Is everything always moving forward? The big picture says, well, yes. But the small picture says otherwise. There's so many backward steps along the way. And not just for a day or two. You can head in the wrong direction for years. For nearly your entire life. You're free to destroy or create yourself.
I don't consider a pause as a misstep. A pause makes a lot of sense in music, in building a house, in so many areas of living. A pause is a way of progressing. A naturally necessary way.
There's a difference between a pause and simply throwing in the towel. I've known several who have done the latter when it comes to painting. That is, painting for a living, and never taking a job. Rare, and very hard, to do. But not impossible.