Midlife often comes with a unique mix of challenges and opportunities. While some may feel like they’ve hit a plateau, others are faced with the daunting prospect of starting over in their careers. If you’re considering a midlife career change but have no clear idea of where to begin, you’re not alone. This season of life can feel overwhelming, but with the right approach, it’s possible to turn uncertainty into a powerful opportunity for reinvention.
At toddmckeever.com, we’ve developed the ABC Growth System—a framework designed to provide clarity, confidence, and actionable steps for navigating challenges like midlife career changes. By leveraging Apps, Books, and Coaching, you can transition effectively and confidently into the next phase of your professional journey.
Why Midlife Career Changes Are So Challenging
Changing careers in midlife comes with its own set of pain points:
•Uncertainty about the future: With no clear direction, you may feel paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong move.
•Overwhelm from starting over: Transitioning into a new industry or learning new skills can feel insurmountable.
•Self-doubt and fear of failure: After years in a particular role, the idea of beginning again can be daunting.
•Financial concerns: How do you pivot without disrupting financial stability?
The good news? You don’t have to navigate these challenges alone. The ABC Growth System provides structure, resources, and guidance to help you overcome these barriers and create a clear path forward.
Introducing the ABC Growth System for Midlife Career Changes
The ABC Growth System breaks down your journey into three manageable, actionable components:
1.Apps: Technology to streamline your transition and organize your goals.
2.Books: Resources to inspire, educate, and guide your reinvention.
3.Coaching: Personalized support and accountability to ensure you succeed.
Let’s explore how each component works and how it can transform your career change.
Step 1: Leverage Apps to Stay Organized and Inspired
Apps are powerful tools to help you manage uncertainty, track progress, and stay motivated during your career transition. Here are some specific apps and how they can help:
Evernote (Note-Taking and Idea Organization)
•How it helps: As you explore career options, Evernote acts as your central hub for capturing ideas, saving research, and brainstorming.
•Practical use:
•Create notebooks for different career paths.
•Save articles, job postings, or inspirational quotes to revisit later.
•Draft and refine your career goals or action plans.
•Pro tip: Use Evernote’s tagging system to organize notes by themes (e.g., “skills,” “networking,” “education”).
Trello (Project and Task Management)
•How it helps: Trello simplifies the overwhelming process of career transition by breaking it into smaller, actionable tasks.
•Practical use:
•Create a Trello board titled “Career Change” with columns for Research, Skills to Develop, Networking, and Applications.
•Assign deadlines to tasks like attending workshops or updating your resume.
•Track your progress visually as you complete tasks.
•Pro tip: Integrate Trello with your calendar to ensure you stay on top of deadlines.
Snipd (Highlighting and Learning from Podcasts)
•How it helps: As you explore new industries or skills, Snipd allows you to extract actionable insights from podcasts and sync them with apps like Evernote or Readwise.
•Practical use:
•Search for podcasts related to career pivots or skill-building.
•Use Snipd to save highlights and compile key takeaways into actionable steps. This has become one of my favorite apps. Sync this with Evernote and Readwise, a great automation system.
LinkedIn (Networking and Career Exploration)
•How it helps: LinkedIn is essential for exploring industries, connecting with professionals, and building your personal brand.
•Practical use:
•Update your profile to reflect your new goals and skills.
•Join industry-specific groups to stay informed about trends and opportunities.
•Use the platform to reach out for informational interviews or mentorship.
Step 2: Transform Your Mindset with Books
Books are invaluable for shifting your perspective, overcoming fear, and gaining clarity about what’s next. Here are three must-reads for midlife career changes:
1. What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard N. Bolles
•Why it helps: This classic career book offers a step-by-step guide for discovering your strengths, identifying career paths, and landing your dream job.
•How to apply it:
•Complete the exercises to identify your transferable skills.
•Use the “Flower Diagram” to clarify what matters most to you in your next role.
•Pair this book with coaching to refine your strategy and set realistic goals.
2. Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
•Why it helps: This book uses design thinking to help you reimagine your life and career.
•How to apply it:
•Treat your career as a prototype and experiment with different roles or industries.
•Create mind maps to explore new opportunities.
•Develop multiple “life designs” to test your ideas before committing.
3. Atomic Habits by James Clear
•Why it helps: Career changes require new habits, and this book provides a blueprint for making sustainable changes.
•How to apply it:
•Set small, incremental goals to build momentum (e.g., spend 15 minutes daily on LinkedIn).
•Use habit stacking to integrate career development into your routine.
•Pair with Trello to track your progress.
Additional Recommendations:
•The Third Door by Alex Banayan: Inspires creative approaches to breaking into new industries.
•Mindset by Carol S. Dweck: Builds resilience and helps you embrace growth.
•Dare to Lead by Brené Brown: Essential for developing leadership skills in a new field.
Step 3: Accelerate Success with Coaching
While apps and books provide tools and insights, coaching offers personalized guidance and accountability to help you move forward with confidence.
Why Coaching Is Essential for Career Changes
•Clarity: A coach helps you identify your values, skills, and priorities to align your career change with your purpose.
•Action Plans: Coaches provide structured plans to help you take consistent, meaningful steps.
•Accountability: Regular check-ins keep you on track and motivated, even when the journey feels uncertain.
•Overcoming Obstacles: Coaches help you reframe limiting beliefs and develop strategies for overcoming challenges.
How ABC Leadership Solutions Can Help
At toddmckeever.com, our coaching sessions are designed to:
1.Assess your goals: Through tools like the ABC Growth System Workbook, we’ll help you uncover what truly matters in this new phase of life.
2.Create a roadmap: Together, we’ll build a personalized plan using apps and insights from recommended books.
3.Provide accountability: With regular sessions and tailored guidance, we’ll ensure you stay on track and overcome any roadblocks.
Putting It All Together: A Practical Example
Here’s how a typical week might look for someone using the ABC Growth System to navigate a midlife career change:
1.Monday: Spend 30 minutes brainstorming career ideas in Evernote. Save inspirational quotes and articles related to new industries.
2.Tuesday: Read What Color Is Your Parachute? for 20 minutes and complete the self-assessment exercises.
3.Wednesday: Use Trello to update your task list. Add deadlines for actions like attending a webinar or revamping your resume.
4.Thursday: Connect with three new professionals on LinkedIn and schedule an informational interview.
5.Friday: Meet with your ABC Leadership Solutions coach to discuss progress, refine your plan, and tackle challenges.
6.Saturday: Reflect on the week’s accomplishments. Use Snipd to review highlights from career-related podcasts.
7.Sunday: Rest, recharge, and revisit your goals for the upcoming week.
Take the First Step Today
Midlife career changes may feel overwhelming, but they’re also an incredible opportunity for reinvention and growth. By using the ABC Growth System, you can approach this season of life with clarity, confidence, and purpose. Whether you’re leveraging apps to stay organized, reading books to gain insight, or working with a coach for accountability, you have the tools to succeed.
Ready to get started? Book a free coaching session with ABC Leadership Solutions and begin building the career—and life—you deserve.