How to recover from a mid-career transition mistake

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Few might have the courage to take such a step given that mid-career is also the time when a person’s financial responsibilities pile up. Paying EMIs and managing household expenses take big chunks out of the paycheck, limiting a mid-career professional’s chances to experiment. But, what if, after making the transition you realise that it was a mistake? What can you do then? The first thing to understand is why you feel it is a mistake. The transition will anyway not be easy. It is important to identify if the initial transition adjustment is clouding your broader thinking about the change.

Factors that make highly qualified people choose freelance careers over one-off gigs

For example, you had worked in a particular discipline earlier but realised over time that you have a passion for something else, like writing; so you take a mid-career jump to become a full-time writer. You might observe that after the shift, the road is not easy. Yes, you might get more time to complete that manuscript you never had time to finish. But publishing that and finding long-term success as an author is a tough process, and it involves multiple dependencies. You will have to find a capable literary agent, build a strong online presence, think of different publishing routes and keep rewriting till the manuscript is perfect, among others. This journey might feel too overwhelming at times, even if the goal of becoming a writer was the right one and you have the talent. You can seek feedback from trusted experts. But if you are convinced that the decision is correct but the road is tough, enhance the preparations to manage that journey better instead of reversing the decision without giving it a chance. But what if