I'm a die-hard believer in the notion that you can love your job, make all the money you want, and simultaneously think about how crazy it is that you actually get paid to be happy. I promote, push, and preach this lesson to all who will listen:

Doing work you love is not only possible but is expected of you.

The truth is, you owe it not only to yourself, but to the rest of us, to do work that is a true expression of who you really are. That's how you effortlessly give back to society. It's just the way it is.

That being said, if you're not in the job of your dreams or are unemployed right now, all you're faced with (if in fact you want to do work you're meant to be doing) is making a career transition. Oh no, the dreaded career transition! As overwhelming as it may sound, it's exactly as it is labeled, a transition. It's the act of passing from one state to another. When one refers to a transition in a piece of writing, it is a passage that connects a topic to one that follows.

It is not an act of self-torture as your inner critic might scare you into believing!

Is it really possible to transition from one unrelated career to another? Can you really make a career change?

Well, it all depends on what you believe. If you believe it's impossible and will leave you destitute and regretful, it will. If you believe you can make the transition and can come out on top - happier and (gasp!) richer and more secure - you will. Again, it's just how life works.

So if you're ready to make a transition and want to enjoy the passage from one stage of your life to another, follow these 5 steps:

1. Make the Decision
Being passive about a career transition makes for a painful passage. Don't let your transition happen to you. Be proactive and make a decision, internally, that this is what you want and that you will not let anything stop you. Be clear about your intentions and why you want this change. Proclaim your decision to trusted friends and supporters. Write it down. By stating it to other people and putting it on paper, you make it real.

2. Create a Vision
Now is the time to daydream. Let your imagination run wild with the possibilities of what your life can be. Paint a crystal clear picture of what you want and how you will feel once you get it. Visualize this new job in which you are doing work you feel amazing about. See yourself doing it. Write out a detailed statement about it as if it were the future already and it has come to pass. Your vision will serve as your beacon in becoming exactly who you want to be.

3. Shore up Your Personal Foundation
Learn to see your life as whole. While you may be focused on the fact that this is a career change, you are made up of more than just your job. When you take care of all areas of your life, you are creating a strong foundation upon which to push off from when making your transition. This means the following: get rid of things that are draining you, handle all unresolved matters in your life, create reserves of time, money and space and make sure that you're getting your needs met. Career changes take effort. Any energy spent dealing with everything from cluttered homes, to draining relationships to unresolved emotional issues, is energy wasted. Deal with these things now in order to have a surplus of energy to make your transition.

4. Make it a Transition, Not a Leap
Most people successful at making a career change don't do it in one flying leap. They go through a process of planning and testing repeatedly until they are ready to make a complete transition. Don't get stuck planning for so long that you don't take any action at all. This is planning paralysis. Instead, keep your day job or, if you're not working, get one to make sure the bills are being paid. While keeping your day job, try out your calling on the side. See what happens. See what you learn and decide what your next steps should be. Remember, it's a transition... slow and steady will get you to the finish line. Think marathon, not sprint.

Also, any action, even wrong action, as author and career counselor Barbara Sher likes to say, is awesome!

5. Live in the Present... not for when the transition will be over (it's never over)
Act as if your transition has happened. Act now as if you are the person who has made the move you're dreaming of, planning for, and taking action on. Answer this question, "If I was already doing (fill in the blank), how would I be? How would I feel? How would I act?" Then choose to be, feel, and act that way. The future is created by being in the present, not by living for and worrying about the future. Choose to love where you are in this moment and bring your future vision into the here and now.

(c) 2007 Segaric Coaching, Inc.
Annemarie Segaric is a respected career change coach, motivational speaker, and author. Does your company, group or association deal with people in transition? Ask about bulk discounts on the career tips booklet "107 Tips For Changing Your Career While Still Paying the Bills" Ready to switch careers and don't know where to begin? Visit http://www.segaric.com and download your own career change toolkit today.