Today I’m going to teach you how to break from The Matrix without the need for any red pills.
When you were a kid what did you dream you wanted to be?
An astronaut, a superhero, a Jedi, president of your country.
For the majority, we never achieved our dream.
Over time our parents, friends, education system, and media beat that dream out of us.
Forced us to blend in and do what everyone else was doing. Burying our dreams deeper within ourselves.
The biggest lie we were told as kids growing up was not to follow our passion because there was no money in it. That we needed to get a "proper job". To chase the American Dream.
But as George Carlin put it: "It's called the American dream because you have to be asleep to believe in it."
It's time to wake up and realize you have been lied to. One lie after another to keep you trapped in The Matrix. To follow the system. To obey.
And with any trap, the first step to breaking out is being aware that you're trapped.
Unfortunately, I can't show you how to dodge bullets in slow motion but I can show you the steps needed to break free.
Let’s dive in:
I'll discuss the three steps needed to break free from The Matrix immediately.
Here’s what I'll cover:
Step.1 Find Your Purpose, Find Your Power
Step.2 Digital Junk Food
Step.3 The Power of Change:
When you don't know your purpose The Matrix will assign one for you.
When you don't know your passion The Matrix will assign one for you.
The offer on the table is nothing short of slow poison that will rot you from the inside over time.
When you are living an unfulfilled life you will most likely turn to others for validation.
You see others drinking or partying at the weekend, and you do the same.
You see others posting selfies, and you do the same.
We turn to social media and likes for validation. This now becomes your new purpose that The Matrix has so kindly gifted you.
The good news is you have a choice. You don't have to spend the rest of your life doing the thing that makes you unhappy. As Alan Watts put it: "It’s better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way."
Try new things, educate yourself, discover hidden talents and open up yourself up to new opportunities. Embrace the unknown and let your curiosity guide you.
Soak up knowledge and don't limit yourself to one skill just because you think it's the only thing you're good at.
Sure that one thing can lead to growth and monetary value, but do it because you actually want to do it. Life is short, so make the most of it. Don't be afraid to try new things and explore different paths. Knock on as many doors as you can until you find something that truly nourishes you mentally, physically, and spiritually.
- Take a step back and think about what really matters to you. What are your passions and values?
- Experiment with different interests and activities - don't be afraid to try new things and see what really speaks to you.
- Find mentors and role models who can offer guidance and inspiration.
- Consider your strengths and skills - how can you use them to make a positive impact on the world?
- Embrace change and take risks - sometimes finding your purpose requires stepping out of your comfort zone.
Remember, your purpose may not be a clear, defined path - it may evolve and change over time. Embrace the journey and trust in yourself to discover what truly brings you fulfillment and meaning. To steal a quote from Jim Carey:
"I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which is that you can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love."
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We're addicted to consuming digital junk food, these quick fixes that bring us temporary happiness but ultimately leave us unfulfilled. It's like drinking a can of Coke Zero - empty calories that provide minimal nourishment but we consume them to feel satisfied in that moment. But like junk food, we end up feeling empty and needing more after the initial dopamine wears off.
Me, you, and everyone else - we're all chasing that next hit of dopamine. Constantly checking our notifications, browser tabs, and phones. Kept artificially busy by a system that's designed to exploit us for its own gain. Nothing is free.
Have you seen the movie They Live? If not you should. It's about a dude named John Nada who discovers a pair of sunglasses. Not anyone old pair. These glasses allow John to see the world as it truly is - a dystopian society controlled by a group of aliens. The main takeaway is that we are fed subliminal messages in mass media to keep us docile and subservient.
Sounds familiar right?
“Outside the limit of our sight, feeding off us, perched on top of us, from birth to death, are our owners! Our owners! They have us. They control us! They are our masters! Wake up! They're all about you! All around you!”
Every choice we make comes with an opportunity cost - when we decide to do one thing, we're deciding not to do something else.
If you decide to consume Instagram instead of tackling something on your to-do list, you're choosing procrastination in favour of productivity. You are choosing to be unfulfilled rather than fulfilled.
A decision that over time shapes who you are and what priorities as a person you have. Deciding to consume Instagram means you're telling your brain to enjoy that activity more and more. Before you know it, you're constantly checking your phone. Each "yes" contributes to what you crave and ultimately becomes a junk food habit becoming harder and harder to break free from.
As Tyler Durden put it:
“We’re consumers. We are bi-products of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime, poverty, these things don’t concern me. What concerns me are celebrity magazines, television with 500 channels, and some guy’s name on my underwear.”
Life experiences are worth more than mere material things, it’s our human nature to adapt and get bored with “things”.
We are slowly being reprogrammed by The Matrix to accept a boring life of school, college, marriage, work, retire and then die. A life with no real meaning.
