Read this on matthewdoan.com
Read time: 3 minutes
You can do hard things.
You can build a new life…while maintaining the old one.
(And frankly, that's your only option.)
Today’s secret is action-packed. Let’s dive in.
Let’s be clear: your corporate job can be a major asset.
If you learn to do corporate right (and that’s a huge if), it becomes a tool for creating a 10X better life.
And yes, with the right approach, eventually, you can discard the “work for the man” career option altogether.
“But Matt, I can’t stand my job! It’s eating me alive.”
“I see so many people online living these freedom-filled lives. I want that!”
I get it: you might be boiling over inside, ready to run screaming from that 9-5 world. But that’s usually a foolish move — especially if you have a family or an inflated lifestyle.
The better strategy is to use corporate as a tool (for some time) to later “escape” with runway and momentum.
There are no hacks.
There are no shortcuts.
Here’s your only option: intelligent, heart-powered baby steps forward, day after day.
This is how I went:
FROM:
TO:
Know this: it’s entirely possible to keep your stable salary (for some time) while building a life you love.
How? Glad you asked.
I’m sharing my personal strategy with you here.
Let's start by rewinding.
Coming out of college, I chose the first “sensible” career path that (a) was accessible to me and (b) paid well enough (that field was technology consulting).
Knowing nothing else, I went all in to prove myself and rise up the ranks.
Because I married early and had three kids by age 28, all my self-worth and “value” was tied up with succeeding in the corporate realm.
I was damn good too.
I learned to play office politics, gain influence with key leaders, and rapidly earn promotions and pay bumps.
On top of this, I traveled the world, earning “elite” status with hotel and airline programs.
BOOM.
With all these external validations of my “success,” I felt on top of the world.
Problem was, I was dying inside.
And so were my marriage, health, and relationships with my kids.
Across 2012-2013, I smashed into a brick wall at 100 MPH.
Everything in my life fell apart.
Here’s a snippet from a journal entry back then:
I needed a reinvention.
Newly divorced with a boatload of financial responsibilities, I couldn’t just “escape” corporate life.
Truthfully, I still loved things about it: (moderate) travel, comradery, solving vexing problems.
But I could no longer afford for the job to dominate my life.
I needed to put my kids and my health first.
I needed to build a life I was proud of.
On top of that, I had these little entrepreneurial sparks firing inside my mind.
Those flames grew more prominent as I spent more time around entrepreneurs (e.g., I invested in several masterminds).
I felt I was made for something more than 9-5 life could offer, but I didn’t know what that was.
A ticking clock was inside me, counting down the time I had left in corporate. My mind told me, “Just a few years before I need to graduate.”
So here I was:
So that led to the following question (challenge): “How do I safely maintain my paycheck while building an exciting new life?”
Little did I realize I was about to enter “experimentation” mode.
Most people won’t embrace the daunting challenge of creating a new life.
Most people can’t comprehend how to maintain their old one at the same time.
Luckily (for my own sake), I’m not “most people.” Many have called me crazy — and I'm good with that.
After looking back upon tons of trial and error, here’s what worked in creating my new life — while keeping my paycheck:
This journey will only resonate with a small group. Most people won’t dare go through all this.
They’ll stay with their default corporate career and life, accepting default results.
Again, that’s okay for most people.
But if you’re not “most people,” I hope this framework inspires you to take action.
P.S. If you’re ready to ignite this journey in a structured and accelerated way, I can help you. Book your breakthrough call here.
|
Building Your Corporate Offramp: Most people treat their careers as one-lane highways (staying in “employee” mode for 40+ years). But staying locked into this traffic pattern means leaving tons of freedom on the table.
So, build an offramp. Give your future self a gift: an optional exit off that mind-numbing highway. This episode discusses the 16 lessons I’d give to my past self for accelerating the shift from corporate to entrepreneurship.
That’s it for today, my friend! I appreciate you.
—Matt
Battle-tested strategies for Corporate Graduation™. Use your superpowers to build an online business you love and smartly exit the 9-5 grind without jeopardizing your income or family. Do it for freedom, income, and impact.
Read this (+ previous posts) online Issue #185 Read time: 3 minutes We were taught to find the dream job. But no job — no matter how good — can deliver what only you were meant to build. The Secret There are no “dream jobs.” There’s your dream. There’s your job. One supports the other. But many people spend their lives chasing a dream job. I get it. We’ve been trained to believe that’s the goal. Stability. Meaning. Growth. If we just find the right one — the perfect mix of purpose and...
Read this (+ previous posts) online Issue #184 Read time: 3 minutes What if your best hours were building something that was truly yours? This week’s essay is about the quiet power of choosing your own dream — and the energy (and possibility) that returns when you do. The Secret Build their dream — or build yours. There is no middle. For 15 years, I told myself I was doing the right thing. I was rising. I was delivering. I was providing. On paper, I was living the dream — at least the one I...
Read this (+ previous posts) online Issue #183 Read time: 3 minutes The ladder’s still standing—but it’s not stable. This week’s essay is your call to stop climbing and start building. PS - Don’t forget to register for our free Corporate Optional workshop happening on April 24th. This is about engineering your exit (not escaping in panic). The Secret You spent your entire career learning how to climb. You optimized. You adapted. You won. And in return, you were given: A title A steady...