Uncage Yourself

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

Jason Rosselot is a VP of Cybersecurity at Dell Technologies. But traditional paths aren't his thing. From serving as a Special Agent protecting the Dalai Lama to ensuring resiliency in manufacturing and software, Jason is driven by a very personal mission. Feeling "caged" at work? Here's your key to freedom. *** TAKEAWAYS The most profound value creation isn't at the most predictable locations within organizations. Instead, the biggest opportunities exist in No Man's Land (the "seams") — the handoff points and areas where no one seems to "own" the task. While traditional career paths offer useful jumpstarts and open doors, don't lock in prematurely. Instead, listen to what your inner voice tells you and follow that guidance. Leadership is about bravely engaging in big problems; it's not just about taking on a prominent position. Your potential is what YOU deem it to be; it's not dictated by your experience or what others perceive of you. One of the most important things we can all do is unlock from our version of the Matrix: see more clearly what we're called to do and take aligned action with that calling. *** TIMESTAMPS [2:25] Meeting & protecting the Dalai Lama [4:21] Jason’s winding professional journey [5:57] Security: Jason’s purpose-driven mission [7:00] What matters over career phases [12:15] Value in the seams, not the silos [14:54] Separation of professional & personal? [18:01] Development of leadership philosophy [20:49] How to get “unstuck” at mid-career [23:17] Understand your version of the Matrix [26:16] Do a good turn daily [29:20] Advice for starting a career right now [31:44] Closing piece of advice *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Jason on LinkedIn Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter: @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

So many people end trapped in the Corporate Cage: a psychological state where they feel like they can't move. In this episode, I define this "caged" existence and reveal a path out — a path to freedom. Corporate work can feel good; you just need to intentionally design your way there.  Ready to dive down the rabbit hole? Download the free Corporate Cage Freedom Guide. *** TAKEAWAYS The Corporate Cage is a prison of our own choosing (and we can break free). A corporate work environment can feel rewarding and enable a happy life for you. 5 types of freedom to strive for: Time, Financial, Purpose, Social, and Health. You possess the keys to freedom right now — listen in to understand and learn how to use them. Corporate life doesn't have to suck. When you take control and put yourself first, it can work out really well.  *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

Life is chaotic and fast-moving. If we don’t pause and reflect, we miss out on key signals and opportunities. I do this almost every day in my journal, but I go meta through my annual review. So I analyzed my 2021 experience, and I'm delivering some wisdom to you. Here are my top 10 lessons from 2021. I hope you find them valuable! Go deeper with the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter. *** RESOURCES  Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

Mark Freeman (data scientist, entrepreneur, and LinkedIn celebrity) joins us in the studio! We can all admire his unrelenting fixation on solving large-scale societal problems and his deep understanding of how to nurture an online community. He goes behind the scenes on his career, as we discuss his navigation into various high-impact communities (startup, data science, Web3).  Tired of feeling "caged" at work? Here's your key to freedom. *** TAKEAWAYS On social media, think of every follower as a mentor — make sure you're finding ways to learn from them. Apply the "dead flip" approach (pinball) in career and life: understand when to pause, reset, and validate your target. Breaking into data science doesn't necessarily require deep technical skills. Start by understanding how you can provide unique business value, and craft your role from there. Side hustles can be useful beyond their monetary value. Think of them as testbeds to prove hypotheses, test your interests, and continually validate your passions. Use your online interactions to increase the odds of serendipity in your life (plant many seeds, and see which ones sprout over time). *** TIMESTAMPS [2:00] The dead flip [5:02] How chess played a pivotal role [5:50] Mark’s professional journey [10:28] Driven by meaning, open to pivoting [11:48] Diverse inroads into data science [18:14] TRIBE framework — move forward together [20:00] Community & two-way value exchange [23:12] Operating a job creation “funnel” [26:21] Mark’s entrepreneurial ventures [36:00] DeFi participation (CharlieDAO)  [41:37] The power of “collisions” [42:57] Rapid-fire questions *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Mark on LinkedIn Related episode: Creators + Web3 (w/ Chris Cochran) Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter: @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

Chris Cochran is co-founder and CEO of Hacker Valley Media, where he co-hosts several podcasts centered on technology and human performance. He drops by the studio to discuss what it means for a tech professional to flourish as a "creator" today. We introduce Web3, and how its features are enabling an exciting set of opportunities for individual professionals to enhance their career trajectory and overall life.    Create more career freedom: subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter. *** TAKEAWAYS A creator is anyone who can distill the ideas floating through their mind and package and deliver them to the world (mediums: sketches, words, multimedia, code, etc.).   You can separate your creative side from your corporate role...or marry the two. There are no hard rules. Do what gives you energy. Web3 is completely upending the "known" internet — changing economics, finance, business, and so much more. (Check out a short "Ethereum 101" podcast from Alex Lieberman.) ExIST: Explore, Immerse, Study, Translate (Transform) — a framework for pursuing excellence in the pursuit of human endeavors. Credentials have their value, but nothing beats experience. Experience doesn’t necessarily mean working in a professional job.  Be authentic (DON'T be "normal"). Actively break out of your small comfort zone. *** TIMESTAMPS [3:56] “Creator” defined [5:17] How “creating” changed Chris’s life [7:53] Balancing job & authentic self [10:52] Intro to Web3 [14:17] How to test Web3 (ExIST framework) [18:47] New mindset for education [24:33] Credentialize > credential-collecting [28:07] Why we’re still bad at cybersecurity [31:47] Best advice Chris received [34:15] The law we all need to follow [36:33] Closing message: find your tribe *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Chris on LinkedIn Hacker Valley site (including the Web3-focused show: Metaversable) Web3 primer video (8 minutes) Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

We all live in some version of the Matrix — where we take our situation as given. But what would it look like to wake up? To see more clearly and direct your life? This episode is about awakening to the limitations you've subconsciously accepted in your career and doing something about it: creating freedom. Listen in to discover your real potential. Go deeper with the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter. *** TAKEAWAYS The Matrix movie trilogy suggests that everyone is capable of making the choice between the real world and an artificial one. Career-wise, we're taught to choose from an existing corporate system, and just make the most of it. Betting your livelihood solely on "gutting it out" in corporate will leave you miserable. John Marty suggests we deploy a "dual-path" strategy: Utility (corporate) + Authentic Self. Sometimes we're climbing the wrong hill, and we need to have the guts to walk down and start another climb. You can create more freedom in your life if you start embracing self-reliance. *** TIMESTAMPS [1:34] What the Matrix teaches us [2:31] How this plays out at work [3:47] The dual-path strategy [7:20] How Matt is pursuing both paths [9:10] Are you climbing the wrong hill? [10:15] Our real aim: a sense of freedom *** RESOURCES Related episode (#17): Self-Reliance John Marty's "dual-path" video Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter