Changing careers at 10 years into a job, is it realistic? (update)

I want to move from IT help-desk technician to something with more stability. It has been weighing on me all week. My family is supportive but nervous. Did you take a pay cut?

Try a small project in the new field before committing. It told me a lot about whether I would enjoy it.

I took a small pay cut for a year, and it was worth it for the growth afterwards.