I left a FAANG-like job in 2016 (VP, CTO) to join a startup.
It was a disaster.
I then co-founded a startup.
I left two years later, parted ways with the other two co-founders in a friendly way.
All this time, I funded my life with my savings.
I had enough on the side to do that, and thankfully other things went well in my life, so I don't really regret it, but...
If I could go back, I'd simply tell myself that most of the time, quitting a well-paying job if you are not in a F*ck-you money [0] territory, is a bad idea.
[0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XamC7-Pt8N0
It was a disaster.
I then co-founded a startup.
I left two years later, parted ways with the other two co-founders in a friendly way.
All this time, I funded my life with my savings.
I had enough on the side to do that, and thankfully other things went well in my life, so I don't really regret it, but...
If I could go back, I'd simply tell myself that most of the time, quitting a well-paying job if you are not in a F*ck-you money [0] territory, is a bad idea.
[0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XamC7-Pt8N0