It’s a startling fact: More than half of Aussie workers wish they’d chosen a different career. This is according to the recent Evolving Working Life Report from employment marketplace, Seek.

The report surveyed over 3,000 professionals from a wide range of ages, locations and industries. It found that “career regret” is rampant among Millennial and Gen Xers. 

So what’s holding us back? For the 51 percent of us who wish we’d  gone in a different direction, the biggest barrier was our  fear that it’s “too late” to make a change. 

Tell that to Vera Wang, the celebrated fashion designer who started out as a figure skater and opened her first couture bridal shop at age 40. Or Trinny Woodall who, at 53 years old, pivoted out of television presenting to launch her eponymous makeup brand. 

It’s never “too late” to change direction. But it can be a daunting prospect. One the guests on season three of FW’s podcast, Too Much: The Switch, are determined to dismantle. 

In this latest installment of the award-winning series, we hear from high-achieving women who’ve gone from hairdressing to policing, dancing to midwifery, engineering to pastry mastery and more. 

Here, they share their top advice for women wanting to make the switch.  

Kate Reid, Formula One engineer turned Lune croissanterie founder, has learned evolution isn’t optional

“Nothing stays the same forever. Everything always changes and evolves. And as humans, we’ve got to be open enough ourselves to evolve with change. One day, maybe Lune won’t fully define me anymore – and I’m already okay with that… Because I went through the experience with Formula One, I know that I can survive needing to evolve and change myself again. There’s a kind of freedom – and something exciting – about embracing the unknown.”

Lana Jones, prima ballerina turned midwife, says to buckle up

“Oh, it is going to be too hard and it is going to be too much and it is going to be seriously uncomfortable – and you’re just going to have to know that. And if you want it bad enough, it will be worth it. You grow so much from being in that uncomfortable space…  I’ve had to really learn to love myself through the process, which has been tough, but it’s a worthwhile journey to go on.”

Allegra Spender, fashion label CEO turned politician, advises trying it on for size

“One of the best things I’ve ever done is work experience… because it gives you a sense of what the job is… So do some work experience, do some volunteering, because confidence is a big part [of successfully moving into a new field]. Once you believe you can do it, then you can also sell yourself better in an interview, because you can see how your skills will be useful in this completely different environment.”

Pamela Naidoo-Ameglio, geologist turned nuclear technology leader, says start small

“I would say try it out. Take small steps at first. Experiment. You can do this in the current role that you have by just practicing or learning something new and then putting it into effect and expanding what you’re doing. And if that’s comfortable and feels right, then amplify that until you’re ready to take that bigger step and make the change.”

Leemara Fairgrieve, hairdresser turned police detective, wants you to go for it

“Regret is an awful feeling… If you give it a go and have confidence, and try something different and you don’t like it, and you decide that it’s not for you – that’s okay. That is a better feeling than having this regret, or ‘what if?’ or longing. Because that’s a harder emotion to deal with for longevity.”

Giaan Rooney, olympic swimmer turned macadamia farmer, knows nothing trumps happiness

“If you’ve got one little inkling of a feeling that you should do something, or need to do something, or want to do something, you need to explore it. Because it will only fester on – particularly later in life. And ultimately, what’s the worst that can happen? It fails and you pivot again, or you find a way to use that experience to go on to the next thing. Because if happiness, at the end of the day, is not worth taking a risk for, then nothing is.”

Jamlia Rizvi, political advisor turned gender equality champion, on being curious

“Sometimes you don’t have to know exactly what’s coming next. You just have to know that what you are doing is no longer right, and recognise that you don’t need to wait for perfect clarity. Sometimes clarity comes from motion – from the doing and from the acting. The first step of a plan isn’t always the perfect one. I think you’ve got to give yourself a bit of space to be curious.”

Melanie Silva, financial services professional to Google MD, is big on thinking laterally

“I left a very senior role in financial services, running a retail marketing team, and then I took a step back… If you don’t want your boss’s job, you better start thinking about what your next lattice move is. And I say the word ‘lattice’, not ladder, very intentionally, because sometimes the next move is going to be one across.”

Image credits: Getty Images, Bec Howell