Uncage Yourself

What path should you take? The Safe Path is predictable and comfortable. But then there's the Passion Path, where you know you'll encounter a life of adventure and excitement. This question applies equally to life and career.  Listen up to discover a mental model for approaching safety vs. passion. Break free of the Corporate Cage: join the Uncaged Academy. *** TIMESTAMPS 02:35 A question of two paths 04:28 Contemplating passion 05:39 Truly, what is safety? 07:00 Too much safety = masochism 07:22 A framework for action 11:29 Recap of big ideas *** TAKEAWAYS 1. Starting down the Safety Path gets a relevant foothold early on. But soon enough, you'll wrestle with a burning desire for passion. 2. We're never really safe if we feel continually terrible in the process. 3. Someone else's Plan A is inevitably your Plan B 4. Understand your personal Law of Diminishing Returns — the point at which it no longer makes sense to go "above and beyond" at work. 5. Use regret as a forecasting tool — think forward to your deathbed. What anticipated insights can you pull from the future to the present? *** RESOURCES Join the Uncaged Academy (cohort-based course) Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Related episodes: Escaping the Matrix (#23)

This is a personal and emotional episode. In the months leading up to quitting corporate in March 2022, I recorded my thoughts and feelings. This episode is a compilation of those recordings — a personal journal, if you will. I discuss why I needed to make the leap, including the strategy and mindset that made it possible. I hope it helps you identify the “leaps” worth making in your life. Ready to take ownership of your career and life? I’ve got something next-level for you: the Uncaged Academy. *** TIMESTAMPS 01:35 90 DAYS out from resignation 05:58 60 DAYS out from resignation 09:14 People stuck in their Matrix 11:20 Leaving corporate as a forcing function for growth 13:55 Anticipation (visualization) of Freedom Day 14:38 30 DAYS out from resignation 15:48 Readying to lose my “guaranteed” paycheck 19:01 Feeling “alive” as I’ve cultivated my passion 21:20 7 DAYS out from resignation 24:16 Default Path vs. Pathless Path (Paul Millerd) 26:33 Resignation (Freedom) day 28:02 I resigned from corporate! *** TAKEAWAYS 1. After life fell apart for me, I took control of my corporate situation over recent years and found ways to operate on my own terms. 2. Soon, I was helping others do the same, and I discovered the seeds of a new entrepreneurial business. 3. COVID allowed me to experiment and lay the groundwork for a post-corporate life.  4. Personally, I eventually felt it wasn’t risky to leave corporate. It was riskier to stay — living a “small” life,  being undiversified, denying my burning inner purpose. 5. I realized I could model out my net worth, free time, etc. in corporate for decades ahead. That “cap” scared me. I’d rather have uncapped potential. 6. Imposterism (imposter syndrome) took hold early on as I contemplated entrepreneurial life. I had to train my mind to welcome the shift as a worthy fear. 7. Leaving the corporate “safety net” became a forcing function for me to become who I’m capable of being. 8. I had to get comfortable with not having a rigid plan or “ideal results” before taking the leap. 9. I worked with my coach to execute a strategic, well-planned exit from corporate. I wasn’t going to leave my family (including wife and 4 kids) in a tough situation. 10. With massive moves in life (e.g., buying a house, having a kid, starting a business), the timing just has to be “good enough.” It’ll never be perfect. Trust yourself.  *** RESOURCES Join the Uncaged Academy (cohort-based course) Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Related episodes: Self-Reliance (#17), Imposter Syndrome (#30)

