After months (maybe even years) of careful thought, you have decided that the time is finally right to make a career change. This is one of the biggest decisions of your professional life and it will have a significant impact -- one way or another -- on your quality of life.

Buckle up! This change won't happen overnight and it's going to be a roller coaster of a process. As you navigate your way through the career change process, here are five mistakes to avoid.