4 Steps to Escape the Corporate Golden Cage and Break Free

At a Glance:

• 4 steps to escape the corporate golden cage
• How to make a plan doable
• What’s the most difficult?

If it’s about starting something, taking a first step, it’s always about being aware. Awareness is knowledge that something exists or an understanding of a situation or subject at the present time based on information or experience. If you are not aware of something, how can you think of it…?

I spoke to a friend recently, who asked me, “Why don’t you write about how to escape the corporate world?”So here it is—based on a real story of someone who was very much in the corporate world for 15+ years and (almost) burned out.

STEP 1. AWARENESS

It’s always AWARENESS. Awareness that something is NOT OKAY.

It’s like an illness.You won’t go to the doctor until you realize something is not okay. Some people do it right away; others wait until they feel really bad or end up in the hospital.

To leave your golden cage, you first need to be aware you’re in it. And realize it’s not okay to stay there.

3 ideas to help you build awareness:

• Observe your thoughts
  • Do you love what you do?
  • Does it bring you joy?
  • Or does your life feel like the same thing every day?
  • When was the last time you did something fun?
• Talk to people around you
  • Understand what they feel
  • Validate your thoughts
  • Don’t go through this alone
• Expose yourself to different realities
  • See how other people live and what they do
  • Learn how they find joy in day-to-day life
  • Connect with those who have left their cages

Maybe this newsletter can be a moment for you to pause and reflect today…

• Are you where you want to be with your life and career?
• Or are you stuck in a corporate golden cage but afraid to escape it?

STEP 2. FIND A CURE

When you finally get it and realize that something is not okay, that you aren’t where you want to be, you need to fix it.

But before going into action, give it a bit of thought.

Visualize what could happen if you leave the corporate world:

• Where would you go?
• What would you do?
• What could you do in life?

Create your long-term and powerful vision.

It’s a longer process of thinking and exploring yourself…

• Think about your values.
• How do you want to work and live?
• Who do you want to do it with?
• Where do you want to be?
• What brings you joy?
• What makes you smile?
• What motivates you?

What is your life purpose, and how can you do something that gets you closer to achieving it?

STEP 3. CREATE A PLAN

You have awareness. You have a vision. Time to plan it.And you need to plan it well.

Why?Because the corporate world taught us to plan and then execute, and we feel comfortable in conditions that we control.

It will be hard for you to escape without a plan and just take a risk—especially after years of a comfortable and predictable life where you know what your career brings you.Trust me, and do it smart.

How to plan?

• Start with annual goals and divide them into smaller ones (quarterly).
• Then break them into monthly milestones.
• Start small—plan for Month 1.
• Then break it down into weekly goals and daily tasks.

Step by step, day by day. This is the approach that will not scare you.

STEP 4. EXECUTION

The key step to start executing your plan is to be convinced that you can do it.The step-by-step approach and tiny daily actions are the best ways to make sure your plan is not overwhelming.

But I can imagine there’s more needed to start.

No matter how much you have been thinking about it, it takes confidence and courage to take that first step.

And yes, as high achievers in consulting, we know how to execute. But we mostly execute in known, controllable, and comfortable conditions, with other high achievers around to support us.

Now, it’s about taking that step by yourself.

How can you build your confidence?Check out my previous newsletter on it!

It’s all about convincing yourself.Remember—you have to believe in it, not others.Don’t let external validation dictate what you do.

What else can you do?

• Check one more time with yourself that you don’t want to stay where you are.
• Make sure you validate your plan and assumptions. We all know the consulting world taught us to double and triple-check everything. Just do it. I know you need it.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you!

What’s the most difficult part of this journey?

Awareness and execution are the hardest ones.

Why?

• Awareness: You don’t know what you don’t know.
• Execution: It requires consistency and motivation to keep going and (often) overcome challenges on your way.