To many, the decision to change careers can feel like deciding to face the ultimate risk. Leaving behind everything you know, both academically and professionally, and the comforts of the routines and relationships you’ve built for the unknown of an entirely different path is not for the faint of heart. There are no guarantees things will work out the way you envisioned or your situation will even improve. As the saying goes, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
With that being said, if you are left with the decision to alter your professional path, you should not be dissuaded simply by the fear of the unknown. I am of the opinion that if you can feasibly leave a job that makes you unhappy for a field you are drawn to, you should jump at the chance. I believe opting to pass on this opportunity for the sake of familiarity and security means you are making your decision for the wrong reasons, and you will regret it, whether that be in the immediate aftermath or later down the line.
Speaking with my classmate Matthew Singer about his past and what ultimately brought him to Cronkite further reinforced this steadfast belief of mine.
Like many of his classmates, Matthew came to Cronkite with an educational background that is out of the norm for someone with his professional ambitions. Set to finish his undergraduate studies at the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in Geosciences and a Pre-Law minor, Matthew approached graduation knowing the careers these two things afforded him were not what he wanted, a sobering realization that required much thought.
“Towards the end of my undergrad, I realized I just don’t like this one bit,” Matthew said. “I wanted to figure out what I wanted to do with my life.”
He was immediately drawn to sports journalism, though those common feelings of doubt and uncertainty crept in as he seriously considered making the switch.
“At first, it was a very hard decision,” Matthew said. “I didn’t even know if I could get into a program anywhere, knowing that I had zero experience in school or professionally in sports journalism.”
Ultimately, buoyed by the unconditional support of his parents, Matthew decided to make the change, a decision he felt was initially vindicated upon receiving admittance decisions from places he had applied.
“When I got the decision from Cronkite that I was accepted, that was the moment where I thought I could really do this,” Matthew said.
Since beginning his new journey, Matthew has reaped the rewards of this fresh start. Sports have always been a pillar in his life, and now he’s forged a new facet of his relationship with them, a development he has found to be a great positive within his life and a signal that his decision to change course was the right one.
“Like many others, sports have always been an escape for me,” Matthew said. “Now, with writing, covering sports is an escape for me and is therapeutic, as well. It does not feel like work the way I think it would have felt had I stuck with something else that I enjoyed less.”
Fear and uncertainty can feel insurmountable and paralyzing, but if addressed, these feelings can be harnessed into catalysts for change and growth. Like many others, Matthew’s journey shows how pushing through the initial discomfort a significant change brings can lead to many positive changes or possibilities not previously considered opening up.
The rewards of facing uncertainty and fear head-on are more than worth the supposed risk. Just ask Matthew.
