Is a Career Change Possible in Your 50s?

#697: Most people regret the things they never tried.

Venture capitalist Bill Gurley says that pattern shows up again and again in research on end-of-life regrets — including regret about the careers people never pursued. 

In this episode, Gurley joins us to talk about how people actually discover work they enjoy - and why the cliché to “follow your passion” sends people in the wrong direction.

We start with a question many listeners wrestle with: what if you reach your forties or fifties and still do not know what you want to do? 

Gurley explains that career changes later in life remain possible. Financial flexibility helps. People who spend every dollar they earn limit their ability to shift paths. People who control their spending keep more options open.

Gurley argues that “passion” often appears only after someone spends time exploring a field. A better starting point involves fascination - the subjects that pull your attention when nobody assigns the work. 

Gurley suggests paying attention to what you study in your free time. If you find yourself reading about a topic instead of watching Netflix, that curiosity may signal a possible career direction.

We also discuss how most successful careers involve several stops along the way. 

Gurley studied hundreds of success stories and found that many people move through two or three roles before landing their long-term path. That pattern shows up across industries.

Gurley began as a computer engineer working at Compaq. Even though he enjoyed the work, his curiosity shifted toward investing and business. 

He eventually left engineering, went to business school and started knocking on doors in New York until he landed a job as a Wall Street analyst. That path later led him to Silicon Valley and a 25-year career in venture capital.

Throughout the conversation, we talk about continuous learning, side projects that expand career options and how curiosity often shapes a career more than long-term planning.

Resources Mentioned:

Runnin' Down a Dream by Bill Gurley - https://amzn.to/4loywlQ

The Power of Regret by Daniel Pink - https://amzn.to/4sNwZbQ

Designing Your Life by Dave Evans & Bill Burnett - https://amzn.to/47yfeov

One Up on Wall Street by Peter Lynch - https://amzn.to/4ruPsIX

Atomic Habits by James Clear - https://amzn.to/4bj3cjR

Interview with James Clear - Afford Anything Episode #638

Interview with David Epstein - Afford Anything Episode #206

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