The Five Year Plan

Anna Zhang
  • 5.0 (4)
  • CAREERS

A podcast about all the "five year plans" that did not go according to plan. From lawyers turned comedians, to neuroscientists turned chefs, come join Anna in exploring the craziest career pivots and the ups, downs, and uncertainties of being in your 20s and 30s. 

Episodes

  1. 7 HRS AGO

    The Career Advice That Ruined My Life

    This piece of advice is one that I guarantee we've all heard before. But when I tried following it, here's what happened:  I developed a romanticized view of what my career should be I had unrealistic expectations of what work is supposed to feel like that normal frustrations started to feel like a sign that I was on the wrong path I lost my sense of self-identity Can you guess what this piece of advice is?  Share Your Story: The Confessions Vault TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefiveyearplanpodcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/thefiveyearplanpodcast Substack: https://substack.com/@thefiveyearplan Email: annashuyizhang@gmail.com

    27 min

  2. MAR 10

    Why A+ Students Struggle In the Real World

    Work hard in school. Get good grades. Land a good job. As long as you do those  things, you'll set yourself up to live your happiest life.... Right?  Well, Anna followed that formula to a tee: got good grades, went to the best law school in the country, and landed her dream job. But there she was, sitting in the floor of her bedroom at 6:00 am on a Tuesday morning, sobbing about how debilitatingly inadequate she felt. How the hell did THIS happen?  Join Anna today as she explores why the first few years of any career is so difficult. She talks about the ways that school conditions us to think in ways that are not representative of real life and why the "A+ students" are the ones who sometimes struggle the most in the real world.  The Article: When The Gold Stars Stop Working: Why A+ Students Struggle in the Real World  Share Your Story: The Confessions Vault TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefiveyearplanpodcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/thefiveyearplanpodcast Substack: https://substack.com/@thefiveyearplan Email: annashuyizhang@gmail.com

    21 min

  3. MAR 3

    Starting The Five Year Plan: What's This About Anyways?

    Anna thought she did everything right. Built the resume. Followed a path. Checked all the boxes.  And yet, at 28 years old... she's completely lost and confused, with big question marks about her career. Did she pick the wrong path? Is it too late to start over? What happens when the life you worked so hard to build doesn't feel like yours anymore?  In this first episode of The Five Year Plan, Anna shares the story behind starting this show, what it's all about, and what you can expect. From interviewing guests who have had crazy career pivots, to normalizing the uncertainty that so many people feel in their 20s and 30s, she aims to debunk the myth of having a perfect "five year plan."  Because maybe the best "five year plans"... are the ones that don't go according to plan at all.  Share Your Story: The Confessions Vault TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefiveyearplanpodcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/thefiveyearplanpodcast Substack: https://substack.com/@thefiveyearplan Email: annashuyizhang@gmail.com

    8 min
  • 3 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

A podcast about all the "five year plans" that did not go according to plan. From lawyers turned comedians, to neuroscientists turned chefs, come join Anna in exploring the craziest career pivots and the ups, downs, and uncertainties of being in your 20s and 30s. 

Information

  • Creator
    Anna Zhang
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    3
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Five Year Plan
  • Show Website
    The Five Year Plan