By Randy B. Hecht

We frequently hear singles complain that they’ve been so focused on their careers that they haven’t had time to spare for relationships. But being in the right career, no matter how demanding, need not be a total time drain; ideally, your work will help you stay energized, broaden your social circle, and help you give the right amount of time and attention to all your priorities in life.

What if you’ve hit (or passed) 40 and realized you’re not in the right career? Is it too late to make a change?

Absolutely not, says life coach Ann Leach, who co-authored with Michelle Beaulieu Pillen the book Goal Sisters: Live the Life You Want with a Little Help from Your Friends (New World Library, 2004). Leach offers these tips to anyone who is considering starting over again professionally:

Create the ideal picture of what you want. The first step, Leach says, is to review your current career. “Look at the traits that you’ve enjoyed and the elements of the work that have been good for you, as well as the paths that have drained you, so that in the ideal world, you can start to look at a better balance of those.”[$MSN.ARTICLE.CTALINKS$]Weigh the fantasy against the reality. If you had ultra-glamorous aspirations but ended up in a cubicle, consider which aspects of your dream job you might find more easily accessible in other ways. “What are the feelings and the accomplishments that you associate with that work?” Leach asks. “What are some other avenues where you could get that same feeling and acknowledgement?”

Define success on your terms. Don’t hold yourself to anyone else’s standards or judgments. This is your career, and it has to work for you and give you a sense of success. How can you know when you’ve arrived at that point? “It’s not about a dollar figure,” Leach counsels. “It’s not about the outer appearance. It’s more of an internal satisfaction.”

Make sure your support structure is in place. Leach advises that you discuss your new goals with your financial planner and determine: “How can we financially make this happen, and what do I need to do in between time?” You may be able to create a transitional period during which you continue part-time or on a consulting basis in your old job. You’ll also want to make sure you have a nest egg, since any major career change may involve a temporary drop in income. At the same time, inform your family and friends of the change, let them know how it may affect them, and ask for their support. You’ll need it on that inevitable day when things go wrong and you think, “Oh, no… what have I done?”

Don’t be afraid to be selfish. “Stop and look at… how you want to live your life,” Leach says. “You can have fun at work, you can have a satisfying career that motivates you and encourages you, and it’s going to make you happier when you get back home, too… it’s not so much selfishness as it is taking care of yourself and being true to you.”