Overcoming Fear: Making the Leap from Teaching to a New Career
Do you think about leaving the classroom?
Do you feel undervalued and underpaid?
Do you keep putting off applying for a new job, convincing yourself that now isn't the right time?
If not now, when?
Leaving teaching can feel like stepping into the unknown. For many teachers, the classroom isn’t just a job—it’s an identity, a calling, and a source of stability. But when burnout, dissatisfaction, or a desire for change takes hold, the fear of leaving can be overwhelming.
Why Is It So Hard to Leave Teaching?
The fear of career change is real, especially when teaching has been your professional world for years or even decades. Some common fears include:
Financial Uncertainty – Will I be able to earn enough in a new role?
Loss of Purpose – Will I find a career as meaningful as teaching?
Starting Over – Do I have the skills to succeed in a different industry?
Judgment from Others – What will colleagues, friends, or family think?
At its core, this fear is driven by our primitive brain—the part of us wired for survival. Change represents risk, and our brains instinctively resist it. The amygdala, responsible for processing fear, perceives stepping into the unknown as a threat. This is why we stay in situations that feel safe, even if they make us miserable (source).
Psychologically, this is known as loss aversion—we tend to fear loss more than we value potential gains. It’s why so many teachers hesitate, clinging to familiar job security even when it comes at a personal cost (source).
Facing the Fear: My Own Journey
I remember standing at the crossroads, exhausted from burnout yet terrified of leaving the only career I had ever known. Teaching had shaped my identity and the thought of stepping into something new felt impossible.
I honestly believed that I would never find another well-paid job. I worried about losing my holiday time and my pension.
But when I finally made the leap, I discovered that my fears had been holding me back from a better life.
Yes, I left teaching but I didn’t lose everything—I gained more than I ever imagined.
My pension has been locked in and I have the security of knowing that it will be enough when I retire. Financially, I’m actually better off, as I no longer face high childcare costs due to reduced working hours.
And the best part? This summer gone, I spent five weeks travelling—three of them in Italy. I had the freedom to switch off completely from work, something I never managed as a teacher.
Reframing Your Fears
Fear may be what’s holding you back—but it can also be the force that drives you forward.
Rather than letting fear control your decisions, consider these mindset shifts:
Instead of
"I don’t have experience in anything else"
Consider
"I have strong communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills that are valuable in many industries."
Instead of
"I won’t make enough money"
Consider
"There are careers that offer better financial stability and work-life balance."
Instead of
"What if I fail?"
Consider
"What if I thrive in a role that truly excites me?"
Do you really want to be having the same conversation with yourself in a year? And the year after that? Living through the same feelings of exhaustion, frustration, and self-doubt, day after day?
Practical Steps to Transition from Teaching
Identify Your Transferable Skills – Teaching equips you with communication, leadership, time management, organisation, and adaptability—skills sought after in many professions.
Explore Career Options
Gain Clarity Through Networking
Upskill if Needed
Start Small – If possible, take on freelance or part-time work in your new field before making the full leap.
Embracing the Future with Confidence
Making the leap from teaching to a new career isn’t about abandoning your past—it’s about taking your strengths and applying them in new and fulfilling ways. Change is always scary, but staying in an environment that no longer serves you is even scarier.
If you’re considering leaving teaching but fear is holding you back, know that you are not alone. You have more skills and potential than you realise—your next career is waiting for you to take that first step.
I am here to support you, whether it’s helping you reframe your mindset or guiding you towards your next career destination. You don’t have to do this alone—let’s take the first step together.
Contact me today!
