Do you find yourself sitting at your 9-to-5 job feeling like you'll be stuck to that desk forever? There is hope for you, dear reader!
Some of the most successful people in the country didn't start out on a career path anywhere close to that which eventually made them happy, rich or both. In fact, the average American changes jobs 10 to 15 times between the ages of 18 and 46, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. So no, you're not alone if you're unhappy with where you're at.
To convince you that leaving your day job might just be the best thing you've ever done, we rounded up some of most inspirational career changes in recent history:
Walt Disney was a newspaper editor. Dreams didn't always come true for Walt. The founder of The Walt Disney Company started out as a newspaper editor, but was apparently fired because “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.”
Ellen Degeneres was a paralegal and "oyster shucker." Before being named Showtime's Funniest Person in America in 1982, comedian and TV host Ellen Degeneres held these two much less glamorous jobs.
Julia Child was a spy. The famed chef wasn't cooking up delicious French cuisines until age 36. Before that, she worked as a CIA intelligence officer.
Harrison Ford was a carpenter. After his performance in "American Graffiti," Ford gave up acting for the financial stability of carpentry. That is, until George Lucas came calling about a little movie called "Star Wars."
Ken Jeong was a doctor. Best known as Mr. Chow from The Hangover, actor and comedian Ken Jeong first earned his MD from the University of North Carolina and began a physician practice. In 2007, after a string of stand-up jobs on the side, Jeong made his first feature film debut in Knocked Up as -- what else? -- a doctor.
Elvis Costello was a computer programmer. The songwriter's singing may have made him famous, but his genius was by no means limited to just music. Costello first spent his days in an office operating an IBM 360.
Allen Ginsberg was a dishwasher. American beat poet Allen Ginsberg is best remembered for his bestselling poem, "Howl." But before he found success through writing, Ginsberg held a variety of odd jobs, working as a spot welder, night porter and cargo ship worker.
Andrea Bocelli was a lawyer. After graduating with a law degree from the University of Pisa, Andrea Bocelli worked as a defense attorney until the age of 34, when he left his job to sing full time.
Sylvester Stallone was a deli-counter assistant and lion-cage cleaner. Before stepping into the boxing ring, actor Sylvester Stallone was earning $1.12 an hour at the Central Park Zoo, among some other not-so-glamorous jobs.
Whoopi Goldberg put makeup on dead people. Before Whoopi's big break in 1985, Goldberg worked at a funeral parlor applying makeup to the deceased.
Brad Pitt was a limo driver. For strippers. Yep, Brad used to drive strippers to and from bachelor parties. Before this, he also dressed up as a giant chicken and stood outside of an "El Pollo Loco" restaurant waving to cars.
Joy Behar was a high school english teacher. The host of "The View" and "The Joy Behar Show" wasn't always the comedian we all love. In fact, Behar was a high school english teacher until the age of 40.
Anna Mary Robertson "Grandma" Moses sold potato chips. The American folk artist didn't even put paint to canvas until her 80s. For most of her life she worked on her farm in Virginia and practiced embroidery as a hobby. When her arthritis made it too difficult to hold a needle, she picked up a paint brush instead.
