Way back in my desktop support days, I worked for a major multi-national, multi-industry company. There was a huge refresh project that necessitated the hiring of additional contractors. In most of the teams I worked with there was someone who was promoted into management that decided to leave the position to work as a hardware tech even though the pay was substantially less.

When I asked why, every last one of them said something to the effect of: "I'd rather play with the hardware than deal with the corporate rat-race."

Me? If I really put my mind and ambition to it, I could work my way up the corporate ladder, but I'm much more interested in tinkering and learning new stuff and I have a position that lets me do that. There's far more to life than work and while I'll do my best while I'm there, I won't take a job or promotion to do something I know I'll despise in short order, because I've experienced all too well that such a situation will spill over to home life.

And as someone put it, being the "go to guy" has rewards of it's own.