About this time five years ago, people from across the planet began writing to ask how they could change their career and have the life they really wanted. The events of and weeks after Sept. 11 had gotten them thinking.

"I figured it was time to stop working so hard," one man told me. "I want a career where I have more control over my time. You never know how much time you have left."

Others wanted to take a whack at doing the thing they'd always dreamed of. Still others said they'd had enough of working for knuckleheads and it was time to go out on their own.

Five years ago most people didn't know what they wanted next. They just knew they wanted more than what they had.

They wanted work that was more meaningful. Nine out of 10 people said, "I want to make a difference," "I want to help others" or "I want to feel proud of what I do." Although when pressed, they admitted that they didn't know what that meant.

A recent Harris poll asked 1,020 adults what they considered to be the most prestigious occupations. Turns out all the jobs are in service of others. Firefighters, doctors and nurses are seen as the having the most prestigious occupations, according to the poll. After that come scientists, teachers, military officers, police officers and clergy.

At the bottom of the rung are business executives, stockbrokers and real estate agents. Just slightly above those professions, but on the lower end of the spectrum are actors, union leaders, journalists, bankers, accountants, entertainers and lawyers. Athletes, architects, members of Congress and engineers rate a little higher.

In the 29 years that Harris has been tracking how Americans feel about various professions, teachers have risen in prestige 23 points and lawyers have fallen 15 points.

Does that mean if you want meaningful work you should give up being a lawyer or your dream to become one and become a firefighter or teacher? No more than you should become an accountant because out of 250 jobs, it's rated as the 18th best in the Jobs Rated Almanac (because of low physical demand, low unemployment and a high degree of mobility).

It's no more reason to become a banker with its rating as the 56th best job because of high growth potential, low physical demand, low unemployment and moderate stress.

Lawyers, journalists, athletes, and members of Congress can make a tremendous difference. It depends on what you do with the job. The work of a firefighter clearly helps others. But it's also a job ranked as the 238th best job in the list of 250 because of high risk, danger, stress and physical demands.

Stress and anxiety comes with any job to one degree or another. You add on more stress when you're doing work that you dislike terribly. A study at the University College London says a stressful job could double your risk of suffering heart disease and diabetes.

A lot of people who contacted me five years ago with that "longing for something more" have forgotten about that pressure of time ticking away. They got busy doing other things.

But I remember your e-mails and letters and what you wished for, and five years later remind you that now is the time to give that gnawing in the pit of your gut your full attention.

Don't wait for a wake-up call to examine your rich credentials, deep expertise and what matters to you most. It's time to drown out the parade of fearful voices of why you can't make a change to something more meaningful and become a rising star. Stop at nothing.