Whatever it is that we do over a period of time, day in and day out, creates monotony. The predictability of work takes away excitement. Since tasks are familiar, we operate out of past habit and experience. The inherent need to apply ourselves, to think and to create gets deprived. We allow that need to be overlooked resting behind the comfort of safety and money. Over a period of time though the longing to do more can nag us into exploring alternatives.

The most obvious and least disruptive alternative is to change jobs, remaining in the same industry. The new environment can be invigorating. It can break you free from shackles you may have trapped yourself into. And since you can be instantly employed productively by your new employer, you do not lose out monetarily. In fact, if you make the move wisely, you can earn more and find yourself on a track better aligned to the skills and abilities you consider to be your strengths.

However, if you have already tried changing jobs and roles within your industry and that didn't change much, you may want to change industries, or acquire new skills or knowledge through an educational program. Evaluate what skills and abilities are your strengths, look for other industries where these skills and abilities may be valued, research about these industries and understand why you would enjoy working in them, identify any new traits you would need to develop to undertake the change and take up courses to build the missing traits.

If none of the above suggestions seem to work for you, you may consider building a career out of your personal passions and interests. Wanting to be a fitness trainer after working in the software industry for ten years is one such example. You may want to consider the flip side of such a drastic change. You would be giving up a whole lot of skills, abilities and industry knowledge by doing so. You would be entering an area that you may not have understood the intricacies of as an outsider. Even though you may be driven by your passions, the decision to finally take the plunge should be a studied one. Assess the prospects of the industry and growth avenues for you into the future. Before you take the plunge, speak to someone who has worked in the industry and role you are seeking to understand the challenges and pain points of the job.

In the end, it's important that you make your decisions wisely. The more radical the decision of change, the more effort and time it will take out of you to succeed. Make sure you are up for the effort and the hardships you will encounter.