Backwards career moves can make you happier and more successful, says leadership expert: If you can't reinvent yourself, 'you're screwed'

Taking a lower-paying job doesn’t usually sound like a positive development for someone’s career. Neither does going on an extended hiatus from work.

But seemingly backwards moves — starting like an entry-level role in a new industry, or going back to school for a career change — often have the potential to make you happier and more successful in the long run, according to bestselling author and leadership expert Simon Sinek.

“I think a lot of people think that if you only maintain forward momentum, that’s the only way to advance,” Sinek said on his “A Bit of Optimism” podcast, in a September 2 episode featuring happiness expert and Harvard University professor Arthur Brooks. “But the reality is: It’s kind of more like a slingshot ... At some point, you have to go back, and then it fires forward a lot faster than if you were just walking the stone forward.”

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Happiness and fulfillment come from learning, pursuing opportunities that you enjoy and bouncing back from moves that don’t work out, said Sinek. But people frequently struggle with how these decisions are perceived by others, making it hard to love the process. That’s especially true for students and early-career professionals, who may feel like they’re competing with their peers to reach certain milestones, he said.