Do You Choose the Red Pill?

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- by Todd Jensen

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Have you watched The Matrix recently? Remember the
scene where Neo is offered the red pill or the blue
pill?

For those of you who are not Matrix fans, here’s the
synopsis. Computers have taken over the world and are
using humans as living batteries to power their
existence. The computers found that humans waste away
without something to live for, so they plug the humans
into The Matrix-a computer simulation of everyday life
in the late 1990’s, complete with cubicles, rush hour,
and the endless rat race.

The only problem with the Matrix is that there are a
small percentage of people who feel in their soul that
this existence is a lie. Neo, the main character, is
one of these, and starts searching for answers.The pivotal scene unfolds. Neo must choose whether to
take the blue pill, and wake up in his bed the next
morning to blindly continue his life in the Matrix, or
take the red pill, and learn the truth.

My oldest son is finishing his junior year in high
school, and he will soon be facing that same pivotal
choice. Life with the blue pill is very appealing.
Get a good job, start a family, live in the suburbs,
work for 45 years, and retire comfortably. He would
never be fabulously wealthy, but he would do okay. Our
educational system is designed to mold our young people
for this future. After all, we need good workers,
right?

But what Matrix would he be living under? Would he be
voluntarily conforming to the artificial boundaries of
life in corporate America?

When I was in his shoes, I didn’t know there were other
options. I pursued the path of getting a good
education as an engineer, getting a good job,
and…surprise, surprise! Life was not easy. I could
barely afford to buy a house in the suburbs, commuted
an hour and a half each way to work, and never had time
to spend with my kids. I felt like the adults in my
life had sold me a lie.

I grew up in a small town in Montana. My parents ran a
gift store and greenhouse, and had a small house on 40
acres of land just outside of town. They struggled
trying to make a living in a small town, but I lived
the ideal life of a small boy…fishing, hunting, and
enjoying the outdoors.

My parents wanted more for me. I dutifully set out for
life in the big city, not because I had any desire to
live there, but because I had been told this was what I
should do. My parents truly felt this was the best
path.

About ten years ago, I chose to take the red pill. I
packed up my family in a U-Haul, and moved across the
state to define my own existence. I gave up the long
commute and big city life for a something else. Now, I
work from my home office, and have the freedom to
structure my life how I want to live. Instead of
heading out for the freeway, I spent this morning with
my youngest son, having morning Donuts with Dad at his
elementary school. I’ve been to every one of my kids’
basketball games, band concerts, and track meets this
year. I hunt and fish with my boys, and camp with the
Boy Scouts. Life is good.

If there is one gift I want to give my son, it is this
truth. He does not need to be contained by someone
else’s Matrix. He does not need to conform to another
person’s ideal of how he should live his life. He can
choose.

If you have a teenager, make sure you talk to him or
her about how they want to live their life. Instead of
asking them what they want to do, help them figure out
how they want to live.

Do they want to live in the city, country, or somewhere
in-between? Would they prefer an 8-to-5 job, with
weekends and holidays off, or do they want a little
more flexibility? Are they willing to work for
themselves, and possibly give up vacations and holidays
for a while in order to have more later? What kind of
house do they want to live in? What car do they want
to drive?

Now, once these questions are answered, what kind of
income do they need to create in order to live their
life how they want to live? What education will they
need to get to make this happen? What skills do they
need to learn? What contacts do they need to make?

Before your teenager succumbs to the pull of the blue
pill, give them a wake up call. The truth is that he
or she has more opportunities and options now than ever
before. They can have the life of their dreams.

Don’t get me wrong. Choosing the red pill has its
price. The blue pill goes down ever so much easier.
After all, the blue pill is the normal path. Following in the
footsteps of the mindless masses is such a no-brainer.
A small part of me knows that life could be easier for
my children if they did not know they have other
options. Conformity could be rewarded by comfort and
ease.

But the possibilities of the red pill…

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Todd Jensen, “The Profit Engineer”, has helped hundreds
of business owners make their business more successful
and profitable. For tips and strategies on how to
boost your business success as well as increase your
profits, visit
http://www.theprofitengineer.com or
http://www.freebusinessstartupinfo.com
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