How to put corporate on autopilot


Read this on matthewdoan.com

Read time: 4 minutes

Hey Reader,

Want to drastically reduce time spent at your corporate job?

Ready to build an entrepreneurial future?

Good. You’ll love today’s short masterclass.


The Secret

I speak with 10+ people every week who crave a self-directed future.

They’ve “put in their dues” in corporate life, creating a foundation for their life and family.

But now, they’re craving freedom and fulfillment.

How can they get there?

You might know my stance by now.

I believe we all have an untapped entrepreneurial side that can produce massive benefits if we properly unleash it.

But here’s where most people fail: they follow the online gurus and go straight to the mechanics of building a business.

They miss all the prerequisite work (the must-do stuff we address in my Uncaged Life Design program).

Step 1 is all about creating space.

In this case, putting corporate on autopilot.

Listen, you shouldn’t run screaming from your 9-5.

It’s funding your life, and we want to treat it as the functional asset that it is (as long as we need it).

Building your entrepreneurial future starts with creating space.

Start by putting your job on autopilot.

To make it real, I'll share 6 battle-proven strategies that I and my clients have implemented over the last several years.


How to put corporate on autopilot

1. Secretly decline "promotion" path

  • Instead, focus on “maintaining” your current role
  • Give yourself to play a different game at work

→ This releases you from the pressure to compete.

2. Analyze incentive structure

  • Clarify what bosses are rewarded for ($)
  • Align your efforts to helping THEM succeed

→ This ensures you’re focused on “needle-moving” efforts that your bosses will reward you for come annual review time.

3. Delete all fake work

  • Audit recurring meetings, activities, etc.
  • Identify the value-add 20%; kill the 80% (fake work)

→ Knowing the “real work” keeps you ultra-focused and confident each day.

4. Focus on outcomes > hours

  • Use OKR-style planning to fixate on outcomes
  • Deliver outcomes with ruthless efficiency

→ You’re opting out of “participation” games. You’re respecting yourself.

5. Design ideal day & week

  • Slot personal priorities onto your calendar FIRST
  • Re-engineer work schedule & install timeblocks

→ Design or be designed. Your calendar becomes your reality.

6. Define rules of engagement

  • Set “bright line” boundaries that won’t be crossed
  • Develop a one-page social contract with yourself

→ You’re playing by your rules, not theirs. And yes, it can still be win-win.

Sample results my clients got within a few weeks:

✅ Weekday morning strolls in the park with partner

✅ Emotionally resilient and calm on Sundays

✅ Deep work each morning to build a business

✅ More respected & confident at work

✅ Cut work hours by nearly 50%

I hope you see the possibility here.

If you’re ready to put your day job on autopilot and leverage corporate for entrepreneurial freedom, book your breakthrough call here.


Mind-Bender


Podcast

Bravely Stepping Out of Your Cage:

“We are all living in cages with the door wide open." —George Lucas

This is a straight-talk episode about escaping your cage. Maybe you need to navigate a daunting corporate culture, or you're trigger-shy on building that passion business. We subconsciously let our external environments tell us what's possible.

No more; you hold the keys to freedom. Let's talk about how to break free. (🎧 Listen here)


That’s it for today, my friend! I appreciate you.

—Matt

Corporate Graduation™

Trade corporate success for entrepreneurial ownership. Every Saturday, receive one essay — to help you navigate the complex shift from the default path to an authentic life powered by a premium business, with bold thinking and grounded conviction.

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