Here's the hard lesson I learned about rescuing people...

In my first career as a real estate entrepreneur, and then as a coach to elite athletes, I believed the best way to support people was to step in and fix things.

If someone were struggling, I’d roll up my sleeves and take on more.
If the team felt overwhelmed, I’d shoulder the burden.
If progress stalled, I’d make it my responsibility to fix the issues.

I wore overworking like a badge of honor.
However, it wasn’t sustainable.
And worse, it wasn’t leadership.

Underneath that “hero mode” was a belief that people needed rescuing. That they couldn’t do it without me. That it was kinder to take the pressure off than to challenge them to grow.

I’ve learned, through burnout, frustration, and some humbling feedback, is that rescuing people often robs them of responsibility.

It sends the unspoken message:
“I don’t fully trust you to handle this.”

And when you do that repeatedly, even high performers begin to doubt themselves or worse, become passive.

The real work for me was unlearning that savior reflex and instead learning to trust, invite, and hold accountable.

It’s not about abandoning people.
It’s about leading from belief, not fear.
It’s about offering support without removing ownership.
It’s about slowing down your need to be needed so others can step up and succeed.

That shift took me from burnout to authentic leadership.
Not just for my sanity, but for the growth of everyone around me.

Because people rise when you trust them to.

If you’re a founder, coach, or leader and find yourself constantly jumping in to “save the day,” ask yourself:

↳ Is this actually helping them grow?
↳ Am I stepping in because it’s needed… or because I’m uncomfortable watching them struggle?
↳ What would trusting them more look like?

Trust isn’t just a leadership trait. It’s a leadership gift.

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