Corporate Graduation

You have gifts. But chances are, they're locked up inside of you. A 9-5 job only lets you unleash a fraction of those gifts. Dennis Geelen joins us to tell the story of The Accidental Solopreneur (his recent book). It's a fascinating look at unleashing your gifts and maximizing your potential. Access the newsletter: Uncaged Secrets Cohort course: Uncaged Academy Show website: UncageYourself.FM *** TIMESTAMPS 03:12 What Dennis misses about corporate 06:28 Re-thinking the scripted life 10:50 Investing in your highest-leverage asset 13:31 Dennis's entrepreneurial experiments 18:52 Going from non-fiction to fiction author 21:30 The Accidental Solopreneur 23:31 Emotions of the entrepreneurial rollercoaster 26:12 Importance of niching down 32:18 Advice for starting a career today 35:06 Closing Message *** TAKEAWAYS 1. "The amount of learning I had to do to get that company off the ground is more than I learned in my 20 years of corporate." — Dennis Geelen 2. In solopreneurship, you must first master the inner game to then win the outer game.  3. Nearly high-performer in corporate should try entrepreneurship (on the side at least). If you don't, you'll likely regret it.  4. Don't expect instant success. Embrace the journey — it's amazing if you allow it to be. 5. Make your main goal about helping others. Goodness will flow your way if you do that. *** RESOURCES The Accidental Solopreneur (book) Connect w/ Dennis on LinkedIn Dennis's website Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube

Paul Millerd, author of The Pathless Path, joins me to talk about "default path" addiction and what it's like to awaken. As former management consultants, we dig hard into this arena too. Enjoy! Access the newsletter: Uncaged Secrets Cohort course: Uncaged Academy Show website: UncageYourself.FM *** TIMESTAMPS 03:12 The Great Contemplation 06:21 How Paul's book affected Matt 08:25 The process of Awakening 09:51 Pre-awakening (most people trapped here) 15:58 Addiction to Default Paths 19:03 Value of an early-career foothold 21:56 "There's a pebble in my shoe" 23:51 Higher stakes if you're a parent 27:10 Understanding life tradeoffs 28:28 The Pathless Path 31:21 Uncertainty as a feature 33:10 Testing boundaries at work 38:31 The great work of your life 41:15 Minimal risk in betting on yourself 44:21 Thoughtful re-entry into corporate life 51:20 Rapid-fire 57:53 What's your "work" story? *** TAKEAWAYS 1. Great Resignation might actually be the Great Contemplation: a rejection of scripted life, healthier conversation about our identification as "workers," and a desire to take control of your life.   2. Rule of thumb: most people you'll meet are asleep (80%), some are groggy (15%), and a few are truly awake (5%). 3. The Protestant Reformation triggered an "obsession" with work, which has taken global hold.  4. Aim of life for people came to find work and then hold on tight to that path. 5. The Default Path feels addictive because the start is so thrilling. Eventually, we stop growing and become sleepy. 6. Instead of doing the work, you eventually find yourself doing performative work (pretending to be valuable). 7. Tough for parents to fake it at work while simultaneously encouraging your kids to blaze their own path. 8. We can't let sunk costs weigh us down. Your life season hugely impacts what you should say "yes" to next. 9. Not knowing what comes next might actually be a feature, not a bug. 10. "If there are clear boundaries [at work], there is also great freedom to adapt and imagine within those lines. These boundaries, however, should always be tested to see if they are actually still real. It takes conscious acts by individuals to test these edges." —David Whyte 11. Great work of your life: continually find the great work of your life (Stephen Cope). 12. Know yourself: deliver targeted value inside your 9-5; push yourself for exponential growth in the outside world.  *** RESOURCES The Pathless Path (book) Paul's newsletter, site, & podcast Follow Paul on Twitter Connect w/ Paul on LinkedIn  Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube

"Quiet quitting" may same new and shocking, but it's an age-old concept. It's about setting your terms at work and prioritizing your desired lifestyle. In this episode, we cut through the noise and discuss practical scenarios for implementing this strategy. Develop advanced-level "quiet quitting" skills in our cohort course: Uncaged Academy. Access the newsletter: learn Uncaged Secrets Show website: UncageYourself.FM *** TIMESTAMPS 02:14 Framing 02:29 What Quiet Quitting is 03:41 The argument for it 06:59 The argument against it 09:46 Real-world scenarios 16:10 Healthy person → healthy worker *** TAKEAWAYS 1. Quiet Quitting isn't about actually quitting or being lazy. We're not glamorizing mediocrity here. 2. At the core, it's about establishing boundaries at work, but you need a more comprehensive approach if you're going to create the life you want. 3. Not everyone wants to be an "elite athlete" at work, so we don't need to expect everyone to operate in an elite way. In contrast, choosing to be "average" at work can create capacity for spending time and energy on what excites you. 4. It generally makes sense to "go hard" early in your career to establish a foothold (resume, financial security, etc.). Once you're 10+ years in, you have much more leeway to back off and prioritize lifestyle. 5. Quiet Quitting (or whatever term you use) is another tool in your toolbox. Deploy it wisely as you methodically create more freedom in your life. *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube

