This principal designer is rethinking their entire career—here’s why

I recently caught up with a friend, a Principal Designer, who’s been with the same company for nearly eight years. From the outside, it looks like everything’s going well—steady role, leading a team, respected by peers. But during our conversation, they opened up about something I hear more often than you’d expect: they’re questioning whether they want to keep moving up in design leadership at all.

Here’s how the conversation went (edited for clarity and confidentiality):

Principal Designer: "I feel stuck. I’m not sure this is where I want to be anymore."

Me: "That’s surprising. From our previous conversations, you’ve built a solid career. What’s been on your mind?"

Principal Designer: "It’s hard to explain. I feel like I’m managing process more than I’m solving real design problems. Deadlines, handoffs, stakeholder demands—it’s like the design work has taken a backseat to just keeping the machine running."

Me: "So, you’re spending more time managing than designing?"

Principal Designer: "Exactly. I miss the days when I could really dive into the craft. Now I spend most of my time in meetings or putting out fires. I look back at my earlier years in design and realise I was more engaged then, even though the work wasn’t as high-profile."

This feeling is common among senior designers, especially those in leadership roles. It’s not burnout—it’s a sense of disconnection from the creative work that originally drew them into the field. The big question they’re facing is: what’s next?

Here’s what we discussed:

→ Recognise when your role has shifted into something that no longer energises you.

→ It’s normal to miss hands-on design work, even as your career grows in prestige.

→ Career progression isn’t always about moving "up"—sometimes it’s about lateral moves that align with your passions.

The real challenge came out when they said this:

Principal Designer: "I don’t even know if I’m capable of going back to hands-on work. I feel so out of practice. I tinker with side projects but they're not enough to keep my skills fresh."

Me: "That’s totally understandable. You’ve been in this for a long time, but those skills are still there. The real question is, what’s stopping you from making that shift?"

Principal Designer: "Fear. Fear of stepping down in responsibility, fear of what people might think, and fear that maybe I won’t be as good as I used to be."

Me: "It sounds like you’re not afraid of failing—you’re afraid of what it looks like. But this isn’t necessarily about stepping backward. It could be about redefining your role to find what fulfills you again."

How many others feel stuck, with no clear path forward? And how many are hesitant to talk about it because they don’t know where to turn for support?

Have you ever found yourself in this position—feeling disconnected from the work that used to drive you? What did you do to find your way forward? I'd love to hear how others are navigating this.

Hi, I’m Mindaugas. I help designers navigate their careers by building curated mastermind groups that provide support and growth through peer conversations.

Although I try not to sell heavily to friends (probably a mistake), this designer has signed up so I can find him a group of peers. I can’t be the career agony aunt for everyone, as much as I enjoy these conversations.

Over the last decade, I’ve worked with designers and professionals from companies like Google, Amazon, and Netflix. If you're interested in learning more about Coho, my platform for connecting professionals through curated peer groups, learn more here.