And why your future self will thank you for starting now.
Regret’s a strange thing. It doesn’t show up loudly at first. It tiptoes in quietly – usually about 12 months after you could have done something… but didn’t.
Ask anyone who’s changed careers into something with more freedom, flexibility and actual breathing room, and they’ll tell you the same thing: “I just wish I’d started sooner.”
That’s the regret gap. The 6, 12 or 18-month stretch where nothing changed except your internal monologue. You waited for the perfect time, the next bonus round, the elusive stretch of ‘spare time’. And meanwhile, the opportunity kept sitting there. Waiting for you to notice.
The good news? You can avoid it. Here’s how.
1. Spot the signs early
Regret rarely starts with a bang. More often, it begins with a quiet voice asking questions like:
• Is this really what I want to be doing five years from now?
• Why does everyone seem to be running my time but me?
• What would I do if I wasn’t chasing someone else’s targets?
If you’ve caught yourself thinking these, you’re not having a crisis: you’re having clarity. The kind that usually shows up just before something changes.
2. Reframe the risk
We often think the risk is in making a move. But inaction has a cost, too: it’s just less visible on a spreadsheet. While you’re hesitating, others are moving, building, earning, and learning. In financial advice, 12 months could mean:
• Completing your training
• Building your first client base
• Earning income directly from your own efforts, not from someone else’s hierarchy
Imagine being a year into your new career by now. Feels different, doesn’t it?
3. Know the numbers
We all wait for the ‘right time’. A clearer calendar, a bigger bonus, one more promotion. But in reality? The right time rarely announces itself—and professionally speaking, it’s hard to imagine a better one than now. In reality, there’s never been a better time to become a financial adviser. The UK has roughly 27,000 advisers to serve over 11 million mass-affluent individuals (those with £50k–£5m to invest). Estimates show a shortfall of 50,000 advisers.
Translation? Demand is strong, the gap is growing, and people need professionals they can trust. If you’ve already got the financial services experience, you're not starting from zero - you’ve got a head start.
4. Start with a robust plan
Having an ambition to build your own business is one thing. The key is knowing how to do it without burning out, losing income or going it completely alone. That’s where the SJP Academy comes in.
The Academy provides a step-by-step, hands-on programme that gives you the tools, training and community you need to create a more independent, fulfilling career – without having to navigate it all solo. Read more about our programme here.
5. Remember how fast a year goes
Think back to what you were doing this time last year. Feels like five minutes ago, doesn’t it? That’s how time works when you’re busy. The days are long, but the years are fast.
Now imagine being 12 months from today, having finally made the move you’ve been thinking about for the last three. The only thing you’ll regret is waiting.
A final note for future-you
There’s no award for putting up with a tough career or dragging yourself through another stretch of ‘fine’. The freedom, income, and autonomy you want are within reach: but it starts with you.
If you’re already 80% there – qualifications, experience, credibility – don’t waste energy waiting for a ‘perfect’ moment that doesn’t exist. Close the regret gap. Start the conversation. Build the career that fits the life you actually want.
Your future self will thank you.
Interested in learning more about retraining as a financial adviser? Find out more about the Academy programme.