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Data shows that mid-career panic prompts millions to rethink work

Panic generic (WJXT, Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.)

ORLANDO, Fla. – New data shows millions of Americans continue to change jobs each month, with more than three million people quitting their jobs in a typical month last year.

And experts say mid-year, right around June, can be a turning point, when people take a hard look at their goals and start thinking about what’s next. And for many, especially in their 40s, it’s not just about a new job. It’s a moment of re-evaluation, sometimes called a mid-career panic.

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It starts quietly, progress starts to slow and the clock feels louder. Every scroll, every update feels like a reminder you’re not where you thought you’d be.

“People are comparing themselves to everybody else’s highlight reel,” Jenna Watson, Executive coaching, LMHC, said.

So what should you do when that panic first hits? Find out Friday on The Morning Show.