The midcareer desert, if it occurs, is tremendously threatening because there are no pat answers for dealing with it. During this rite of passage, each person must take inventory and choose again a life’s work: to conduct or to begin another path. This is a time of self-doubt, stagnation, loss of direction, and depression. These experiences can be draining, particularly for the choral conductor who needs to be enthusiastic, inspiring, and creative on a daily basis. Yet, the questioning time holds tremendous promise as well as tremendous threat. Properly used, this time of reassessment can cause internal change and redefinition yielding richness and fulfillment. The questioning and the doubt afford you the opportunity to look realistically at who you are, what kind of conductor you are, and which path to choose. This “Season of Discontent” creates impetus for risk-taking and change.
Many strategies have been suggested for making a successful transition through the midcareer crisis. Some conductors move to another institution. Some close off and do less at work. Some redirect their energies to a side career, public service, or to a hobby. Others become mentors and pass their knowledge and dreams to a younger colleague. Still others develop a new career. These large-scale strategies are usually the end product of denial or lengthy planning and considerations. There are also smaller scale strategies and processes which can make a significant difference in the quality of life and the success of this transition. These strategies do not necessarily involve major outward changes. Rather they consist of certain acknowledgements, realizations, and actions. The following action strategies can help to make a new beginning. Challenge yourself to reassess, redefine, and recommit.
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