I realized climbing the corporate ladder wasn't for me. A sabbatical gave me headspace to pivot, and I never went back.

Glenn Stephenson worked at PwC for seven years. Mariusz Smiejek for BI This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Glenn Stephenson, 32, who lives in Belfast, UK. The following has been edited for length and clarity. I joined PwC after graduating with a business degree in 2016, and I knew the hyper-competitive environment would push me. Seven years in, I wanted to push myself again, so I requested a sabbatical. My job had given me satisfaction and agency, but when I looked ahead, a...