The counterintuitive career move:
Take a pay cut. On purpose.
The best career move might not be what you think.
For many, it’s counterintuitive, and the answer is stepping back.
Not forever.
Not because you’re burnt out (though you might be).
Not because you failed (you didn’t).
Because you need space to think.
And you can’t think at 100mph.
The Busyness Trap
Most high-performers are trapped in a cycle they don’t notice.
High-intensity role → Brief recovery → Higher-intensity role → Repeat.
They change companies. Chase promotions. Seek better compensation.
But the pattern stays the same.
Always moving. Never stopping.
The resume looks impressive.
The internal experience? Exhausting.
Here’s what happens when you never stop moving:
You lose the ability to notice what actually matters to you.
The signal gets drowned out by noise.
You’re too busy executing to reflect on whether you’re executing the right things.
You optimize for external markers (title, salary, prestige) because you don’t have space to define internal ones.
Every career decision becomes reactive.
“This opportunity came up.”
“My manager suggested it.”
“It’s the logical next step.”
Logical according to who?
What Down-Regulating Actually Means
Down-regulating isn’t quitting.
It’s not “dropping out” or “giving up.”
It’s a tactical move to create breathing room.
Lower-intensity role. Fewer direct reports. Smaller scope.
Maybe 20-30% pay cut.
Same industry. Same general field.
But slower pace. Lower stakes.
People will ask: “Why would you step down?”
They’re asking the wrong question.
You’re not stepping down.
You’re stepping back to see the map.
Here’s what that space creates:
Room to sleep through the night. Not waking up at 3am mentally drafting emails.
Time with people who matter. Dinner with your family without checking Slack.
Mental bandwidth to think. Not just react. Not just execute. Actually think.
That slower pace isn’t wasted time.
It’s the most strategic move you can make.
The Reflection Period
When you’re not constantly in survival mode, something shifts.
You start noticing patterns.
Patterns you couldn’t see when you were drowning in meetings.
Questions you can finally answer:
What projects brought the most value? Not to the company. To you. What lit you up?
What work energized you vs drained you? Where did time disappear? Where did it drag?
What skills did you lean into across every role? The ones you didn’t need to force. The ones that felt natural.
What problems are you drawn to solving? Even when no one asked you to. Even when it wasn’t your job.
These aren’t small questions.
They’re the questions that define your next decade.
But you can’t answer them between meetings.
You can’t answer them on Sunday evenings.
You can’t answer them while managing 12 direct reports and hitting quarterly targets.
You need space.
Real space. Not “I’ll think about it later” space.
Dedicated, protected, strategic space.
The Clarity That Follows
Here’s what happens when you create that space:
You start seeing your through-line.
The thread that connects everything you’ve done that felt right.
Not the things you were good at because you had to be.
The things you were good at because you leaned into them.
That through-line is your signal.
It’s been there the whole time.
You just couldn’t hear it over the noise.
Down-regulating turns down the volume.
Suddenly, the signal is clear.
And when the signal is clear, your next move becomes obvious.
Not because someone told you.
Not because it’s the “logical step.”
Because it aligns with what you’ve been moving toward all along.
The Practical Reality
Let’s be honest.
Not everyone can down-regulate.
If you’re supporting a family on a single income, a 30% pay cut might not be viable.
If you’re carrying debt, the math might not work.
If your partner isn’t on board, it creates tension.
Down-regulating requires financial runway.
But here’s the thing:
You don’t need to make a dramatic move.
You don’t need to quit your director role and become an IC overnight.
You can create space in smaller ways.
Can you create 10% more space this month?
Delegate or automate one recurring task.
Say no to one low-value project.
Block one morning for reflection.
Can you protect one hour a week for strategic thinking?
Not planning. Not executing.
Thinking about what you’re building and why.
Can you take a sabbatical?
Three months unpaid leave.
Use it to reflect.
Can you negotiate a 4-day work week?
Same role. 80% salary. 20% more headspace.
The principle is the same:
Stop treating busyness as a badge. Start creating space as strategy.
What To Do With The Space
Creating space isn’t enough.
You have to use it intentionally.
Most people create a gap and immediately fill it with more tasks.
They take Friday off and spend it running errands.
They block thinking time and use it to catch up on emails.
Don’t do that.
Here’s what to do instead:
Week 1-2: Notice
What work do I lean into when I have a choice?
What feels friction-free?
What energizes me vs drains me?
Week 3-4: Reflect
What patterns emerge across every role I’ve had?
What problems am I naturally drawn to?
What skills do I use even when no one asks?
Week 5-6: Explore
Who’s doing work that looks like my through-line?
What would it look like to build that for myself?
What’s one small experiment I could run?
Week 7-8: Test
Run the experiment.
Notice what happens.
Adjust and repeat.
This isn’t passive reflection.
It’s active exploration.
You’re using the space to build self-awareness.
And self-awareness is the most valuable asset you can develop.
The Uncomfortable Truth
Here’s what most people won’t tell you:
The most interesting thing about you isn’t your job.
But you’ll never discover what is if you’re too busy.
You’ve spent years optimizing for external validation.
Promotions. Titles. Salary increases.
All of it matters.
But none of it answers the question: What do I actually want?
You can’t answer that question in the cracks between meetings.
You can’t answer it on your commute.
You can’t answer it by scrolling LinkedIn at 11pm.
You need dedicated space.
And if you can afford to create it, you should.
Not forever.
Not permanently.
Just long enough to hear the signal.
The Invitation
Down-regulating isn’t for everyone.
But if you’re constantly moving and wondering why nothing feels right...
If you’re successful on paper but exhausted in practice...
If you keep changing roles but the feeling doesn’t change...
Maybe the problem isn’t the role.
Maybe it’s the pace.
Create space.
Even 10%.
Use it to notice, not execute.
Most people never hear it because they’re too busy.
Don’t be most people.
Until next time,
Elis
Off The Path – redesign work so it fits life
P.S. If this resonated, forward it to someone who needs permission to slow down. They’ll thank you for it.
Love this!