From Corporate Dropout to Conscious Creator
I recently sat down for a podcast interview to discuss my journey from corporate life to full-time creative freedom. Here are the key questions, my insights, and takeaways from the conversation.
1. What’s one of the hardest lessons you learned after leaving the corporate world?
One of the hardest lessons I learned was that leaving a job doesn’t automatically mean freedom. At first, I rejected structure because I associated it with work and school, but I realized that true freedom requires even more discipline than a job. I also learned that self-worth and business success are deeply connected—if you don’t believe in your work’s value, no one else will. And lastly, in the beginning, you won’t have proof that your path is working—you have to create that proof for yourself before you believe it.
2. How did you first start believing you could do creative work full-time?
Meeting my wife gave me the space to express my creative side more freely, which built my confidence. Psychedelics also played a role—I had an experience that made me question, What if I could just live as a creative all the time? That planted the seed for my mindset shift.
3. How did you navigate impostor syndrome?
Impostor syndrome is really about feeling like something isn’t enough—whether that’s you, your work, or what you offer. I overcame it by always calling in my future self, imagining where I wanted to be, and acting from that place. But I also lived the other side of the dream—the fear that it wasn’t enough.
4. How do you create the space to live your dream reality?
I started with what I call the Perfect Average Day Exercise—mapping out an ideal but realistic day, from morning to night. Then I worked toward making that my default reality instead of some distant dream.
5. What do people misunderstand about freedom after leaving a job?
People think freedom means no structure, but it actually requires more structure. At a job, you’re following a company’s system. When you work for yourself, you have to build your own system—otherwise, freedom turns into chaos.
6. How did school influence the way you approach business?
I had school trauma—as soon as I was free, I wanted to rebel against structure. But I eventually realized that school and work have built-in systems that make them function. If you don’t create your own version of structure, you won’t have the discipline that supports real freedom.
7. How has journaling helped with self-awareness?
Journaling for 30 years has given me a personal “Bible”—a record of my ideas, patterns, and growth. Looking back helps me catch up to what I need to be doing now because I’ve noticed that most of my ideas take about eight years to fully materialize.
8. How do you deal with self-doubt when you don’t have proof yet?
You have to define your own first proof point. Ask: What is my first indicator of success from where I am now? Once you hit that, you stack another one. You build your own proof instead of waiting for validation.
9. How do beliefs shape reality?
I once believed if I didn’t go to work, I wouldn’t be able to live. To break that belief, I had to go through drastic real-world changes—changing environments, relationships, and even where I lived. New beliefs require real-world shifts, not just mindset work.
10. How do you avoid distractions and stay focused on your purpose?
I practice Impression Management—pay attention to what you’re consuming because it programs your subconscious. If you’re struggling to visualize your purpose, stop consuming distractions and spend time alone.
11. What’s the biggest mindset shift when leaving corporate?
Shifting from thinking about yourself (earning a paycheck) to thinking about others (solving problems). Instead of working for money, you build systems that create value for others.
12. How do you balance work and rest?
Work is like the gym—you break things down, but the real growth happens during rest. My best insights come when I step away from work, not when I push harder.
13. How do you balance being unique while also being relatable?
The more specific a story is, the more universal it becomes. People don’t connect with broad generalities—they connect with deep emotional truths.
14. How do you deal with shame and self-judgment?
Shame is the feeling of not belonging. The way through is what I call “living in the woods”—stepping away from environments that reinforce shame so you can recalibrate and return stronger.
15. What’s the meaning of "the woods" in transformation?
The woods represent the transition phase—you’re not who you were, but you’re not who you’re becoming yet. It’s dark, disorienting, and uncomfortable, but it calls something out of you that couldn’t emerge while you were still in the familiar world.
16. If listeners take away one thing from this, what should it be?
The same thing you think you need—give it up. And that same thing will set you free. Every transition requires letting go of something, whether it’s an old belief, comfort, or identity.
