‘Although my current job has a structured career path and is secure, I find it meaningless’

I undertook a career change a number of years ago and I’m now contemplating another change in the near future. Although my current job (finance) has a structured career path, is well compensated and secure, I find it to be quite meaningless and one I find hard to take seriously. To me, it’s all just figures in excel spreadsheets. This is all the more difficult given I’m surrounded by individuals who are interested and engaged with their work and they take it seriously, I feel like they’re part of the Matrix, whereas I’m an outsider looking on.
On one hand, I feel like a mindset and attitude change to my current employment is what’s required, that I could apply myself more and mould it into a positive career experience. On the other hand, I feel like this new employment opportunity will be what I’ve been searching for, a highly skilled profession (in the aviation industry) that I believe I would find engaging and meaningful. This change would involve retraining full-time for 18 months, which is doable at my age and stage of life.
My concern is that I could end up being in the same boat in five years’ time, thinking the grass is greener elsewhere.
How do I know if I should step into the abyss and experiment with another career move, or if I should double down and make the most of what I already have?
You say you already have one experience of career change, so you know that it is possible and what it entails. It does beg the question of whether the issue is one of a meaningful career change or if you are always looking elsewhere for satisfaction. You are right in thinking that if you take up the offer currently in front of you, including retraining, that it would require a commitment to the process and probably an attitude change. This is a point in your life where you make a decision and then follow that decision wholeheartedly – if you do not do this, you are likely to suffer from further indecision and a life with an ongoing level of dissatisfaction.
You say you are struggling with meaning in your job and perhaps you have a desire to be part of meaningful change in the world. If this is the case, you could consider putting your financial skills to good use in, for example, the charity or NGO sector, where these skills are often in demand. Also, you could retrain in another sector (but this time with total commitment) in an area where you are likely to find job satisfaction. It might be time to engage with a career guidance adviser to help you to feel secure in your selection and also to check that what you are choosing fits with your talents and abilities.
If you accept your current offer of promotion and training, then you are ethically obliged to do this to the best of your ability, so some careful thought needs to go into this decision. Decision making should be made with the best knowledge and experience you have now and not solely on fear of future regret. Such fear of regret is natural but if this takes over, it can cloud your judgment and lead to a habit of fear that is hard to let go of. In other words, in five years’ time, you could be very good at fear of future regret, and this is not something you want to have in your life.
Ask your family and friends, who have your best interests at heart, if they think you could be happy and content in the current trajectory or if they think you should make another career move now. They are likely to know you well and if you ask, then you should be prepared to give serious consideration to the advice suggested. The danger is that you develop a skill of indecision, and this goes on and on.
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If you can, take the advice of those closest to you and put your whole self behind that decision – this means speaking about and actioning the decision, mentally adjusting your thinking to follow the decision, and emotionally committing fully to it. This should bring a clarity and a lightness of being that seems missing at the moment. This does not mean that you cannot change direction again in the future but rather means that you will become better at decision making and also better at turning that decision into reality.
Many people will see your issue as a very privileged one (to be able to choose between good options) but this can mask a lot of suffering and a feeling of incompleteness. Do not dawdle over this decision, as you have all the knowledge and experience needed right now to make it.
Commitment and an attitude of intention will make all the difference to your life and the time to put it into practice is now.