Stop mindlessly consuming. Stop letting media and trends influence how you should live your life. Once you start turning off the consumption, your mind will turn on.
- Set limits on your phone or computer: Use the built-in tools on your devices to establish boundaries around your social media use OR even go one step further and delete them from your phone.
- Unfollow or unfriend accounts: Curate your feed by pruning the accounts that don't bring value to your life.
- Find alternative activities: Cultivate hobbies and passions outside of the digital realm.
- Use social media mindfully: When you do check in, do so with intention and awareness.
- Turn off notifications: Ditch the constant interruptions and check in on your own terms.
Social media isn't designed to serve us. It's designed to keep us hooked to the screen for as long as possible so that we watch more ads, and make more money for the machines. Addiction isn't a side effect, it's the goal. This strategy works for the junk food industry, for social media, and for all kinds of unnecessary consumption. It's no coincidence that we're all feeling isolated. This isolation drives up Netflix subscriptions, food delivery orders, and drug sales. It's not just about individuals, it's about how our entire society is wired to prioritize consumption over connection. We need to wake up.
It's amazing what happens when you uninstall all the social media apps on your device. Such a simple step can be life-changing. Over time you will stop caring about what’s happening in other people’s lives, which will give you more time to think about your own.
Reducing social media consumption can free up time for hobbies, activities, and improve your sleep, as well as helping you focus on your own strengths, accomplishments and mental well-being.
I urge you to reduce your digital junk food consumption today!
There is comfort in the known. That’s why most of us enjoy having a steady routine at work. We are creatures of habits. Every day we think the same thoughts, feel the same emotions and do the same things over and over again. We create the same experiences day in and day out. We get comfortable with the way we’re doing things.
We wake up. Get dressed. Brush our teeth. Grab a coffee. Drive to work. Stare at a screen for 8 hours. Drive home from work. Grab dinner. Stare at a screen for a few hours. Brush our teeth. Get undressed. Go asleep. We wake up...
How often are you thinking the same thoughts and doing the same things every day? By doing that you are creating the same reality over and over again.
The first step to changing anything in your life is to recognize that there is a problem. Be aware of it. Listen to how it makes you feel. How does it make you feel?
Our life is a song from an album that is stuck on repeat. But the good news is we can change that song.
The most obvious step is to simply break your routine. Breaking your routine will take you out of your comfort zone and when you’re out of your comfort zone, your mind will be open to new ideas, new connections, new possibilities and show you the things you were missing out on.
Try something new. Take a class, learn a language, talk to a stranger, learn a new skill, or take up a new hobby. This will help you see things from a different perspective and stimulate your creativity.
This technique is very simple. For the next 24 hours simply do the complete opposite of what you normally do. So for example:
up at 8am - up at 7am
drink coffee - drink green tea
drive to work - bus to work
lunch at the desk - lunch outside
spend 1-2 hours on social media - 24-hour detox
listen to music in the car - listen to a podcast
watch popular Netflix soaps - watch documentaries
bed by 10pm - bed by 9pm
This is just an example, you will need to cater it to your routine. But you get the idea. You are guaranteed to feel less stressed, less anxious and more fulfilled in just 24 hours. Give it a go.
Today is the day we fight back against The Matrix. I want you to prove to yourself that you are in control of YOUR life.
When you catch yourself thinking "I need to check social media" or "I have to check my emails" I urge you to dig deeper and ask yourself "why?" Keep asking yourself these questions until you arrive at the root cause of your actions. This will help you gain a greater sense of self-control over your consumption abuse. It’s amazing how much better you will feel when you cut this empty content out of your life.
Remember this - you are the director of YOUR life.
Nothing happens on a movie set until the director yells "ACTION"
The same can be said for life.
Now is the time to start shouting "ACTION"
Learning and doing is a lifelong process. Never have regrets; only lessons. Your wants and needs are always evolving, but one thing never changes and that is the time that you should get started, and that time is always NOW.
Once you become aware and start asking the right questions....that's when you take control of your life. Keep doing you, and find your balance.
Don't let The Matrix, hold you back from finding your purpose and living a fulfilling life. Think for yourself, and question authority. You have the power to shape your own story. Seek out your passions, avoid digital distractions, embrace change, and surround yourself with a supportive community.
Take control of your journey and make the most of this one precious life. Live simple and simply live.
To recap:
- Escape the Matrix by becoming aware of being trapped.
- Find your purpose and passions to empower yourself.
- Avoid digital "junk food" and social media validation.
- Embrace change and take risks to find your true path.
- Surround yourself with positive influences and cut out negative influences.
Finally, if people living a “normal” life call you crazy, you are doing things right.
Crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
– David Delahunty
