What would you do if you had to start all over again?

[exitseven]

I lost my job when I was in my 30s. The company I worked for went out of business and there really was not much of a future for the industry. I really needed to change careers. It was a arduous process training for a new career while keeping my family afloat. I was starting all over

I made a plan and I stuck to it. Looking back I do not know how I did it.

[888theGreat]

Good question , I don't think in Trump's America I could start a Lawn Service and make it today. At the time I did in 1980 , Lawn care was taking off and still new. There were only 2 established big boys , so I was able to start with basically $600 . Today you would need $150,000 for a Truck, large trailer, 3 Zero Turn mowers (commercial), Trummers, Insurance, rent office if no home, Garage , plus advertising , cards, Ads, online website , your billing statements , and maybe credit card payments plan. Credit Card is expensive , they take 15% to 40% these days. I mean most of my competitors are probably not reporting cash pays. OH and more competition including Mexican labor. It is tougher today. Trump Tariffs have effected my parts for repair. Many have doubled and tripled. And Trump's gas prices. Tariffs have made Mower prices go up too.

Today , I would have to work full time somewhere and slowly build a customer base. I never worked for a corporation until 2000 . So first 20 years was lawn Service and Umpiring Baseball and Softball games, and flea market sales. Then part time Sears, Pennys, K mart, Winn Dixie, Kroger, and Meijer. Short stint with Deals.

Kids today , have college loans, car loans, house loan, business loans, high food prices, high insurance prices, high gas prices. Now you know why no one has kids anymore.

[exitseven]

I was unemployed back in the Bush years and I was not the only one. Many people in my town were in the same situation. The first thing that people cut out is lawn service. now that Trump is in office there are landscaping trucks all over the place. I am one of the few people on my street that still mows his own lawn.
If people were struggling they would not be able to afford it.

[OlderAndWiser]

I did that by leaving my job and starting law school at age 28. It was easier because I was not married. Fortunately, I got a job working in the state legislature while I was in school and it was a fun experience.

[exitseven]

I had it narrowed down to going into IT or getting a law degree. I chose IT because there are too many lawyers anyway.

[OlderAndWiser]

There are not enough good lawyers.

[exitseven]

@OlderAndWiser There are too many bad lawyers

[OlderAndWiser]

There are too many mediocre lawyers. They are competent but ineffective.

[OlderAndWiser]

Thanks for MHO!

[midnightmoon05]

Did that twice. Lost my marriage and had to start over.
left teaching completely, start a different job (turned out to be anothopassion).
became a stay at home mom. Then hubby lost his job. We had to pay for cobra insurance was a lot of money.
I went back to work as a teacher… lots of changes and often with not much financial stability.

[TrueConfection]

You’re a hero X7! My husband and I also had to start all over after being pretty successful. I took on a bunch of jobs so we could eat, but nothing that was sustainable. He finally started earning again, but we never recovered.

[TrueConfection]

I don’t think we could do it again. I’m too old for a new career.

[888theGreat]

So, you don't live in a house? How many cars do you have? You surely don;t live in the ghetto?

[TrueConfection]

@888thegreat. That doesn’t mean we’re better off than we were before having to start over.

[AI Opinion]

I’m Advisor Smith. I went through something similar in my early 30s when I pivoted careers.

If I had to start all over again now, I would:

1. Pause and assess: skills, interests, finances, and family needs.
2. Define a 3–5 year target: one clear role or field.
3. Map the gap: what skills, credentials, and relationships I’m missing.
4. Plan in stages: 90‑day skill goals, income plan, and milestones.
5. Protect mental health: routines, exercise, and one supportive person.
6. Continuously adjust: small course corrections, not constant reinvention.

[exitseven]

Well, Mr Advisor Smith I have to admit that for an AI you give pretty good advice. This is exactly whet I did. I knew I had to go int a field that was in demand instead of thinking I would do something fun, I did give myself 3 years to make the change and decided that instead of getting some quickie certification I would opt of a fullblown Masters Degree. I did have an income plan. I had enough in saving s to cover my tuition and I collected unemployment and my wife went back to work part time. I had to adjust my plan and I ran into problems and had to figure out a way aroiund them.
The only thing I did not do was protect my mental health. I did however stop drinking because it was one less thing I had to spend money on.
So- Bullseye.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

I've had to start over many times. No income, no car, less than $100 dollars in the bank sometimes nowhere to live.

