Last night, I had an inspiring dinner with three old friends who are living proof that it really is possible to change your career and your life — and that a little bit of support can go a long way in getting you started.

The four of us first met years ago when we signed up for one of author Barbara Sher’s Success Team networking groups. We got together once a week for eight weeks to share ideas, contacts, and war stories.

I remember feeling skeptical as I made my way to a stranger’s apartment for my very first Success Team meeting, but it turned out to be an extremely valuable experience. At the time, I was in the final stages of my escape from Corporate America and feeling a bit overwhelmed. I loved having weekly opportunities to report on my progress and get feedback and ideas from a group of smart and creative people who were rooting for me.

After our official  sessions ended, we tried to keep informal meetings going for a while. But everybody got busy and we eventually drifted apart.  Last night, we finally had a chance to sit around a table again and catch up on the last few years. I was blown away by the dramatic changes in my old friends.

Last time I saw Ellen, she was still struggling to find a way to leave the corporate grind for good and make a living from her passion for yoga. She now spends her days teaching yoga at some of Manhattan’s top gyms. She looks ten times happier, not to mention ridiculously buff.

Navid joined the Success Team because he was spending too much time working and felt something was missing in his life. Today, he is balancing the work of managing his small business with more hours spent running in the park, taking photographs, and writing poetry.  His experience even helped to inspire his wife Amy to join a Success Team and get serious about pursuing a career as a musician.

When I first met Adrienne, she was stuck in a job she had outgrown and trying to figure out her next career move. Since then, she has landed a much better job and also set up a thriving side business as an image consultant. She looks like a new woman — much more confident and  energized than the Adrienne I remember.

None of us magically changed overnight because of a few group meetings. However, we all agreed that the Success Team experience gave us a valuable boost  when we really needed it.

If you are going through a career change (or a major life change of any kind, really), I strongly recommend finding or creating your own support system of like-minded cheerleaders. The benefits are many. First of all, you’ll get lots of valuable advice and ideas and connections. Even more importantly, your team meetings will offer you opportunities to talk freely about your goals without being judged or criticized. You can  brag, vent, or cry without embarrassment. Your team members will hold you accountable when you’re feeling lazy and refuse to let you give up when you’re discouraged over a minor (or even major) setback.

Since my Success Team days, I have  discovered other great support networks — through both formal networking groups and lucky introductions. I have come to believe that you can never have too many. So I was thrilled to re-connect with Ellen, Navid (and Amy), and Adrienne and hear about all of their amazing accomplishments. In fact, we were having so much fun that the restaurant had to kick us out to close up for the night (we finally got the hint when they started flickering the lights).  So we are setting a date for our next meeting to discuss how we can help each other tackle the next goals on our to-do lists. 

If you’d like to connect with your own group, I highly recommend Barbara Sher’s Success Teams (especially here in New York, where groups are led by the wonderful Andrea Reese). If your focus is on career change, you also might want to check out one of my Escape Club groups. And you can always recruit your own supporters and build a team on your own terms. Start out by inviting some likely candidates to gather for dinner and brainstorming. If the chemistry is good, you can make it a regular event.