Burnout hit a few years ago. The reliable paycheck stopped, and I had to reassess everything — including how much of my “what's next?” was shaped by old titles, fear of the unknown, and what other people would think. Now I make my own way, and I have the confidence I'll keep figuring it out no matter what.

I spent nearly three decades in tech watching smart, capable people slowly disappear inside their jobs. I did it too — longer than I should have. Now I'm demonstrating that there's another way — and that you don't have to wait for a dramatic moment to start finding it.