Alan, a 50-something government employee who oversaw a mid-sized team, was between a rock and a hard place.

The mere thought of AI made him recoil. He wrestled with his reluctance to learn the advanced AI skills that were increasingly necessary for his role.

When we met, Alan conveyed that he was far from ready to retire; he felt as though his life was just beginning.

Our conversation turned to his love for fishing and his concerns about environmental pollution, which he felt compelled to address.

Unbeknownst to Alan, his resistance to AI had its reasons. He already had a draft of his next career chapter ready; he just couldn’t see it yet.

However, the prospect of starting over and losing his income, pension, and benefits created a barrier. How could he trade stability for uncertainty?

Once Alan narrows down the environmental problem he is most qualified to tackle, he will be in a better position to choose the best midlife career path for himself: either stay in public service or move to the private sector.

Having led teams and managed expectations of public and private stakeholder groups for over two decades, he wouldn’t be starting from scratch. And, as I always recommend, making a career change in phases while managing risks is almost always the wiser choice in midlife.