Well, one of the ways is I kept taking jobs that were overlapping in fields until I had moved and overlapped so much I was in an entirely different industry.

I had an MFA in dance, and I took a job in arts administration in fundraising. I was a sustainable streets advocate as my own interest, and took my fundraising skills and moved to an environmental nonprofit. I picked up new skills throughout my career and sort of networked my way into writing grants for a well established medical researcher, who mentored me into my scientist career. I know own a business that consults with medical researchers to raise money for their research, and I participate as a research associate in different areas of research. Like I said, throughout my career I've done a lot of professional development to learn new skills.

But at the beginning maybe you can look at where you want to be, what skills and education you have, and plot out the trajectory to get there?

What degree do you have and what exactly do you want to do?

Just know, not everyone takes a straight line to where they are meant to be. I am exactly where I should have ended up, and in my 40s trying to get into a doctoral program so I can lead research studies. I started out as a dancer. Even though I guess I technically don't "use" my MFA in dance, you can bet that the skills I learned as an artist, I really do use those every day.