Thinking about a career in a strictly linear way is limiting. Many dimensions ebb and flow, and invisible forces energize or bring us down.

The traditional career path is one of education, job, and retirement.

A popular modern one is a serial (product) entrepreneur. Circling through different attempts before forking into 'getting rich' or giving up trying (/job/making money)

Many careers yo-yo between making money and growth (/transformation: education, new job, pivot). Each lag could take years or months, but the critical point is that these states don't concur.