Google and Instagram veteran: abandoning my 5-year career plan was my best move
rmstein · x · 2026-10-03
A veteran who worked at Google, founded a startup, joined Instagram, and returned to Google reflects on a career that never went to plan: from aspiring lawyer to engineer, through zero-to-one building and hyper-growth scaling.
Key takeaways:
- The 5-year career blueprint is an illusion; plans must shift daily with real user needs
- Startups teach you to master ambiguity, while Instagram taught global scaling
- Returning to Google reaffirmed that who you build with matters as much as what you build
His advice: don't follow a rigid plan — follow curiosity, tackle hard problems, and let the journey unfold. "Letting go of the plan was the best career move I ever made."
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