Read time: 3 minutes

Hey there,

I’m about to share some worrying trends I’ve seen in 303 conversations this year with corporate executives and senior pros.

PS - Before we start, I'm currently running the best deal we'll ever have on our signature program, Uncaged Life Design.

Grab your Dream Scan call here ASAP before we close for the holidays and prices go up.

The Secret

Fair warning — some of this might sting. But stick with me, because after we face these realities, I’ll share what’s actually working for those people creating wildly better futures.

On to the trends...

The Reality Check: 2024 Trends

After taking stock of all those conversations, here are the alarming trends I'm seeing:

1) Happiness Gap

Successful on paper, empty in reality
Living for weekends and vacations
Knowing you’re meant for more but stuck
Building someone else’s dream (neglecting yours)

2) The Hidden Costs

Marriage crumbling under career pressure
Kids struggling with absent, stressed parents
Anxiety, depression becoming normal
Relationships dying by a thousand cuts
Serious health issues from chronic stress (cancer)

3) Trapped in Provider Mode

Chained to the “responsible one” identity
Family scared of any career change talk
Trading fulfillment for false security
Sacrificing everything to maintain status quo

4) Ageism

Being told "overqualified" (i.e., too expensive)
30-year-olds get promoted over 20+ year veterans
More industries worshipping youth culture
Feeling invisible despite decades of experience
AI means fewer spots available near the top

5) No One "Gets It"

Family dismisses your bigger dreams
Spouse stuck in scarcity thinking
Zero peers who understand your struggle
Alone in a crowd of “successful” people

6) Corporate Walls Closing In

Experience is now seen as liability
AI replacing senior decision-makers
Traditional 9-5 careers vanishing
Fewer jobs, more competition

7) Passive Income Dead Ends

Real estate requiring impossible capital
Franchises & boring businesses "don't math"
"Passive" ventures demanding full-time work
Returns too small (and slow) to matter

8) Paralysis by Analysis

Drowning in books, podcasts, courses
Starting LLCs that go nowhere
All planning, no real action
Stuck in the “getting ready” phase

The Warning: Costs of Inaction

Here’s the hard truth about where this leads if nothing changes:

Your 2025 gets worse, not better.

The stress compounds. The opportunities shrink. The regrets deepen.

And worst of all? You’ll watch others break free while you stay stuck, knowing you could've created forward momentum.

Luckily, chaos breeds opportunity. And I'd like to share how the select few are thriving across all areas of life.

The Path Forward: What's Working Now

Here’s what’s working for people thriving into 2025:

1) Creating Your Own Economy

Embracing and packaging your unique genius
Choosing to be anti-commodity by design
Building a business that thrives through chaos
Mastering the full skillset of founder and CEO
Creating skills that pay you back for life

2) Building a Portfolio Career

Blending W-2, contractor, and founder roles
Diversifying income around your unique genius
Active/passive streams that reinforce each other
Not scattered activities, but genius-centric focus

3) Strategic Corporate Graduation (Not Blind Leaps)

Following proven paths, not random experiments
Building relationships that open real doors
Taking measured steps while keeping stability

4) Leading Family Forward

Having honest conversations about the real risks
Showing a new way through action, not just talk
Creating security through capability, not just salary

5) Designing Your Own Destiny

Creating your own opportunities, not waiting for them
Building systems that work for you, not vice versa
Turning your employer into your investor

Here’s the truth: identifying the exact "how" is unnecessary right now.

What you need is to draw a line in the sand today.

ENOUGH.

Decide that 2025 will be different. Because without that 100% decision — that commitment to a specific future — you’ll stay in reactive mode.

Just thrown about by forces beyond your control.

It all starts with a decision. Then it’s about putting yourself in environments that help you figure out the “how” as you go.

If this resonates, Uncaged Life Design might be the exact environment to help you take control of your destiny and make 2025 the year everything changes.

2024 is winding down. Let’s have a real conversation about your future (book here).

This can't wait.

—Matt

P.S. Click here to book a conversation with us. We’re still in Separation Season, and I have my best deal ever (for the right person).

But we need to talk first — and soon. The investment increases significantly on January 1st.