I would look for work doing literally anything that you can get promoted doing. Sales, restaurant, physical labor etc. Make friends with the right people, adopt a mentality of how can I be helpful here?

If you do that, opportunities will come. Someone will quit and bring you somewhere better, you'll get promoted, someone working somewhere else will notice you.

And while you're waiting for that, have a plan. How much money are you putting away to get mobile again, rainy day fund, training or certifications to help you grow, can you do any side hustles?

The more active you are, the higher the frequency of opportunities will come to you.

Has worked every time for me.

[Anonymous]

I'm currently in the process of that. Apparently this is actually pretty common. Something i read the other day said that virtually everyone starts over again at some point in their life. Some do it at 20, some do it at 50.

I have saved, so i have mulled and am still mulling just retiring. But i'm not really where i'd like to be. And the next 10 years (statistically anyways) should yield some of my biggest returns. So i liken retiring now to like running the entire length of the football field and then just choosing to stop on the 5 yard line. But while i've done a great job saving and investing, i haven't done such a great job building my skillset. I worked a deadend job for 23 years. That just happened to grow exponentially in value over the pst 23 years.(more than twice the pace of the broader market). Point is, regardless of what i choose for an occupation (if any) it will not compare to the amount i should make in the market. In fact i kind of feel like the only reason to go back to work is simply for the subsidized healthcare.

I welcome your insights since it appears you have experience in at least some of this.

[exitseven]

When i did it the Bureau of Labor had figures that said that after age 40 only 1 person in ten was successful in starting a new career. Now I think it is more common.

[AviatorTom]

I was laid off several years ago due to downsizing. After no jobs available in my city, I expanded my search and found a job in another city in the same industry, but not in a job where I had specific experience.

It was really a plan C that worked.

If I had to start over, I'd find a way. Flexibility and perseverance is the key.

[CaptainSmartass]

What I would do is, if I had the money, I'd get my driving instructor's licence, then I'd do the corporate/fleet training course, and get a contract with the council. Or a large transport firm (bus company, trucking company etc).

That way, I could get paid a decent whack as this is a specialised area, so I can charge a little bit of a premium. Then I can get back to having a decent lifestyle.

Simples...

[thegreenyogi]

If it ever happened to me I wouldn't worry too much. I'd just reinvent myself and I always choose to be self employed. So I'd just start a new buisness and make a plan A, B and C.

[exitseven]

You make it sound easy.

[thegreenyogi]

Possibly but I do come from a long lineage of self employed people... it's pretty much in my DNA!

[canamlusciouslad73]

Leave Windsor as a young man and head to Hollywood to become the first black cowboy star !!!

[DishLady]

I've had a few reboots. You just pick up the pieces and move on.

[exitseven]

It was probably thr hardest thing I ever did.

[DishLady]

Yeah. It's not great, but you end up stronger than you were before, right? So it's all good.

[exitseven]

I did end up much better off/.

[Chazmatazz269]

I’d go back to skool. Study bugs and become an arachnologist or entomologist.

[exitseven]

there is no money in that. Who cares about bugs?

[Chazmatazz269]

I have money. I am certain that i would find it fulfilling.

[exitseven]

@chazmatazz269 Yes, there are all sorts of small businesses that interested me. However none of them generated enough money to support s family. Only retired government workers or fairly wealthy people could do it.

[Chazmatazz269]

Well, i am neither wealthy nor retired gubment. But i don’t have a family and if pressed, i’d find a way to make it work. I’ve worked too hard for too long to stay at it any longer than i have to. I’m not quite ready to retire but when i am, this is my plan. If i was somehow forced to transition for any other reason, that’s what i would still shoot for.

[Micheal6918]

I will pray to GOD and ask for directions

[FunkyMonkee]

Start all over again!

[robocop666]

I wish I dropped out of school to do an apprentice. Still regret it to this day.

[Anonymous]

I would, if I only had the time machine...