We're still battling remnants from the Industrial Age. One of the most notorious (and life-limiting) features is the standard workweek, including the cultural pressures to operate in a "standard" way.  Matt argues that one of the keys to time freedom is to let go of the "participation points" mentality where we show up to every meeting and take on an immense workload. The solution? Focus on outcomes, not hours.  *** TIMESTAMPS 02:23 Topical overview 03:00 Battling an antiquated belief system 05:42 Negative effects of "playing their game" 07:40 Establishing a contract (with yourself & others) 11:10 Five steps to implement "outcomes over hours" *** TAKEAWAYS 1. The traditional workweek is antiquated, and if you fall victim to its trappings, you're trading off a lot for very little in return. 2. At performance review time, no one talks about the hours you put in — they analyze the "impactful" outcomes you delivered. 3. Choosing "outcomes over hours" is a philosophy for valuing your time — being hyper-efficient with how you protect it at work while redirecting that conserved energy to your actual life priorities. 4. We must understand corporate jobs from a "utility" standpoint to maximize our income and opportunities while not senselessly going "above and beyond" because of peer pressure. 5. Identify the core outcomes you must deliver and ruthlessly adjust your calendar and habits to deliver on these.   *** RESOURCES Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube

In this episode, Matt announces the rebrand of his podcast (formerly The Rising Digital Leader). In line with his new entrepreneurial mission, Matt describes the rationale for rebranding the show. He discusses his professional journey since COVID began, what he learned in the process, and what his personal reasons were for saying goodbye to corporate. Ready to live Uncaged? Download your Freedom Guide. Full show notes & resources: uncageyourself.fm *** TAKEAWAYS 1. Immense power in taking hear-aligned, messy action 2. Playing the same corporate games as everyone else can put life into a tailspin 3. Rather than succumb to the Corporate Cage, we can choose to live Uncaged 4. Multiples types of freedom that we should aim for: Time, Financial, Purpose, Relationships, Health 5. Matt is igniting an ambitious movement: to "uncage" 100K people by 2025 *** RESOURCES Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube

Uncage Yourself explores how to build a career and life on your terms.  Many people are trapped in the Corporate Cage — a dangerous position where work dominates their days and personal lives. But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can direct your corporate experience and unlock a life of freedom, right where you are. This show is about your transformation: from Caged to Uncaged. Your host, Matt Doan, brings forward the guests, stories, strategies, and tactics to make it happen. Full show notes & resources: uncageyourself.fm *** RESOURCES Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube ***NOTE: This show was formerly known as The Rising Digital Leader***

Maurice Philogene lives a robust life, with a background as a senior executive, real estate investor, restaurant owner, traveler, public servant, philanthropist, and lifestyle design/wealth coach. We spend our time in this episode discussing his driving aim: freedom. A self-proclaimed “freedom fighter,” he highlights what he learned from the corporate world and how we can design a lifestyle that’s just dripping with our version of freedom. Stuck in the Corporate Cage? Download your Freedom Guide. *** TIMESTAMPS 02:16 Love of the Mediterranean 04:29 Moe’s backstory 08:07 Active work, passive income 11:23 The freedom fighter mentality 14:28 Combatting the Default Script 16:31 Maximizing utility within corporate 18:36 Intentional lifestyle design 22:56 Finding door-opening relationships 25:08 Stepping into philanthropy 28:33 Be selfish so you may be selfless 31:26 “A day in the life” with Moe 34:54 Rapid-fire questions 44:49 Closing message *** TAKEAWAYS 1. Once you have enough money to take care of your basic needs, you see that life is not about money at all 2. The five freedom principles: financial, time, geographic, purpose, relationships 3. We are responsible for using our income, experience, and skills to create our version of happiness 4. First and foremost, determine the utility that corporate jobs offer you — then, design from there 5. Be careful fulling into "rent-a-brain" situations; figure out how to conserve time and energy to unleash your creativity 6. It's okay to be selfish...in order to become selfless 7. Seek constant movement: expose yourself to new geographies, cultures, people, ideas, and opportunities to ensure you're always expanding 8. “We feel better as a human [when] we’re accessing the Earth.” 9. Everything comes from new relationships: being around people that are doing things on "another level" 10. Creating wealth can be joyous, as that abundance enables you to give to others *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Maurice on LinkedIn Connect w/ Maurice on Instagram Maurice's investment firm: Quattro Capital Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

