I work at a startup now in a leadership role. I am not a founder and I get paid less than I could make elsewhere while doing more work. However, working in a la

I work at a startup now in a leadership role. I am not a founder and I get paid less than I could make elsewhere while doing more work. However, working in a large company is not an alternative for me. Whenever I do I lose my motivation and phone it in, which damages my mental health because I feel like I can and should be doing more to keep my brain active. There is more time for R&R but something deep inside me is unfulfilled and I break down. I need the action and adventure of a risky bet. If I'm not fighting for my life then there's no fun in it. I'm going to spend a third of my life working regardless, so I want it to be exciting and interesting enough to keep me motivated. I'm getting to the point in this company where the risk is almost gone and all that remains is work, and the closer we get to that point the less interested I am in the business. I'm sure it will feel nice when we're consistently profitable and can hire more, delegate, etc., but it loses something at that point too. I won't be as hands-on, will have to work harder to whip the team into moving in the right direction, we'll be moving slower even if we're accumulating capital... Not my cup of tea. I find myself exploring side contracts, ideas for my own businesses, grad school, thoughts of alternative lifestyles that might make my wife and I happier... Fewer hours worked is part of that, I'd LOVE to have more time to learn and play, but it's hard to get there without putting in the effort upfront. The main thing that keeps me where I am is that I've spent years shaping my role into one where I can learn exactly what I want to learn, and I'm on the precipice of being able to finally do that. That's not something one gives up easily.