People get inspired by famous career changes, but are scared of the concept when it comes to themselves. Even more so when it’s a matter of changing careers. There’s the uncertainty of success and the mystery of what’s to come. One big factor is that they’re afraid to leave their comfort zones. Well, it’s not an easy decision to make; but if your gut tells you that making that big leap will be the best decision, take it.
10 Most Famous Career Changes by Celebrities
Successful people never settled for less. So instead of feeling stuck at your desk with your 9-5 job, you should finally put a foot forward and work towards your dreams! To inspire you more, here are 10 famous people who changed careers which turned out to be the best decision they made:
1. Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt was a limo driver. For strippers. He drives them to and from bachelor parties. He also used to be a furniture mover and dressed up as a giant chicken mascot for the restaurant chain El Pollo Loco. With that, he then decided to pursue an acting career and enrolled in acting classes. And within 7 months, he found an agent. Today, he’s now one of the most famous and recognizable superstars in the world.
2. Harry Styles
Everybody knows the famous One Direction singer, Harry Styles. Prior to his stardom, he was a baker, earning just $7 an hour at the W Mandeville bakery in his hometown. Then, he decided to leave his job and stop going to school to audition for the X Factor. From there, One Direction was formed. He rose to fame with his other band mates, now earning an estimated $18 million.
3. Stephen King
Stephen King is the author of the legendary novels Carrie (1974), It (1986), and The Shining (1977). Before his success as becoming one of the greatest writers of all time, he was a janitor at a high school to help him with his every day expenses. Today, his estimated net worth is roughly $400 million, making him one of the highest paid authors in the world.
4. Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres, from the famous The Ellen DeGeneres show is a comedian, TV host, writer, and producer. Although before pursuing a career in the entertainment industry, she worked different jobs. One of them being a paralegal. Her net worth as of today is roughly $450 million and will be earning more in the coming years.
5. Pope Francis
From being a bouncer at night at a Buenos Aires nightclub to becoming the Pope. He worked at the nightclub for almost a year and would work as a janitor at daytime. Truly, Pope Francis proved that taking big leaps, even unusual or almost impossible ones, are worth taking. As the Pope, he leads the entire Catholic Church. This means he has supreme and direct rule over the whole Church.
6. Whoopi Goldberg
From a funeral makeup artist to an actor, writer, and TV host. Whoopi is one of few entertainers to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards and with good reason. But before raking in those trophies, she worked in a funeral home doing dead people’s hair and makeup. Yikes.
7. Michael Jordan
From a basketball player to baseball player to businessman. Everybody either knows Michael Jordan or knows of him. He’s a household name and a person who forever changed the world of professional basketball. But that life is behind him now as he focuses on running his own sports team and getting rich from endorsements.
8. Walt Disney
The co-founder of Walt Disney Productions was once a newspaper editor. Apparently, the world-famous animator and producer Walt Disney himself experienced rejection as he was fired from being a newspaper editor because “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” The man who brought us Mickey Mouse and the gang “lacked imagination”? Can’t picture it.
9. Harrison Ford
Before being casted as Han Solo in a small movie franchise titled “Star Wars”, Harrison Ford worked as a full-time carpenter. He apparently got the role while helping out George Lucas as a stand in for screen tests. To this day, he’s now working as an actor while also being a film producer.
10. Charles Darwin
Everyone in the world of science knows who Charles Darwin is because of his great contributions. But before he focused on science and evolution, he was actually a medical student.
Want to know how to change careers late in life? Courage, passion, and strategy. Sometimes, a little push in the right direction can make a huge difference in a person’s life. These celebrities who made famous career changes are proof that extreme job shifts are possible. Whatever job you’re currently in, you can make it as a stepping stone towards the career of your dreams. The most important thing you can do now is to tailor your resume and do your best in applying for jobs! Need help with your resume? Check out the best resume format to make your career shift a colorful one. Good luck!
Sources: Huffington Post, Bud Bilanich, Business Insider, Daily Mail, Wealthy Gorilla, The Vintage News
Photo credits: Pixabay, Flickr, Glenn Francis, Eva Rinaldi, Flickr
