Taking a large paycut to pursue your passion and/or live a healthier lifestyle?

I find it odd you don't actually tell us what job you are talking about. If you have only been doing it two years, I wouldn't call it a career yet unless you spent four years in college preparing for it.

Can you do your current job until retirement or is it something like fire jumper that you are going to age out by 30 or so?

Invest as much money as possible now for the next few years then switch jobs. You won't make a lot of money teaching but if you invest wisely, and now, you'll be ok when you're older.

Do it. Life is too short.

I'm in the process of going from managing about 50,000,000 as a financial advisor to a coach, at about 30,000 a year. I'm 27 and if I don't do it now the lifestyle will get to big for me to abandon down the road. I've accumulated too many grey hairs in the past 4 years and I can't wait to throw it all away to do what I love. That is if I even get the position.

I was unhappily stuck in a job I hated and so started down the path to becoming a high school teacher about 20 years ago. I was going to need another year of classes and then teach under the guidance of some other teacher to get accredited. Thank God I came to my senses before pulling the trigger. I looked at the lost time and eventual salary and decided it was just too big of a commitment for too little payoff. Instead, I redoubled my efforts at finding a better job that paid at least close to what I was making. It took several years but things eventually broke my way. Now I'm in a job I love and I make more money than I ever would have teaching.

Just be careful.

slmo wrote:

even though it is stressful and frustrating at times, it just feels "right" for lack of a better word, like it's what I was put on this earth to do. It is my "life's work." Switching over to teaching, even in my state that pays teachers pretty well, would mean a significant cut in pay though, and probably not any more free time my first few years.

First thought: It sounds like you already know the answer. Go for it, if you feel like it might be, could be your "life's work."

Second thought: The experience with the many teachers I know (close friends and my wife) is at odds with "healthier lifestyle" or "trading money for wellness." I know teachers still in their twenties who have developed chronic health conditions, seemingly due to stress, and while I've known several former athletes (some runners) who have gone into teaching, none have maintained their form. Aside from making good money, teaching may resemble your current job more than you think (I have never seen a teacher work less than 50 hours a week; never less than 60 the first couple of years).

Third thought: My sample group doesn't necessarily have anything to do with yours. There are lots of different ways to teach and environments to teach in.

Final thought: See first thought.