If you're not satisfied with your current career path, it might be time to consider making a change. Today's career experts agree most people experience a career change 3 to 7 times throughout their working life.

However, these are the kinds of changes that cause massive amounts of stress, anxiety and worry. Sure, they can be exciting at the same time. But overall, a change of career is nothing to sneeze at. It takes more planning and preparation than most people realize.

Here are some tips on if you are considering taking a leap and change your career:

1. Show passion and patience

It's important that you let your passion for the new industry to shine. Remember, passion is your sales pitch. You need to find some element of the company or industry that you find particularly interesting or appealing and play that up in your elevator pitch and during interviews. Also, changing your career takes time. You can't just drop what you've been doing and move on to the next thing overnight.

2. Do your Research and formulate a plan

Focus on identifying an industry that is strong or emerging in your targeted area and has similarities to your current industry experience. Perhaps you need to go back to school, or take an internship, or look for an interim job that will provide you with the background you need

Map out the steps you will take to get from where you are to where you want to be and commit to a realistic time frame

3. Test the waters.

Research indicates that midlife adults are more likely to make successful transitions experientially rather than analytically. The big revelations come from jumping in and trying new things to see what works.

"Change can be scary, but often that fear of change or failure is actually what will keep you from succeeding," says Laura Lee, Margaritaville Enterprises' president of media and chief digital officer. "Instead of spending your time thinking, start doing - experiment and take a leap of faith."