Can I Start a New Career at 40

November 30, 2021

19 Extremely Successful People Who Changed Careers After Turning 30

It's never too late to make a change in your life.

Questions about whether you're on the "right" career path can strike fear into even the most confident person's heart.

But as some of the most successful people prove, you don't have to have it all figured out from the start.

Plenty of highly successful people chose to make major career changes, some even many years into their adult lives.

Here are 19 highly successful people who prove it's never too late to change paths:

Jeff Bezos had a lucrative career in computer science on Wall Street and took on top roles at various financial firms before transitioning to the world of e-commerce and launching Amazon at 31.

David Ryder/Getty

John Glenn is best known for becoming the first American astronaut to orbit Earth in 1962. But 12 years later, at 53 years old, he became a US senator in Ohio, a role he held for 24 years. He did return to space in 1998, however, on a nine-day mission aboard the space shuttle Discovery.

Terry Crews has received numerous accolades for his comedy work on award-winning shows "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." But no one was laughing when they got tackled by Crews during his four-season stint as a defensive player for various NFL teams in the mid-90s.

Terry Crews has received numerous accolades for his comedy work on award-winning shows

Brooklyn Nine-Nine/FOX

Vera Wang was a figure skater and journalist before entering the fashion industry at age 40. Today she's one of the world's premier women's designers.

Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

Long before Ronald Reagan became the 40th president of the United States at 69, he was a young, up-and-coming Hollywood actor in film and TV.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has made two major career changes, first when he transitioned from world champion bodybuilder in his 20s to award-winning actor in his 30s, then when he became the Governor of California in 2003 at 56.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has made two major career changes, first when he transitioned from world champion bodybuilder in his 20s to award-winning actor in his 30s, then when he became the Governor of California in 2003 at 56.

Getty Images

Harland Sanders, better known as Colonel Sanders, was 62 when he franchised Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1952, which he sold for $2 million 12 years later. Before serving up his renowned original recipe, Sanders held several odd jobs including country lawyer, gas station operator, and railroad worker.

Harland Sanders, better known as Colonel Sanders, was 62 when he franchised Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1952, which he sold for $2 million 12 years later. Before serving up his renowned original recipe, Sanders held several odd jobs including country lawyer, gas station operator, and railroad worker.

AP Photo

Before launching viral new media sites Buzzfeed and The Huffington Post in his 30s, Jonah Peretti was teaching middle-schoolers how to use Microsoft Office as a computer science teacher.

Business Insider

Ray Kroc spent his career as a milkshake-device salesman before buying McDonald's at age 52 in 1954. He grew it into the world's biggest fast-food franchise.

AP Photo

Anna Mary Robertson Moses, better known as Grandma Moses, began her prolific painting career at 78. In 2006, one of her paintings sold for $1.2 million. Previously, she was a housekeeper and farm laborer.

Anna Mary Robertson Moses, better known as Grandma Moses, began her prolific painting career at 78. In 2006, one of her paintings sold for $1.2 million. Previously, she was a housekeeper and farm laborer.

Arthur Z. Brooks/AP

Taikichiro Mori was an academic who became a real-estate investor at age 51, when he founded Mori Building Company. His brilliant investments made him the richest man in the world in 1992, when he had a net worth of $13 billion.

Taikichiro Mori was an academic who became a real-estate investor at age 51, when he founded Mori Building Company. His brilliant investments made him the richest man in the world in 1992, when he had a net worth of $13 billion.

Katsumi Kasahara/AP

Donald Fisher was 40 and had no experience in retail when he and his wife, Doris, opened the first Gap store in San Francisco in 1969. The Gap's clothes quickly became fashionable, and today the company is one of the world's largest clothing chains.

Donald Fisher was 40 and had no experience in retail when he and his wife, Doris, opened the first Gap store in San Francisco in 1969. The Gap's clothes quickly became fashionable, and today the company is one of the world's largest clothing chains.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art/YouTube

Tim and Nina Zagat were both lawyers in their late 30s when they published their first collection of restaurant reviews under the Zagat name in 1979. The brand eventually became a mark of culinary authority.

Joe Corrigan/Getty

Nov 29, 2017

Petrie Compereed

Can I Start a New Career at 40

19 Extremely Successful People Who Changed Careers After Turning 30

It's never too late to make a change in your life.

Jeff Bezos had a lucrative career in computer science on Wall Street and took on top roles at various financial firms before transitioning to the world of e-commerce and launching Amazon at 31.

John Glenn is best known for becoming the first American astronaut to orbit Earth in 1962. But 12 years later, at 53 years old, he became a US senator in Ohio, a role he held for 24 years. He did return to space in 1998, however, on a nine-day mission aboard the space shuttle Discovery.

Terry Crews has received numerous accolades for his comedy work on award-winning shows "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." But no one was laughing when they got tackled by Crews during his four-season stint as a defensive player for various NFL teams in the mid-90s.

Vera Wang was a figure skater and journalist before entering the fashion industry at age 40. Today she's one of the world's premier women's designers.

Long before Ronald Reagan became the 40th president of the United States at 69, he was a young, up-and-coming Hollywood actor in film and TV.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has made two major career changes, first when he transitioned from world champion bodybuilder in his 20s to award-winning actor in his 30s, then when he became the Governor of California in 2003 at 56.

Harland Sanders, better known as Colonel Sanders, was 62 when he franchised Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1952, which he sold for $2 million 12 years later. Before serving up his renowned original recipe, Sanders held several odd jobs including country lawyer, gas station operator, and railroad worker.

Before launching viral new media sites Buzzfeed and The Huffington Post in his 30s, Jonah Peretti was teaching middle-schoolers how to use Microsoft Office as a computer science teacher.

Ray Kroc spent his career as a milkshake-device salesman before buying McDonald's at age 52 in 1954. He grew it into the world's biggest fast-food franchise.

Anna Mary Robertson Moses, better known as Grandma Moses, began her prolific painting career at 78. In 2006, one of her paintings sold for $1.2 million. Previously, she was a housekeeper and farm laborer.

Taikichiro Mori was an academic who became a real-estate investor at age 51, when he founded Mori Building Company. His brilliant investments made him the richest man in the world in 1992, when he had a net worth of $13 billion.

Donald Fisher was 40 and had no experience in retail when he and his wife, Doris, opened the first Gap store in San Francisco in 1969. The Gap's clothes quickly became fashionable, and today the company is one of the world's largest clothing chains.

Tim and Nina Zagat were both lawyers in their late 30s when they published their first collection of restaurant reviews under the Zagat name in 1979. The brand eventually became a mark of culinary authority.

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