<prompt> Human: The short of it is I make 60k at a small company. This company never gives raises so my salary has been flat for 5 years. Im bored. I like the cash, but I am bored. And I used to be so passionate about it...Sigh. I feel like a loser doing nothing with himself. I feel the pull to teach, but I dont know if I have the guts to cut my income down to 37,000 from 60,000. Im 37 years old soon. My partner makes good money, but still...thats a big reduction. This is less of a can we afford it type question and more of a Have you ever cut your salary down severely and on purpose and how did it work out for you?Did you get a career you loved instead of one you were bored at?Did you ruin your future retirement by dropping down so low?I dunno...maybe this is my mid-life crisis at 37...hahah. I just dont feel fulfilled at my job and there really isnt any room to move up. Maybe I could try corporate training for a better salary and still teach? I dunno... : My partner and I are considering adopting and being a teacher would give me much more time with a potential kiddo..thats for sure. Damn life questions and challenges! Anyway, I guess Im just looking for insight from people who have made a leap after being bored or otherwise unfulfilled in their career. Thanks in advance. EDIT: I really like the people I work with and have known them in various incarnations of companies for 15 years. We are much more friends than co-workers. I suppose something like that makes it easy to just stick around. My partner HATES his coworkers and I cant even imagine that. Bottom line, it is a good job, but I am feeling REALLY unfulfilled and there is no more climbing that can be done here. EDIT 2: Wow! This blew up. Thanks so much everyone! I should also add: I taught at the college level as a tech school for a year and a half and enjoyed it and I taught as a college adjunct for a few semesters and enjoyed it. If I taught public school, Id like to teach earth-science to jr high or humanities to high school. I think I would be a fantastic teacher, but I acknowledge that I probably know nothing at all. Both my parents were teachers. Mother taught at a tech school and father was an anat and phys professor. My best friends are teachers and they all say I would be great, but who knows...After reading this thread, I think the best thing I could do is use my connections with friends in school to shadow a teacher for a bit. EDIT 3: I am genuinely terrified for the next generation if every teacher says dont do it...it isnt teaching anymore. We seem like we are headed down a really nasty road leading to a pretty dim future...  <response>: You dont want to be a teacher. 