12: I was not one of those kids

13: that knew exactly what they wanted to do when they were growing up.

16: In the last 15 years of my career,

18: I've been an English teacher, attorney, video game creator

21: and now, a toilet paper salesman,

22: selling millions of rolls of toilet paper a year.

25: [The Way We Work]

28: Life is about finding the intersection of what you really, really love

31: with what you're really, really good at.

33: As simple as it sounds, it's really not that easy to find.

36: After a brief stint as an English teacher,

38: I went to law school and ended up becoming an attorney

41: at a big law firm here in New York City.

43: Like most Americans, for the next two, three years,

45: I was holding on to my job for dear life,

47: working really late hours at a job that I thought maybe I was good at

50: but certainly not one that I really loved.

52: I then came upon the epiphany

54: that it takes years if not tens of thousands of hours

57: to get really good at something.

58: I really didn't have a lot of time to waste.

60: This talk isn't for those looking to quit their job

63: because they don't like their boss or they had a long day at work.

66: This is for those that are ready to make the completely scary leap

69: into a brand-new career.

70: So as you think about making a career change,

72: here are a few tips I hope you consider

74: and a few things I've picked up along the way.

76: First, there's three things to think about before you're ready to move on.

80: Number one: professional life is about learning.

82: If you're not even interested in learning anymore,

84: that's a huge red flag

86: that there might not be a future for you in that industry.

88: Number two: career changes are often gut-driven.

91: If you constantly have sleepless nights

93: where you're wide awake staring at the ceiling thinking,

95: "Oh, man. I can't live with myself if I never try to make this change

99: or if I don't even actually investigate it,"

101: then trust your gut.

102: It might be time for that career change.

104: On the flip side,

105: one reason to not move on is short-term pain.

107: If you don't like your boss

108: or people at the office are grating on you,

110: that's actually not a good reason to absolutely change your career,

114: because when you do change a career,

115: you generally have to start from the bottom,

117: and you'll probably feel a lot of short-term pain,

120: whether it's through a lack of salary or lack of a title.

122: Pain at any job is inevitable.

124: So now you're convinced that it's time to change your career.

127: Then there's three things to do immediately.

129: First: network, network, network.

132: No one ever builds a career without a good mentor

135: or a good support network.

136: What I mean by networking is getting all the great advice

139: that you can possibly get.

140: Technology has made it so simple to reach out to new people

143: to say, "Hey, I'm thinking about making a career change.

146: Do you have just five minutes to chat with me?"

148: That passion and that hunger and that ability to be a sponge

151: really attracts awesome mentors

152: and people willing to give you their time

154: to give you some good advice.

156: So go out there and meet new people.

158: The second thing you need to do immediately

160: is shore up your finances.

161: The reality is, when you change your career,

163: you'll either start with a job with a lower title

166: or lower pay or maybe even no pay,

168: especially if you're starting your own business.

170: So going out there and making sure your finances are in order

173: to make the transition less painful

175: is really, really important.

176: For me personally, as I made the transition from being an attorney

179: over to a video game creator,

181: I wanted to have at least six to 12 months of personal runway in the bank.

184: Six to 12 months might not be the right number for you,

187: but be honest with yourself on what that number should be.

190: Number three, if you're not ready to make the full jump right at this moment,

194: then get your side hustle on.

196: Side hustles could be anything from volunteering with an organization

199: that's in the new industry you want to go into,

201: could be starting your business part-time on the weekends.

204: It's a free way to get a taste to see if you really love something.

207: So you're ready to make the move

209: or maybe you already made the move.

210: Here are three things you should think about doing, right now.

213: One: do not -- I repeat -- do not burn bridges.

217: You spent years building those bridges,

219: why burn them now?

220: The world is such a small place,

221: especially with all these online platforms,

224: that, believe me, you will see these people again

226: and probably in the most inopportune times.

228: Number two: take stock of what you've learned

231: in your previous career or careers.

233: Most likely, a lot of those things are really applicable

235: to your new job and your new career,

237: whether it's interacting with people, playing on a team

240: or dealing with jerks and assholes.

242: All those things are really universally applicable.

245: You'll find jerks no matter what industry you're in;

247: no one's immune to it, everyone's got to figure it out,

250: and you probably know how to do it already.

252: Lastly, when you start your new job, you're going to be nervous.

255: But don't worry, take a deep breath,

257: because this is what I want to tell you:

259: you're part of a new team now,

260: and everyone around you is rooting for your success,

263: because your success is their success.

266: So welcome to your new career.