Title: Two years ago I had an option to go into the management path. My leadership was supportive and wanted me to take up the opportunity. I chose to pivot into the product management instead. My peer took that role. My role change didn’t go very well. Personally i was unhappy and felt unfulfilled at work. While I was respected at work and my manager very supportive I didn’t enjoy it. I quit and joined another company and pivoted into program management. Since then my work hours have doubled and while I am earning the highest paycheck I could have dreamed of, I am extremely unhappy being an IC.  I have 25 years of industry experience and I feel I should mentor people instead of moving JIRA tickets around.<p>Yesterday I saw my former colleague who grabbed the manager role, got promoted to a director. I was hard working and intelligent than him. I could’ve played my card right and be in that place. Yet here I am being ‘advanced beginner’ in a different role every couple of years doing grunt IC work. How do I turn the wheel of time back and undo my career mistake. I feel incredibly stupid. I am losing confidence in making good decisions.<p>How do I deal with my feelings? Should I seek professional help?
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