Corporate Graduation

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***RESOURCESSubscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletterConnect w/ Matt on LinkedInFollow on Twitter @MatthewRDoanCheck 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

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