Went to college to be a veterinarian, left as a chemical engineer.
Started my career as a process engineer, shifted over to pipeline and marine scheduling.
Spent a brief stint as a business process analyst, before my current position within corporate venture capital. (All this was within a single (obviously rather large) company.)

My advice - do work you find interesting and gives you satisfaction. One is never too old to learn new things while applying what you have learned to new opportunities.

I went to nursing school at age 46ish. Hated nursing school but the outcomes have been rewarding. I found a not-for-profit whose mission coincides with my own core values and every day look forward to helping clients. Thought about getting more education but the cost is nuts, so instead saving for retirement, leaving work at work and developing my interests (writing, drawing, investing in my kids).

I was a programmer for the first 20 years of my working life. And forthe last 10 of those, I hated it. Then thanks to a fortunate convergence of events (involving Monty Python and the Holy Grail) I switched to a training consultant position. I took a pay cut, but it was my dream job. Did that for another 15 years until the company was sold. I took the separation package, moved to Hawaii, and now I'm Ludo McFixit, Handyman. I've built a deck and gazebo, with hot tub, in the jungle, turned a 2 car garage into an art school, and am the only person on the Big Island making St. Andrew's crosses, spanking benches, and other bondage furniture.

Was a law enforcement officer for 15+ years, social worker for 2 and now a nothing job as I plow through school towards an MA in counseling.

[askamanager.org] will have all sorts of advice for you related to careers. The "manager" has been in HR forever and gives great advice. Seriously best blog ever, I read it every day.

I started my "grown up" work life at 18, joining the Army. Not a good fit. Then I got married, got out of the Army and followed my ex around. I was a Stay At Home Mom (and logistics organizer). After raising my kids I went to school and got an AA degree in Health Information Management and entered the job market at menopause as the economy was tanking. It's been a wild ride.

I was a minister for 20+ years, lost my faith and for awhile stayed in because I didn't really know what to do next. Got a job with the post office a couple of years ago as a mailman and although I don't mind it (listening to podcasts and audiobooks is a plus), I see myself going back into the non profit world (and non prophet world this time, no religious stuff haha) at some point because I love doing things that benefits others.

Yep! Just did. At 50 I went back to school (56 now). I make less money. But I'm so much happier. Best thing I could have done for myself.

Yes, several times. I raised two daughters as a single parent and found myself starting college late, in my 30's to work towards a degree as a graphic design major. I worked as a bartender as I attended school. Prior to that due to my love of plants I had worked at a interior plant service, lt seemed easy so I started my own business selling and servicing indoor plants to homes and businesses. Because I like to learn about everything I do, I studied on my own and gained enough knowledge to have the equivilant of a Horticulture degree. From there I branched off to plant sales, landscape design, service and installation. While in college, I realized I had quite a talent in art, and started drifting more towards fine art, painting and sculpting classes. Sitting down and working at a computer was not my thing. I needed to keep moving and working with my hands. I left college early on the advice of a professor and got an entry level job painting signs for Disney, sculpting their props, and building their floats and attractions. Several job changes later, and always moving foward, I started contracting jobs building props, and painting murals for theme parks and themed restaurants. In 2000, when I was almost 40, I joined a union as a professional scuptor, building props and sets for the movie industry. I sedom ever worried, and I always put my daughters and family first. We were poor but didn't really realize it. I kept a roof on our heads and food on the table and that's what's important. My advice is do what you love or what you are good at. Never stay where you are unhappy. Embrace failure and bad things that happen as learning experiences. There's a reason for these things, they drive us forward, stimulate us and force change. Always keep learning and growing. Put family first. Be kind, thoughtful and loving to your family, yourself and others and good things will happen to you. Xoxo.

I was a dairy farmer for 17 years, then I became a registered nurse at 40 !

Cotton farmer to college art professor.