"No regrets." You've seen it tattooed on arms and in song lyrics. Enough — let's stop trying to suppress this natural human emotion. Instead, let's learn to harness it for our advantage in work and life.  Apply the power of regret. See our cohort course: Uncaged Academy. Show website: UncageYourself.FM *** TIMESTAMPS 02:15 Framing 02:36 How we view regret 04:47 Types of regret 09:33 A strategy for using regret 12:24 How Matt uses regret to his advantage *** TAKEAWAYS 1. Per the American Regret Study, 82% of adults experience regret — spanning a wide range of domains of life (family, career, education, finances, health, etc.). 2. Four types of regrets: Foundation, Boldness, Moral, and Connection. 3. Why regret matters: stability, growth, goodness, love. 4. Regret is a valuable emotion — it's telling you something. Learn to harness it. 5. Strategy for harnessing it: (1) Learn from PAST regrets, (2) anticipate FUTURE regrets, (3) apply that knowledge in the PRESENT. *** RESOURCES Book: The Power of Regret (Daniel Pink) Top 5 Regrets of the Dying (Bronnie Ware) Go deep: try the Uncaged Secrets newsletter Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube

Think back to those one-way college lectures or those on-demand courses you've taken. Did you really transform as a person? No. That's why I'm proud to introduce Uncaged Academy to you. It's an immersive, cohort-style approach to learning that focuses on community (friends), accountability, and rapid transformation. With our first cohort in the books, I'm excited to discuss the future of this unique program with you. Make corporate work for YOU. Apply for our cohort course: Uncaged Academy. Show website: UncageYourself.FM *** TAKEAWAYS 1. The Education Technology (EdTech) realm is rapidly changing the modern learning experience. 2. You no longer need to give years of your life (or extreme amounts of money) to improve your mindset, skillset, or career trajectory. 3. Uncaged Academy helps you (a) design your 9-5 experience in a way that (b) unlocks the life you really want. 4. While still in corporate, you can create more freedom: Financial, Time, Purpose, Relationships, Health. 5. This course is for high-performing mid-career professionals who feel "stuck" and want something more out of their lives. *** RESOURCES Go deep: try the Uncaged Secrets newsletter Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube

The universe is speaking: start your side hustle. Everyone's doing it, right? Actually, let's pause and rethink that. Not everyone should ignite this "parallel path" outside of their corporate career. Listen to this episode to help you understand if side-hustling is right for you. Make corporate work for YOU. Apply for our cohort course: Uncaged Academy. Show website: UncageYourself.FM *** TAKEAWAYS 1. Know the difference between "investments" and "side hustles." 2. Side-hustling requires you to adopt a business owner mindset. 3. Following your passion isn't what makes a side hustle effective. 4. You'd better make sure it gives you energy. 5. Shifts in the global economy make side-hustling a "high upside, low downside" bet if you play the long game. *** RESOURCES Go deep: try the Uncaged Secrets newsletter Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube

Look around and you'll see people chasing "in-demand" skills and credentials. It's like they're on a hamster wheel. But others seem calmer, in possession of enduring skills that always keep them ahead. This is the difference between Timely and Timeless skills. Which are you fixated on? Make corporate work for YOU. Apply for our cohort course: Uncaged Academy. Show website: UncageYourself.FM *** TAKEAWAYS 1. Are you choosing to build skills that legitimately interest you? This matters if you want to maintain energy for decades. 2. Be clear on where the "crowd" is going. Go the opposite way. 3. Timely skills have a short shelf life (usually 2-4 years). 4. Timeless skills (e.g., psychology, persuasion, copywriting) endure no matter the time or context. 5. Build Timeless skills to ensure you're always ahead and relevant, even as our digital world rapidly changes.   *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Live Uncaged: try the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

