Wise to the end, Wayne Smith decided it was best to get out of the All Blacks before his famed passion began to slacken.
After 20 years of involvement with the national team, including a key role in two World Cup triumphs, Smith will step down as assistant coach following this year's Rugby Championship.
Regarded as one of world rugby's smartest thinkers, the 60-year-old will take a break from October to consider his future, ending an international coaching involvement which began in 1998.
The 35-match former All Black, whose most recent brief has been with the All Blacks' defence, says it takes nothing short of full commitment to do the job properly.
He could no longer guarantee that drive, particularly given the constant pull of spending more time with his family.
"It's hard to explain what it means to you. It's my upbringing, it absolutely dominates your life," Smith said.
"I'm at the point, whilst I've got the hunger today, I don't want to go on too long to the point that it leaves me.
"So I'm ready to refresh, take a sabbatical, recondition, and might rotate back in to rugby at some point."
A long-held desire to travel with wife Trish in a motor home seems a world away from what Smith says has been a glaring spotlight.
He found the exposure brutal early in his coaching career, most notably when appointed All Blacks head coach in 2000-01.
Mixed results saw him replaced by John Mitchell but Smith rebounded as a better, more considered operator than the "brash" youngster who took charge of the Crusaders, with great success, 20 years ago.
"You've just got to contribute everything you've got to the team to be great, that was a lesson learned," he said.
"Another one I've learned subsequently, having been with the All Blacks for such a long time, is that you're naked out there.
"There's all sorts of pressures, scrutiny, comment passed on every decision you've made."
Smith's role will be advertised, with his replacement likely to join him during the Rugby Championship starting in August.
Hansen says it will be a stiff task replacing a man who enjoyed success wherever he went, whether it was with Canterbury, the Crusaders, the Chiefs, English club Northampton or the All Blacks, who he rejoined as an assistant alongside Hansen and under Sir Graham Henry in 2004.
"He has an unrelenting passion for the game, he's always been innovative, prepared to speak his mind, and he's never allowed himself to stop learning.
"Smithy has been a major contributor to not only New Zealand Rugby but also world rugby."
Hansen knew Smith well enough to sense the end was nearing.
"I've probably been twisting his arm for the past six years to stay.
"The hole he leaves is big because he's a massive contributor, a great thinker of the game, and not only that, a great mate, so there's a lot of trust there."
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