TL;DR How do you decide between two decisions when one is safe, and a bit boring, but almost guaranteed to produce good outcomes for you (Accounting/CPA), and the other is more uncertain but something you’ve been passionate about your entire life, has a more difficult path to get there, but also has equally good outcomes if you do(Commercial Airline Pilot)? The Backstory . I’m in the middle of a career change at 32. I’m trying to decide between staying in my current degree (Accounting), doing finance and eventually opening up my own CPA firm, or switching my major to Aviation, which has been a lifelong love since I was a young boy, and becoming an airline pilot. The Accounting Path. If I stay with accounting, I know it is pretty stable, it’s boring and it’s also necessary for every business to have it. I like finance and economics, and accounting is the foundation of both. If I do this route, I know I’ll eventually either pivot into corporate finance or start my own CPA firm. The Aviation Path. I’ve loved planes and flight ever since I was very young. If I choose this path, I would switch my major in the college I’m going to, and all of my flight lessons, except my private would be covered by grants, scholarships, and student loans for anything I couldn’t pay out of pocket for. I know the airline industry is cyclical in hiring, but I also know once you’re in, you make excellent money after grinding the first few years. It’s not uncommon for pilots to make $300k+ per year while flying maybe 15 days per month. The Dilemma. The dilemma is coming because both options seem attractive to me as far as outcomes are concerned. Where they diverge is the day to day. Accounting sounds like a lot of spreadsheets, meetings, and strict deadlines that sound like they would smother me at some point, even though I could push through it for a time if a better future is ahead. Flying sounds like a dream. Thinking of it now, I’d feel like I couldn’t believe I got to do it for a living. The airports, the hustle and bustle, the morning walks to the plane, the flying, the office views from 35k feet, all of it sounds like a dream for me. Even though I’m sure I’m looking through rose-tinted glasses and not everything about flying is wonderful. The Context. Some context about me, I’m single, have low bills, and am in the most flexible time in my life right now, so I could genuinely pursue either path with full vigor for the next few years. If you read all of this, I appreciate you. I’d love to hear some thoughts from folks in general, and especially people from both industries if possible. Thanks in advance. submitted by /u/itsonebigclub
Originally posted by u/itsonebigclub on r/AskMen
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