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Everyone’s hunting for the right strategy.

This week’s memo unpacks why it’s who you are — not how you build — that determines your freedom.

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The Secret

You want to create something new beyond corporate life.

Maybe you’re exploring a business — coaching, consulting, advisory work.

Maybe you’ve looked into buying a franchise or dabbled in real estate.

Maybe you’re just itching to build something of your own.

And the truth is, any of those could work.

But they’re not the thing you’re truly after.

What you really want is the life they promise.

More time.

More meaningful work.

More presence with your family.

More control over your calendar.

More ownership of your outcomes.

So naturally, you start looking for the best way to get there.

The vehicle.

And that’s where the hunt begins:

• What’s the best business model?
• What’s the “right” strategy for me?
• What’s the fastest way to replace income?

You start collecting “how’s.”

But if you’re feeling stalled, stuck, or overwhelmed — here’s the truth:

The how is premature.

There are plenty of working vehicles.

The hardware isn’t the problem.

The problem is the software — the internal operating system that’s still running your life.

Let’s talk about that.

Your Hardware Isn’t Broken

You’ve got the credentials.

You’ve led teams, closed deals, driven results.

You’ve managed pressure, hit targets, and performed under stress.

That’s your hardware — your capabilities, your track record, your range.

And outside of corporate, there’s no shortage of business models to plug into:

Courses, consulting, fractional roles, digital products, coaching, service businesses.

So no, your problem isn’t a lack of options.

And it’s not a lack of ability either.

It’s the software that needs updating.

Your patterns.

Your self-image.

Your belief system.

You might be showing up like the latest iPhone — but running the OS from ten years ago.

And that’s why you feel stuck.

The Thoughts That Keep You Small

You know this version of the internal code:

• “I’m not the kind of person who builds something like that.”
• “Other people are more qualified than me.”
• “What if I make the wrong move?”
• “I need to figure out my path first.”
• “I’m not a salesperson.”

These aren’t tactical barriers.

They’re psychological ones.

And no strategy works when the person running it doesn’t believe it will.

This is why most people collect blueprints but never build.

The Success Formula Most People Ignore

Tony Robbins calls it the Success Formula:

80% psychology, 20% mechanics.

But most people flip it.

They obsess over the mechanics:

• The offer
• The tools
• The niche
• The funnel
• The platform
• The numbers

But they ignore the foundation:

The person they are bringing to the work.

And when that person is stuck in fear, doubt, or people-pleasing…

Nothing sticks.

Not even the best plan.

The Shift That Changes Everything

If you’re serious about reclaiming your time, income, and identity — here’s where it starts:

Stop asking how.

(Rearrange the letters.)

Start asking who.

Because the version of you that’s stuck?

They’re not equipped to run this next chapter.

But there’s a version of you that is:

• Bold
• Decisive
• Resourceful
• Fully aligned
• Committed to freedom

And no — you don’t wait until you “feel” like that person.

You become that person by moving like them — before you believe it.

Rewriting the Code

Here’s how you start shifting into that identity:

1. Audit the software

Would someone who owns their time and builds a premium life…

…avoid their own priorities?

…delay hard decisions?

…rely on permission?

Probably not.

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2. Name the new version of you

You’re not just a “corporate leader exploring options.”

You’re a Builder of Freedom.

A Category Creator.

The CEO of Your Life.

Own that. Show up from there.

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3. Get into environments that force your evolution

Group coaching.

Masterminds.

Peer groups of people doing the work — not just talking about it.

Places that raise your standards by default.

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4. Install new rituals

Protect your mornings — and ritualize them.

Create before you consume.

Block space for what matters.

Say yes to projects that pull you forward (and no to the rest)

You don’t just need better tools.

You need new mental code for how you move through the world.

Why We Start Here

This is exactly why we built the Corporate Graduation™ system the way we did.

Not to hand you a “business in a box.”

But to rebuild the foundation — so when you do pick a vehicle, you have the mindset, identity, and support to drive it.

We help you shift from who you were trained to be — to the person who leads your future.

And once that shift happens?

The “how” starts working.

The Mirror Test

You don’t need more time.

You don’t need the perfect model.

You don’t need to learn everything first.

You need to look in the mirror and answer honestly:

Am I becoming the person who owns what I want?

If not — that’s your work.

And once that work is underway, everything else accelerates.

Till next week,

Matt
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Mind-Bender

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Podcast

​​153: Whose Dream Are You Really Building?​

You’re either building their dream — or yours.

This episode is a wake-up call to stop postponing your potential and start reclaiming your energy, purpose, and ownership through Corporate Graduation™.

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👋 Final Note:

Ready to step into your higher self and graduate corporate life?

Transform everything with Uncaged Life Design, rapidly boosting freedom, family, and fulfillment.

For senior professionals who want to:

• Smartly downshift corporate (protecting lifestyle)
• Become happy, energized, and self-directed
• Build your dream online service business

START HERE: Book a Dream Scan chat. We'll explore what's right for you.

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

—Matt

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