If you want to make a change in your work life because you want more fulfillment, more happiness and less stress (yes, all are possible) then you have to stop thinking about the money. If you really want to change your life and improve the quality of it, then you have to stop looking at new jobs solely based on how much money you will or not make.
You have to first look at your skills and behaviors and then figure out where they will be best placed to drive your overall happiness and fulfillment. And yes, get paid. Then you go find that job. Most people just go looking and applying for jobs that are similar to or exactly what they are currently doing but with a different company. They don’t stop and think that it may be the job that they are doing itself that they don’t like anymore. Regardless if they are trying to stay in the same industry or change industries entirely, the same conversation always comes up. “I can’t take a pay cut.” We (you and I) can have this discussion for hours and see it from 100 different ways and I am always going to land on the side of “it’s not about the money”. Ask anyone that has worked with me. They will tell you it’s been one of my mantras for my entire career and continues to drive my decision making to this day. The other mantra (thank you for asking) is who you work for is more important than how much money you are going to make. I only have these two when it comes to the big decision making in careers. Remember, what’s important in life is that you live the story that you want written about you. Is your story going to be about the people you worked with, the fun you’ve had and the difference you made? Or is it how much money you made while spending your work life unhappy? What’s your story?