In The Road Ahead, billionaire Bill Gates wrote that investing in yourself was an important measure of future success. But many simply don’t have the time or inclination to do so – a decision which could be career limiting. For those who do take his advice to heart, the payoffs often go beyond a pay rise and lead to a new career direction or work/life balance.

Like Cara Stagg, 29, who had her personal growth epiphany two years ago while working long hours in a movie industry human resources role. “It felt like I was on a hamster wheel, the only challenge was keeping up with the volume of work. There was no room for growth because it was about doing as much as possible, working harder, not smarter. I lost my sense of purpose and knew that I needed a break because I felt so exhausted and burnt out.”