How To Switch Careers in Midlife

How To! with Mike Pesca

Peach Fish Projects

Education, How To

4.3 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 14 January 2025

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

For three decades, Mike has worked in a field with an uncertain future: journalism. He loves the stability of his current job mentoring student reporters, but he can't stop thinking about starting a new career—in his 50s—in astrophysics, architecture, or law. On this episode of How To!, co-host Courtney Martin enlists career coach and psychologist Dr. Dawn Graham to help Mike think through his midlife career crisis, especially his urge to go back to school.

Dawn's book is Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers—and Seize Success.

If you liked this episode check out: Find a New Career Before It's Too Late and How To Advance Your Career By Quitting Your Job.

Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.

How To's executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi everyone, I'm Susie Weiss, and I've noticed there's just simply not enough podcasts in the world. So I'm launching my own. Let's go. Let's go, baby. Second Thought is a weekly show about pop culture. The stuff everyone's been binging, arguing about, obsessing over. Here's the thing about heated rivalry. I mean, even the most devoted swifties, I think we can agree, not our best work. We'll be hosting thoughtful conversations with culture's most important figures. Talk about genius.
0:22.6	Talk about generational talent.
0:23.7	Coming to headphones near you on can agree not our best work. We'll be hosting thoughtful conversations with culture's most important
0:21.1	figures. Talk about genius. Talk about generational talent. Coming to headphones near you on April 17th,
0:25.9	with a first guest you won't want to miss. Available wherever you get your podcasts.
0:30.0	My name is Mike, and this was my question to Slate. How do you start over in middle age?
0:35.9	I'm a smart guy, former national Merit Scholar and Game Show Champion, who chose the wrong career, newspapers, L.O.L.
0:45.0	I wish I could just be a college freshman again, but now I've got a million financial obligations and just feel stuck sometimes.
0:52.8	I cannot not ask you about the game show champion aspect of this email.
1:00.7	Welcome to how to. I'm Courtney Martin. People go on game shows for a bunch of different reasons.
1:08.0	They want to run screaming down the aisle when the announcer calls their
1:11.1	name. When they meet the host, they want to say a quick hi to their mom who's sitting in the
1:16.3	studio audience beaming with pride. And sure, they want to win big money and maybe even a brand
1:23.9	new car. It could be argued that the same things motivate us in our careers. Okay, stay with me.
1:32.3	Money and cars, right? But also the thrill of getting that new job. Of your resume being pulled out
1:38.2	of the slush pile of desperation, a chance to actually enjoy your day-to-day, challenge yourself,
1:43.3	maybe even make a name for yourself.
1:45.9	When you feel bored or a little at sea, and don't we all sometimes, it can be easy to feel like your
1:51.6	whole life would be better if only you had a different job. But the older you get, the harder it can
1:57.8	feel to pivot, which is why it's time to play, how to.
2:03.9	I'm going to let my producer Joel do this part.
2:06.3	Thanks, Courtney.
	...

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