Have you ever felt like you’re doing everything right in your business and yet something still feels heavy or stuck?
That weight often isn’t from the business itself. It’s from what you’re still holding onto.
It’s so common to want the big change, the fresh start, but what most people miss is that rebirth never happens without an ending first.
True growth requires releasing the toffers, roles, habits, or even identities that no longer serve where you’re headed next.
It’s not only strategy that fuels expansion.
It’s the mindset and inner work that create the capacity to step into your next level, and that includes learning the following:
- How mindset can derail even the best strategy
- How letting go fuels your next-level growth
- Identity Evolution
- The Importance of Closure
I also unpack this in episode 254 of the Simplify to Scale Show.
Tune into Episode 254 of the Simplify to Scale Show or keep reading below.
The Hidden Weight That Holds Businesses Back
Every stage of growth requires a new version of you as a leader.
But that evolution can’t happen if you’re still anchored to the past.
Many business owners want transformation, yet resist the part that must come first, and that is closure.
Rebirth always follows an ending.
That might mean letting go of a long-standing offer, a program you’ve outgrown, or a way of working that once served you but now limits your next level.
Holding on “just in case” keeps a tab open, and that open tab drains energy, attention, and progress.
True transformation begins when you acknowledge that something has completed its purpose and allow it to end fully.
Why We Resist Endings
Letting go is rarely easy.
Many leaders keep things open because finality feels uncomfortable.
I once struggled deeply with this myself, often keeping multiple “tabs” open long after their time had passed.
That resistance stems from fear of loss, fear of disappointing others, or fear that closing one door might limit future options.
Yet holding on doesn’t preserve opportunity; it prevents expansion.
The irony is that the very things that once helped you grow can become the biggest obstacles to your next evolution.
The Rebirth Season of Business
Many leaders are feeling called to transformation right now, and this is driven by both external shifts and internal alignment.
I describe this as a “rebirth season,” because it is a time when business owners are restructuring, simplifying, and stepping into new eras.
But rebirth doesn’t only mean change.
It means identity evolution.
As you scale from six to seven figures and beyond, it’s not only your systems that need to evolve, you also need to evolve.
You need to move from being involved in every decision to leading with trust.
You need to shift from control to empowerment, and from doing to designing.
And to grow into that next version, something must fall away.
How to Identify What Needs to End
I recommend setting aside time to reflect on where you might be holding on too tightly.
Grab your journal and ask yourself:
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What in my business feels heavy or misaligned right now?
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What offers, processes, or roles have served their purpose but are no longer needed?
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Where am I keeping something open “just in case”?
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What identity am I ready to evolve beyond?
Answering these questions can honestly can reveal where closure is required to create capacity for what’s next.
Sometimes that means ending a program that no longer excites you.
Other times, it’s a mindset (like believing you have to do everything yourself) that needs to be released.
Closing Tabs to Create Space for Growth
This year, I made “closing tabs” my personal theme.
I initially focused on simplifying projects and focus areas.
But as my year unfolded, this took on a deeper meaning and involved closing emotional, energetic, and identity-based loops that were still open.
Closing tabs isn’t about burning everything down.
It’s about honoring what has been, completing it fully, and creating spaciousness for what’s next.
When you release with intention, you step forward without the drag of unfinished endings.
That’s where true transformation and sustainable scale happen.
Revisiting from a Higher Level
Interestingly, letting something end doesn’t mean it’s gone forever.
When you allow completion, you gain the freedom to revisit that idea or offer later from a more evolved place.
If you come back to it, it won't be from the same energy.
It will be from growth, clarity, and alignment.
But if, on the other hand, you never let it go, you risk repeating the same mistakes and staying tied to the same outdated version of yourself.
The Inner Work Behind Sustainable Scale
At the start of your business, success is often relies on the effort you put in, what you do and the things you say yes to.
But as you grow, the work shifts inward.
To reach multi-seven or eight figures, you must scale yourself as much as your systems, and that involves:
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Releasing outdated beliefs about control and worthiness
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Letting go of habits that no longer serve your goals
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Redefining what leadership looks like at your next level
This inner work is what creates space for innovation, clarity, and fulfillment.
It’s how you move from being trapped in the day-to-day to leading strategically and sustainably.
Moving Forward with Intention
As you prepare for the next year, or your next chapter, take time to reflect on the following:
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What needs to come to an end before you can step fully into your next season?
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What are you ready to let go of with gratitude, so you can move forward with freedom and clarity?
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What version of you is ready to emerge?
Letting go is not about loss. It’s about expansion.
When you release what’s complete, you open the door for growth, fulfillment, and aligned success.
Step Into Your Next Season
If you’re ready to map out what you're letting go of and planning for in 2026 together, join our Propel '26. This is a 1-day virtual planning retreat that will help you create the roadmap that will bring your vision to reality in the new tear.
You’ll identify what’s keeping you trapped in the day-to-day and learn practical ways to create space for the next version of your business and yourself.
by Crista Grasso
Crista Grasso is the go-to strategic planning expert for leading global businesses and online entrepreneurs when they want to scale. Known as the "Business Optimizer", Crista has the ability to quickly cut through noise and focus on optimizing the core things that will make the biggest impact to scale a business simply and sustainably. She specializes in helping businesses gain clarity on the most important things that will drive maximum value for their clients and maximum profits for their business. She is the creator of the Lean Out Method, 90 Day Lean Out Planner, and host of the Lean Out Your Business Podcast.
