I didn't do anything nearly as dramatic as four promos in three years (if I'm understanding that levels.fyi chart correctly), but I did a few levels much faster

I didn't do anything nearly as dramatic as four promos in three years (if I'm understanding that levels.fyi chart correctly), but I did a few levels much faster than the average at Google, and much of this rings true. One thing I think it misses: you gotta play the game. At Google, that's shipping something, having some obviously quantifiable impact, or doing something with a much larger reach than expected for your level. "Playing the game" means seeking out that work, figuring out the narrative, and not working on things that don't help you achieve that end. Kinda cynical, but if your goal is climbing a corporate ladder, you should understand what that corporation or org actually values and rewards. Note that this may be different than what it says it values.