Not entirely, but I did change directions in careers a number of times. I started off in the oil/gas/petrochemical industry in Oklahoma as a lab analyst for a few years, moved into plant operations for a few years, then back to being a lab analyst for another few, then got a wild hair and moved off to Wyoming to work in a sour gas sweetening plant (13% hydrogen sulfide). After four years there, moved to Colorado to work as an oilfield pumper, gauging tanks, wielding pipe wrenches, etc. After four years of that, moved to Salt Lake City to work in pipeline control, which is what I did for the next 29 years, in six different control centers in Salt Lake City and Tulsa. I've never been afraid of making a change. It was good for me.

At 37, I moved from being a full time music instructor to teaching martial arts. While it is still teaching, moving from working in someone's shop to your own place was a big shift. It's been tough, but very much worth it!

Had my first retail job at 52, Radio Shack, loved it. This after working as a Funeral Director and a MAss Fataity responder for Fema. Now I'm a Customer Solutions Rep for Career Source Brevard in Palm Bay, FL. The changes have not all been fun bit I like working with people and I hope I can last a few more years and retire at some point.

Yes. Retired Navy, currently a teacher.

I'm impressed just how many people do have a linear career. My laughingly-called-career has consisted of a number of random side steps driven by circumstance. The downside is I've never reached anything like the proverbial pot of gold at the end. The upside is that those areas that I fell into - politics (believe it or not) and lay advocacy at employment tribunals - gave me huge, and unexpected, fulfilment that I would never had imagined. I have no lesson to learn from this, other than maybe if you follow your inclinations you do end up tapping into resources you never thought you had. You do end up poor, though.

I’ve never really found a career and at 46 don’t think I ever will. Been bartending a little bit lately and I love it. I’d like to try farming but seems like a lot to get into when my youthful body is gone now.

What are you considering?

I went from a master groomer to a dispatcher in a hospital. It was depressing. I spent years apprenticing only to have a terrible accident rip my ability to groom away only a year after I finished my apprenticeship. I had no other resume skills or experience, and finding a no-physical impact job was very difficult with no real secondary education

No advice really, I do recommend it though. I feel sorry for people who stay in the one career all their lives.
I was a banker until 30, then an industry/employment consultant, then a network engineer, industrial relations consultant, ecologist and now sustainability trainer-high school tutor- preschool educator and a hundred other tiny roles.

Once, I gave up construction and tried somthing new for a couple of years, and now I am back in construction again.

Do what you want to do. No fear... Wills it. At your age I retired from the military. Wishing you the best of luck in your new venture. Do it... with Life's Blessing.

Goldsmith. Left there, and managed to get a job in an AS400 shop as an Operator. Used that as an opportunity to put myself through school and learn to code. The day that plant shut down, I got a job as a software developer, and 16 years later, I'm still there.

My advice is to pursue something you love.

I joined an elevator company aged 21. Previously I had been a rather junior Government chemist. I rapidly won promotion to become the city's senior technician, then to becoming the zone technical manager for the whole of East and Central Africa, and eventually taking over the zone sales department in addition to the technical side. (not bragging, just giving some background.)
At the age of 47 I retired from corporate life, left East Africa, came to Spain and founded a publishing business - which started as a hobby, and like "Popsy", just grew. I retired a second time aged 69.
I'm a firm believer that, provided one knows one's own limitations and can find ways to work around them, one can do almost anything successfully.

I am currently in the midst of making a career change. I spent 14 years working in/managing a convenience store. I finally decided I didn't want to do that for the rest of my life, so at age 40 I went back to school. I am studying networking technology and got an entry level IT job about 7 months ago. It's kinda tough starting over at the bottom of the ladder (most of my coworkers are in their 20's), but I don't miss retail at all and I'm glad I made the change.

Not in midlife, but in my 20's. I was in advertising, working in radio, outdoor, and at an agency. At 23 l was the advertising director for 7 Woolco stores in Austin and San Antonio. It would be difficult maybe impossible without a degree in this world. I hated it. At 25 l gave it up to play music full time. Less money more peace of mind.