So get out as fast as you can reasonably can after your startup is acquired by a company like Google. Droning on for money sounds pretty good to a lot of people.
People generally need to feel stable in the middle before reaching for self-actualization.
For people who grew up on the lower half of the household income or wealth distribution, it takes many years of FAANG comp to feel stable there.
It’s a big privilege to risk your career in the pursuit of self-actualization. Not in the sense that one should be ashamed of it, but in the sense that it’s prudent not to look down on people for declining to take it.
The marginal $300k/year is worth significantly more impactful for most people than the expected returns of pursing of self-actualization-through-work. I think most people would rather have a secure income and seek self-actualization outside of work — in their family life or hobbies.
