It helps you answer your own questions. And most importantly, it reminds you that you’re not alone.

Scott and Enrico started their conversation wondering if 40 was too late for a career change. By the end, they both realized it wasn’t. In fact, they both still feel young. And that’s the real lesson—age is only a barrier if you let it be.

So if you’re wondering whether it’s too late to believe in yourself, consider this: What if the best chapter of your life hasn’t even started yet?