Many professionals want to change their lives but can’t envision a different path, so they stay mired in dead-end careers. But most have more potential than they think. Even if you’ve been in the same job for 20 years, there are aspects of your personality that can be the source of appealing work alternatives and motivate you to change. These are your possible selves--paths contemplated but not taken.

Consider, for example, a banker who once thought he’d run his own business, a secretary who dreamed of being a writer or an engineer who’s discovered he enjoys actively working with others, for example.

By uncovering possible selves, you can forge a more satisfying and successful work identity. Possible selves are powerful catalysts for career change because they help you break career paralysis, rediscover other interests and motivations and remind you that your abilities transcend your current job. They also can lead you through career transition gently, allowing you to "practice" a new occupation before committing to a career change.

Brendan Greer, now 41 years old, uncovered a possible self which enabled him to move from business to medicine in mid-career. After receiving an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Greer worked as a financial analyst in the movie business. Although he was paid well and enjoyed his job, he was dissatisfied. He wanted more stimulating and people-oriented work and suspected he would enjoy a career in medicine.

Dr. Greer tested this newfound possible self by taking pre-med courses at night. Then, at the age of 32, he entered medical school, eventually specializing in psychiatry. Now a psychiatrist with a community-based practice in Pennsylvania, Dr. Greer is content.

"I’m really happy. I like getting up and going to work every day. I even like it when I have to go to work two nights a week," he says. As a doctor, he says he’s "come home" because his career encompasses many aspects of his personality and skills.

The idea that people can harness possible selves to create a better personal future was first suggested in the mid-1980s by psychologist Hazel Markus of Stanford University. She and several colleagues noted people who had experienced difficult personal situations, such as growing up in an oppressive family environment, often functioned differently than other adults. Some were locked into negative images of themselves, while others were able to function productively. Researchers believe members of the highly functional group were able to unearth alternative selves that allowed them to see that other possibilities existed beyond their immediate situation.

"People may be committed to change but can’t seem to do it. Possible selves allow people to cast themselves into a different future," says Regula Herzog, a social psychologist at the University of Michigan who works with Dr. Markus.

The concept of possible selves is particularly useful if you’re contemplating changing your career. What if the interests and talents you had when you were younger now could be tapped? As an adult, you can support some of these potential selves in ways never encouraged before.

Consider my experience. For 11 years in the 1980s and early 1990s, I had a successful career as a product development and marketing executive for a large bank. When I began providing informal resume and career direction to colleagues who "survived" two waves of layoffs, I unexpectedly discovered an earlier possible self who had a passion for helping others, especially in the corporate world. This led me to leave banking and eventually start my own career counseling practice.

But possible selves also may enrich your life in ways that don’t lead to career change. You may rediscover creative, interpersonal or technological interests in mid-life that simply rekindle curiosity and growth. Even if you can’t pursue these interests immediately, you may find you remain conscious of them and more receptive to related career opportunities.

Many people report a sense of relief as they bring a buried possible self into focus. It can be fun to fantasize about how your life could be different. This can also motivate you to explore possible work selves. As you investigate these potential careers, possible selves help you to grow into a new identity. The more you try out a future self, the more confident you’ll feel about making a change and introducing yourself to others in your chosen field.

Finding possible selves that will lead to more satisfying work can be challenging. Enduring themes that keep resurfacing in your life are a good source. What projects or activities have you performed reasonably well or have given you a sense of enjoyment or accomplishment? Look for patterns of skills, interests and environments in these work and life experiences. If you’re unhappy with your current position, you may find your most meaningful achievements are volunteer, personal or family activities. For example, a supervisor who spend his career at a firm producing military communications equipment cited accomplishments from extracurricular activities. They helped him rediscover his gift for writing and diagnosing and solving structural problems in people (as in physical therapy) and in buildings (as in engineering and architecture).

Often, childhood accomplishments are good sources of possible selves because they may reflect abilities you never fully developed. Revisiting these years with a career counselor can be productive, says Alan Pickman, a psychologist and senior outplacement consultant at Chase Manhattan Bank Career Services in New York. "We can help clients uncover their early hopes, dreams and fantasies, back when they were in middle school, before they were influenced by parents and peers," says Dr. Pickman. "I help clients connect with their possible selves by asking them what they thought their future would be like when they were younger."

Also make a list of careers you would like and rate each one’s probability for you. For those you’ve rated low, seek feedback on how you could surmount the obstacles you envision.

"A career counselor can actively encourage clients to think more broadly and creatively," says Dr. Pickman. "Later, the counselor can work with clients who see too few options as well as those who see too many to balance their passions with workplace realities." You can also obtain feedback from a trustworthy and supportive friend who won’t feel threatened by your journey.

Guided autobiography -- regularly writing down key aspects of your life -- can help you capture your possible selves. Start with peak experiences you’ve had -- vivid events that were meaningful and enjoyable. Jot down career daydreams. List specific people, events, experiences or stories that have had a large impact on your life. You’ll uncover abilities you never developed and environments in which you could thrive.

Many people also benefit from listing key decisions they’ve made -- the forks in the road of life. How did you make the decisions that you’re happy with? If you had to make them again, what would you do differently?

You can also discover alternative life plots and possibilities through creative visualization. First, use a technique such as progressive relaxation (clenching and releasing muscles groups as you move from head to toe) to become deeply relaxed. Select an enjoyable scene and use your senses to make it come alive -- what do you see, hear and smell? Now, pick an experience you wish had turned out differently and see how you would rewrite it.

Constructing future scenarios is an excellent way to simulate the consequences of continuing in your present career. Imagine your retirement dinner, for example. What would the toasts be like if you continue on your current path? Imagine pursuing a different path and write that retirement speech. What are your reactions?

After you have a new career direction, use your possible selves to move into your new career. They’ll help you experiment with different options and work roles so you can let go of your old identity.

Barbara Beckmann, a systems analyst with AT&T Corp. in Short Hills, N.J., went through this process. Before joining her current employer, she noticed she liked gathering information and analyzing situations to identify patterns. As she unearthed this possible self and saw dramatic growth in computer-related jobs, she decided to leave her career designing and running children’s recreational programs and enroll in computer training. She grew into her new identity during training and her first computer job. Now, Ms. Beckmann is prepared to explore her other possible selves and perhaps become a webmaster or multimedia project director.

Possible selves help you think about and ready yourself for the future. As you do this, you can start behaving in sync with your new direction. For example, a pollution engineer in his 50s volunteered to make additional business calls to hone his client skills before applying for a job as a client manager.

You can also create opportunities to network by practicing the behaviors and sharing information with people connected with your future job.

Possible selves are powerful allies that can help you identify, explore and transition to a rewarding career. What are you waiting for?

-- Ms. Scherer, a former outplacement consultant and marketing executive, is president of Metro Career Services, a career-consulting firm in Millburn, N.J.