> I don't think pay increase will help stagnation.

No, but lack thereof can certainly cause it.

When there's no real reward, what's the point of putting in the extra work and taking risks? Two things that quickly break stagnation.

Agree. I've been at my place for 11 years now, and have had four very distinct roles over that time. Each change gave that revitalizing jolt of fresh challenges, technologies, etc, but with the benefit that I got to keep my seniority, influence, expertise with the in-house systems, and so on.

Have I given up potential pay bumps by not going external? Sure, probably. But I have enough to be comfortable and my company has treated me well, both monetarily and in facilitating these kinds of changes when I've wanted them.

My cure for stagnation is to play more. Amazing how playing at a pet project will get your juices flowing.

That is really good advice

I am in the same shoe of feeling stagnating this year and trying to figure out how to get out of it. The boringness and familiarness just drags along ...

Sure, and I don't really know either; my point was just that the parent is begging the question. :)