Are you a rat? Take a hard look in the mirror. Be honest with yourself, and decide whether your career strategy is helping or hurting your overall life experience. In this episode, Matt describes the life of a typical rat racer and then poses some critical reflection questions. Tired of rat racing? Download the free Corporate Cage Freedom Guide. *** TAKEAWAYS Rat Race: the unpleasant reality where a person’s job requires them to endlessly compete with others for money, power, status. Industrialized education systems teach us early on that picking a “prescribed path” is the key to success and happiness. It’s difficult to separate genuine desires from those we’ve adopted by external influences (explained by Mimetic Theory). If we’re not “awake,” self-directed, and intentional with our career strategy, we can end up deflated and regretful. 3 questions will help you understand if you’re running the rat race and how you might break free. *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

Sana A Ahmed is a personal brand experience consultant and thought creator. We unpack how to unleash your inner monster — showing up as a person who has the guts to consciously stand out amidst a noisy world. We also discuss the immense potential of becoming an online creator by focusing on your Personal Philosophy.  Ready to dive down the rabbit hole? Download the free Corporate Cage Freedom Guide. *** TIMESTAMPS [2:08] Why explore monsters? [5:56] Befriending your inner monster [7:30] Sana’s “creator” backstory [13:40] Personal Philosophy: definition & value [20:00] Leaders embody their philosophy [22:15] Applying the Niche of One (article) [26:15] Escape competition through authenticity [28:24] Countering “default path” thinking [32:00] Rapid-fire questions [37:00] Rituals for an energized day *** TAKEAWAYS 1. A monster is a person with the guts to show up and stand out, consciously; they reveal to others what is hidden in plain sight 2. When you befriend your monster, you’re unlocking connection through authenticity and relatability 3. Personal Philosophy: (1) means “love of knowing who you are” and (2) having it provides constraints for achieving higher levels of freedom 4. Strong self-knowledge makes life smoother and easier 5. “Niching down” your personal brand can leave you feeling confined over time; counter this through an always-evolving Niche of One approach 6. If you’re a creator, you don’t want to compete; instead, you need to collaborate 7. Best advice: follow (lead with) your heart 8. Over-focus on “reach” and metrics will trap you; you’ll lose energy to persevere 9. “Success” is necessarily a definition of your own making 10. Live at the intersection of your interests and you'll elevate your potency as a creator (bringing together different facets and creating value) *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Sana on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @sanathemonster See Sana's personal site Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

Here, Matt shares his views on Imposter Syndrome, and why we need to start viewing it with a more productive lens. Rather than being down on ourselves for feeling like an imposter, we should let it signal a worthy challenge in life. Ready to dive down the rabbit hole? Download the free Corporate Cage Freedom Guide. *** TAKEAWAYS Humans are wired to seek safety and security — a contributing factor to feeling like an imposter. We should stop calling it a "syndrome," which implies there's something abnormal or wrong with us.  A better term: Imposterism. The Spotlight Effect explains that people care far less about your Imposterism than you do (we're all focused on ourselves). Stoicism helps us understand that our imposter feeling stems from artificial feelings, not facts. Be kind to yourself, always realizing you're a beautiful work-in-progress (Imposterism is part of character development). *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

On average, if we’re lucky, we’ll be alive on this planet for 4,000 weeks. That’s not much. So, what will you do with your precious time? Great time management is the ultimate meta-skill for life. In this episode, Matt presents what extreme time ownership is and why you need it. After explaining the mindset aspect, Matt shares 15 tactical tips on how to own your time with intention and ruthlessness. Ready to dive down the rabbit hole? Download the free Corporate Cage Freedom Guide. *** TAKEAWAYS How you manage your time will make or break your career and life! There is immense power in less, in reduction. By carving out the excess, you give more space and focus for what truly adds value to you, your work, and your purpose. What others ask of you almost always pales in comparison to what you can accomplish under your own imagination and initiative. Respect your energy, the quality of your output, and your progress. As a start, reject multitasking. Extreme Time Ownership is key to escaping the Corporate Cage, and living an Uncaged life. *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter