From Google to Freedom: Why I Documented My 9-Year Exit
The Resignation Footage That's Changing How Leaders Think About Career Transitions
Last week, I did something unusual. I filmed myself quitting Google.
Not for social media clout. Not for dramatic effect. But because I knew this footage would capture something words alone couldn’t—the calm that comes when you’ve been building your exit for six years.
Why Document Your Departure?
As I walked through those halls one final time, camera rolling, I wasn’t just recording an ending. I was capturing proof of what strategic activation looks like.
The footage shows:
• Me driving away on the freeway, windows down, surprisingly serene
• Final goodbyes to colleagues who became family
• Packing up a desk that held nine years of achievements
• One particular pause at a conference room door—a moment that meant everything
That conference room? It’s where I learned the most valuable lesson of my corporate career—a lesson that would reshape how I approached the next six years at Google and beyond.
The Hidden Story in Every Frame
What viewers see: a composed professional making a graceful exit.
What I see: six years of intentional building, multiple revenue streams, speaking engagements, coaching certifications, and a carefully constructed bridge to freedom.
This wasn’t a sudden decision. It was a long-term strategy that began in one brutal meeting that could have broken me—but instead broke me open.
The Great Detachment vs. The Great Activation
While 54% of workers are experiencing “quiet cracking” and companies are rolling back benefits, there’s another way forward. Not quiet quitting. Not loud leaving. But strategic activation.
It’s the difference between running from something and running toward something.
What’s Really in the Footage
Between the frames of my resignation video lies a masterclass in career transformation:
• How to build authority while employed
• Why visibility matters more than excellence
• The art of managing up without selling out
• Creating options before you need them
Your Activation Moment
Maybe you’re staring at your own conference room door. Maybe you’re feeling that familiar Sunday dread. Maybe you know it’s time for something more but don’t know where to start.
That’s exactly where I was six years ago. The difference? I learned to build bridges before I needed to cross them.
The Full Story Awaits
This week’s issue of The Activated Leader newsletter reveals:
• The conference room conversation that changed everything
• Why I touched that door on my last day
• The parallel path strategy I developed over six years
• How gratitude and growth can coexist
• The framework for your own strategic activation
Ready to discover what that conference room taught me?
Issue #15: “The Conference Room That Broke Me Open (And Why I’m Grateful)” drops Tuesday.
