The Time I Fired Myself (and Got Better for It)
Growth begins the moment ego ends.
The Time I Fired Myself (and Got Better for It)
Lesson: Firing Myself Was the Best Career Move I Ever Made
Early in my career, I realized I wasn’t qualified for the role I held. Instead of faking it, I fired myself. Fortunately for me, my CEO didn’t replace me, he invested in me. Together, we hired a mentor to train me, define success, and build clarity around the role. That decision became the foundation for my finance and operations skills and completely reshaped how I think about growth.
Insight: Self-Awareness Unlocks Acceleration
Here’s what that experience taught me:
- Admitting Gaps Creates Opportunity: Owning what you don’t know opens the door for support and learning.
- Mentorship Multiplies Growth: A great mentor accelerates development far faster than trial and error.
- Define Success Early: Alignment between you and leadership eliminates confusion and speeds progress.
Growth begins the moment ego ends.
Action Item: Turn Awareness into Acceleration
This week, try this simple growth exercise:
- Identify a Gap - What’s one skill or area you know you’re underqualified in right now?
- Find a Mentor or Resource - Look for someone who’s mastered that area, or invest in structured training.
- Define Success Together - Clarify what “great” looks like so you’re not just working hard, you’re working toward alignment.
If you like this content you can watch the video version of this.
Young was featured as a guest on the podcast Fully Managed, in the episode “Scaling Startups, Building Communities, and Staying Resilient with Young Han.” Don’t miss it!
