[CodeMage]

FWIW, I'm starting to seriously consider this as a strategy that will allow me to get to retirement without completely messing up my health due to stress and burnout.

That said, there's something deeply wrong with our industry if that's the way we expect things to work. I never felt that teaching was my calling, but I might end up being forced into it anyway and taking up a job that someone with proper passion and vocation could fill. Why? Because my own industry doesn't understand that unlimited growth is not sustainable.

For that matter, "growth" is not the right word, either. We're all being told that scaling the ladder is the same thing as growing and developing, but it's not.

[lokar]

But the point of the rule is that unlimited growth is not expected. There is a fairly clear point you need to get to, and then you can stay put if you like.

[CodeMage]

Yes, and I agree with that. But my reply was to a comment that seemed to dispute that idea and imply that if you wanted to stop growing at some point, then you should shift to academia.

That said, there is an expectation of unlimited growth and it comes from a different source: ageism. At my age, the implicit expectation is that I will apply for a staff or even principal role. Applying for a "merely" senior role often rings alarm bells.

That trend -- and certain others -- are what's making me consider taking up teaching instead.