I worked at a startup and took a salary reduction in exchange for stock options with a one year cliff. After busting my butt, often working 12 hour days for 9

I worked at a startup and took a salary reduction in exchange for stock options with a one year cliff. After busting my butt, often working 12 hour days for 9 months, they fired me without cause. Because I hadn't quite worked there for a whole year yet, I didn't get any of my stock options. I will NEVER make that mistake again.