>OP was wrong about Facebook having a hard time beating 1M per year. I know plenty of people at FAANG above that. It's competitive but not impossible.

You are correct. In my 22+ year career, 17 of them were spent at startups, including a stint as VP Eng at the last one. Two of those were acquired (including the VP Eng role) and one is still going strong. This year at FB, I'll be paid the equivalent of what I was paid in my last 4 startup years combined, INCLUDING my proceeds from my company being acquired.

It's a totally different world though. Once I have enough saved to handle college and retirement, I fully expect to go back to the energy, excitement, and sense of common purpose of startup life.