Career Change and the Support of My Wife

Changing your career may bring excitement and anticipation, but does it do the same for your spouse? What does he or she think about the idea of you leaving your current employment to step out into an untested career? What about the risk of lost income, new work pressures and your family's security.

I am blessed to have a spouse who supports my career change. But she doesn't do it without consideration of all of the above factors. She wants me to be happy in my career and supports my desire to do something different. She also recognizes the challenges that will come with making this change and has stated her willingness to endure.

So what is the key to this support? Well, selecting the right partner has a lot to do with it. But we also communicate openly and honestly about our lives, goals and desires. We are, in fact, partners in our "family corporation". And as partners, we must value the leadership, knowledge and skills that each of us bring to the family. So she understands what I need in a career and supports those changes with the understanding that I must also maintain a minimum income and my new career must benefit the family relationships, and not distract from them.

The support of a spouse is critical to any career change. Without that support, you are battling more than just the market. You are putting relationships and family at risk. With the support of your spouse, you have a partner and an investor in your success. Someone who can help you reach your goals and, someday, celebrate that new career with you.