An IC7 engineer found the senior staff role was mostly meetings and docs. He preferred coding, debugging, and mentoring, which aligned better with an E5/E6 level. He actively requested a demotion to improve his job satisfaction, challenging the conventional "up-or-out" career mentality in tech.

In one's 20s, promotions are a key motivator and a quantifiable measure of success. As seniority increases, the thrill diminishes, replaced by the anxiety of meeting ever-higher expectations and the fear of not being capable of performing in the new role.

Many professionals advance to senior roles through sheer "hustle" and diving into execution. However, this same approach becomes a liability at higher levels where strategic thinking is required. The inability to shift from "doing" to "leading" causes frustration, self-doubt, and burnout.

An engineer recalled being an IC4 and thinking IC7 was an undesirable level of intensity. This fear shifted upward with each promotion; at IC6, he became open to IC7 but then felt the same about IC8. This shows how our perception of the "next level" changes as we grow and our ambitions evolve.

The conventional wisdom to 'never go backward' is flawed. Leaving a higher-paying but toxic job to return to a previous, more fulfilling one is a sign of growth. It demonstrates you've learned that day-to-day happiness is more valuable than a marginal salary increase.

Climbing the corporate ladder isn't always the ultimate goal. As professionals become more senior, they often move away from the hands-on, creative work they are passionate about. Leaders advise cherishing mid-career roles where you can be "in the weeds" of the actual work.

At the IC7+ level, there's a constant feeling of scrutiny—an "Eye of Sauron"—where you feel the company is questioning if it's getting its money's worth. This intense pressure to meet high expectations can lead to burnout and a desire to step back.

Achieving top levels quickly can lead to a long career plateau with no clear "next step." Titrating promotions—extending the "game" over a full career—might provide a more sustained sense of progress and fulfillment, though it's at odds with youthful ambition.

Being pushed out of a high-status role can be a positive turning point. When Finnish President Alexander Stubb lost a leadership challenge for Prime Minister, he and his wife celebrated. It was a relief because the domestic-focused role was not his strength, allowing him to pivot to more suitable work.