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The Five Year Plan

The Five Year Plan

Written by: Anna Zhang
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About this listen

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.

Anna Zhang
Careers Economics Personal Success
Episodes
  • Jules the Lawyer: Corporate Lawyer Turned Famous Person
    May 5 2026

    How does a corporate lawyer become a famous person? Today, Jules Romano sits down with Anna to unpack the real story behind the transition—from billable hours to building a personal brand on the internet. What started as sarcastic, off-the-cuff videos quickly turned into a loyal following, a public identity, and a completely different career path.

    In this episode, Jules reveals the parts of her life and story that haven't been visible to the public. Join them as they talk about: burnout, internet scrutiny, and what it's actually like to live the "Hannah Montana" double-life as a lawyer and content creator.

    Also watch this episode if you want to know how she actually finds her best thrift gems (and how you can too).


    Follow Jules here:

    https://www.instagram.com/julesthelawyer/

    https://www.tiktok.com/@julesthelawyer

    https://www.youtube.com/@julesthelawyer

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    57 mins
  • It's Not You, It's Me
    Apr 28 2026

    And no, we are NOT referring to the cliche break up line.

    We're talking about all the ways you reject yourself, before the world ever gets a chance to (or not!)

    In this episode, Anna dives into the invisible limits we place on our own lives—the stories we tell ourselves about who we are, what we deserve, and how we’re perceived. And how those stories end up shaping everything.

    Because maybe the person preventing us from achieving what we all want is not "you," but "me" after all.

    Sources:

    The Dartmouth Scar Experiment

    Psychology Today Article About the Scar Experiment

    The Pike Syndrome

    The Scar Experiment & Elephant Story


    Share Your Story: ⁠⁠The Confessions Vault ⁠⁠

    ⁠Tik Tok⁠ |⁠ Instagram⁠ | ⁠Substack ⁠

    Email: annashuyizhang@gmail.com

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    40 mins
  • The Perfection Paralysis Problem
    Apr 14 2026

    You’re not stuck. You’re just scared of picking wrong.

    In this episode, we're talking about the perfection paralysis problem—the reason you hate your job but haven’t applied anywhere, the reason you’ve been “thinking about” starting something for years… and the reason doing nothing somehow feels safer than doing the wrong thing.

    From overthinking Netflix choices to comparing a $100 mic to a top podcast in the world (yes, I did that), this is a brutally honest breakdown of how perfectionism quietly keeps you exactly where you are.

    If you’ve been waiting for the right moment, the right plan, or the right version of yourself—then you gotta listen to (and watch!!!!) this episode.

    Sources:

    The Jam Study

    Psychology Today: Three types of Perfectionism

    Three Types of Perfectionism Paper (Hewitt & Flett)


    Share Your Story: ⁠The Confessions Vault ⁠

    Tik Tok | Instagram | Substack

    Email: annashuyizhang@gmail.com

    Show More Show Less
    36 mins
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