I know a bunch of software engineers who haven't followed this trajectory, and I suspect that's where the this advice was aimed. Particularly if you start off

I know a bunch of software engineers who haven't followed this trajectory, and I suspect that's where the this advice was aimed. Particularly if you start off recently(ish) on the SWE FAANG track and were lucky with RSU timing etc., you'll find a lot of the options that come your way don't pay nearly as well. But you may find them exciting anyway.