[mbm]

The first step in a transition like this is to make sure you actually enjoy and are good at DevOps. Ask yourself what someone in the role you're interested in is most likely to do on a day-to-day basis, and then practice doing those things for a few weeks and see if you actually like it. One thing I've learned time and time again is that my perception of what X is like is often very inaccurate to the actual experience of doing X.

Look up a few folks on LinkedIn in your area with the title you're interested in getting, and ask to buy them a coffee. Pick their brain on how they like what they're doing, where they see the field going, and what their frustrations are.

To take this to the next level, find a friend with a side project they're trying to launch, and offer to help them out on some of the DevOps aspects. Try it for a few weeks to months and then evaluate what you learned.

Once you're sure you actually like the work, you can start thinking about how to actually pivot into DevOps.

[willnonya]

This is pretty vapid advice. Setting aside the absurdity of the idea that you need to decide whether you can like a type of work before you're capable of doing it you've not answered OP's question to any degree.

If you have any experience with the field that allows you to answer OP's question please offer that rather than this feel good nonsense.

[kecupochren]

It's not completely unreasonable point. I do see it's a very different type of work compared to mine. But I learned that life is not about doing something you love, but learning to love what you do. So I'm game to try something new.

[willnonya]

I think you've nailed the point that they missed. You do not always get to do what you already love, especially when you have responsibilities, family etc. What you can do though is what you suggest, learn to love what you do. Which usually starts with being competent at it.