Chase your dreams by taking a swing.

• Position: Careers

With about 12,000,000 Americans out of work and another 2,500,000 working less than they want, it is surprising that we could be facing a labor shortage in the near future. In just six years, there may be more jobs than bodies to fill them, according to research funded by MetLife Foundation and Civic Ventures. In addition, as many as 8,000,000 people in this country have finished one career and started a second, says Keith Gockenbach, a chemical engineer who retired to pursue dual second careers as a professional golfer and author.

In Inside, Outside, and On the Ropes: Life Lessons from Q-School and The Majors, Gockenbach writes about the lessons he learned while trying to make the Professional Golf Association's Champions Tour. "I was able to pursue my dream, but the odds were long. Looking back, I saw much of what I learned could easily apply to other professions. I learned these things on a golf course but they can work anywhere. Don't sell yourself short in golf or in life."

One he found most personally useful emerged as he fought the frustration and disappointment that come with weekly battles just to make the next tournament. "You have to fight your way back the same way you'd eat an elephant--a little at a time. Patiently. Calmly. Pace yourself. One shot at a time."

Other lessons include:

Know the rules. Breaking a...