The people who stagnate are the people who are not willing or able to make the lifestyle changes necessary to pursue the career wholeheartedly. There are CFI jobs galore at the big academies, where you will knock out your time in a little time over a year. Just a hour ago, I ran into a guy who used to be line service at an FBO that I worked at. He got a job up in Alaska at about 300 hours, and then moved to the right seat of a Lear 35 CONUS at 500 hours. He said he's getting moved to the left seat as soon as he has 1500 hours. Can you imagine, Lear PIC at 1500 TT! That's both amazing and scary at the same time if you ask me.
Personally, I started my career in the spring of 2014. I'm almost to 4000 hours, a couple jet types, making 6 figures etc. The people I know who are still low time and working low paying jobs are the ones who didn't want to move, didn't get their CFI, are just odd people who don't network very well, or or had some other reason they didn't throw everything they had into their career.
There's never been a better time to be a professional pilot for someone who really wants it, but the 1500 hour rule just makes you prove you are actually committed to it before you get the keys to a shiny airliner.