Several years of being in corporate will teach you certain beliefs and worldviews about what a "successful" life looks like. We can't fall victim to these dangerous ideas. So, in this episode, we shed light on 7 brutal lies you're told about work. Enjoy. Want to create Time Freedom at work? Here's your guide. Show website: UncageYourself.FM *** TIMESTAMPS 02:26 We've all been conditioned 02:45 Shaping your role like an executive 04:43 How to handle nosy bosses 05:56 Dangers of single-source income 07:24 Paralyzed by corporate overlords 09:10 Monetizing your skills outside the 9-5 10:42 There is no "company time" 12:03 Sorry, you aren't special *** TAKEAWAYS 1. Essential life skill: identifying and unlearning your fixed beliefs. 2. You must exert your agency at work. Set your terms and you'll learn what's possible. 3. Mange up by learning the values, incentives, and pains of those people senior to you. 4. Diversify and stack your income streams. Not only is it financially smart, but you'll grow by leaps and bounds.  5. You have a personal brand, whether you like it or not. Will you keep it small (caged)? Or go big? 6. Make yourself recession-proof by embracing and going all-in on your unique ability. *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Live Uncaged: try the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

I joined mental health expert Tim Perreira as a guest on his show, Tuesdays With Tim. This is a recast of that session. We cover why modern work makes us feel caged, plus some psychological and physical health strategies for taking control of your work situation (and life). Want to create Time Freedom at work? Here's your guide. Show website: UncageYourself.FM *** TIMESTAMPS 02:55 Thumbnail of Matt's life 04:55 Experiments with entrepreneurship 06:07 Should you leave corporate? 07:36 "Corporate Cage" defined 09:02 Root issue: externalizing control 11:03 4 phases to the Uncaged transformation 14:23 Step one: stop the bleeding 16:30 Unraveling destructive conditioning 19:45 Typical crappy answer to "what do you want?" 20:29 Indicators that you're caged 22:44 Inside-Out approach to life 24:25 Breaking free of "work = identity" 25:25 Your desires are not your own 27:36 Self-Realization Theory (to feel content) 28:39 Tearing down "authenticity" 31:00 Harsh awakening from autopilot *** TAKEAWAYS 1. Leaving the 9-5 isn't for most people. Choose to create freedom right where you are. 2. Shape your day based on what energizes you. This action compounds into the life you want. 3. Work-life balance isn't a thing. Treat your existence as one harmonized life. Strive for alignment. 4. Most of our pain at work stems from optional stories in our heads that we subscribe to. 5. Imagine your 10X bigger life to leapfrog commonplace (2X) tactics to an incrementally better life. 6. "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." — Viktor Frankl 7. Continually externalize your life vision through writing and speaking. This action programs your subconscious. Your mind is always listening, so make sure it's firing and wiring together per your design. 8. Obsessed with external motivation? You're just a shell of your potential. Instead, live Inside-Out.  9. Control the inputs to direct your outputs. 10. You have all sorts of control you don't believe you have. Design forward, take aligned action. *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Tim on LinkedIn PER Wellness Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Live Uncaged: try the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

Kason Morris is a master of reinvention. He's already redesigned his career six times across five sectors, strategically leveling up his skills in the process. Kason has decades of experience as a learning and development executive in big tech while also serving as a career and lifestyle coach. Here, we talk about design thinking as a principle, the importance of self-reliance, and specific strategies for operating within corporate on your terms.  Want to create Time Freedom at work? Here's your guide.  Show website: UncageYourself.FM *** TIMESTAMPS 02:57 Career is a design problem 04:50 Kason's life phases & childhood influences 06:39 Building your experimental mindset 09:55 The most underrated life skill 12:03 Applying design thinking to pivot in life 15:07 Exerting your agency at work 20:55 Entrepreneurship while in your 9-5 24:50 Timely vs. timeless skills 29:21 Best & worst advice 33:46 One law for everyone to follow 34:44 If Kason was starting his career now 37:48 Closing message *** TAKEAWAYS 1. Money, meaning, and expression are three levers for harmonizing work and life. 2. Take control of your work environment: influence with and without authority. 3. Build a portfolio career by diversifying your interests and experiences over time. 4. We must take agency in how we approach work and lifestyle. 5. Balance internal and external drivers to maximize your growth in the world. 6. Decipher your "work" and "life" views; strive to harmonize them as much as possible. 7. Approach work like a playground, not a ladder. 8. "Dream careers are not landed, they're created." 9. A single-lane road creates no life options. 10. Most (timely) skills employers are for will be half as impactful within 4 years. Get off the skill-building "treadmill" with timeless (power) skills. 11. "Learning how to learn" is life's meta-skill. Spend time finding your method for this.  12. Relationships are the greatest career (and life) accelerator. Go wide, stay curious. *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Kason on LinkedIn Live Uncaged: try the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter Explore transformational coaching w/ Matt Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube