If 9-5 is the Matrix, Then Entrepreneurship is the Red Pill

Have you ever felt that you are living in a world totally different than those around you?

One of my favorite movies of all time is “The Matrix”.

The film describes a dystopian future where reality perceived by humans is not actually “real”, but rather, the Matrix, a simulated reality generated and sustained by machines in order to control, subdue and exploit the human population.

The pinnacle of the movie is when Neo, the protagonist, is offered a choice by the already awakened Morpheus, a resistance fighter.

Morpheus explains the situation to Neo, i.e. that he has lived in a simulated world since birth. He then goes ahead to offer him either a red pill to find out more about the Matrix, or a blue pill to return to his old life, as if nothing happened.

“You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.”

Neo makes the choice to take the Red Pill and goes on to save humanity.

The movie is phenomenal and I highly recommend it, along with its two sequels (it’s a trilogy).

Since the release of the movie, the two pills have become popular culture symbols representing the choice between embracing the painful truth of reality (Red Pill), which will allow you to fight for a better future, and the blissful ignorance of illusion (Blue Pill), which will lead you to live a mediocre and “untruthful” life.

The concept of the two pills applies to pretty much every facet of our lives, from government manipulation of the masses to human relationships.

And of course it applies to making money and building wealth. How could it not?

Living in a Blue Pill world

As you might imagine, the majority of the population is living in a Blue Pill world.

What is the Blue Pill when it comes to making money?

Being an employee and working 9-5.

It is going to school and getting good grades.

It is going to college and getting a degree.

It is sending resumes and applying for jobs.

It is working 9-5 (or 9-9, take your pick) for someone else.

It is waiting for the weekend and pronouncing TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday).

It is struggling to make ends meet and get ahead financially.

It is relying on a meager pension and failed Social Security to get you through your elder years.

It is dying after living a mediocre life while you desired something more all along.

If you are thinking “Rat Race”, you are totally correct.

Feeling like Morpheus

Talking with people about making a living and getting ahead in life is totally like being in the Matrix.

People are caught up in the 9-5 Matrix and its false premise. They refuse to see the real world around them and prefer the comfort and “security” of a “stable” job.

From time to time, I feel like Morpheus. Trying to influence people towards a different world outside the employee Matrix.

My approach is always very subtle, non-intrusive and cautious. You can’t push too hard, it will backfire.

I have been in the Blue Pill world myself for years, spending my most precious and energetic years working for a corporation.

I was initially given the “trigger” to look for another parallel reality, but after that I had to spend a lot of time reading in order to get my brain rewired towards the real world and in order to adjust my mindset.

What is the Red Pill then?

In short, it is taking your life into your own hands.

It is making the effort to produce and provide something valuable to the marketplace and be compensated for it.

The best vehicle to do that is entrepreneurship. By starting your own business, you take matters on your own hands and you essentially create your own future.

Is it easy?

Of course not. Nothing worth having is easy.

Neo had to fight against lethal machines risking his own life. You might not have to fight machines, but you will definitely face obstacles and challenges along the way.

The transition from Blue to Red Pill must be made gradually. Neo had to educate himself and train hard in order to prepare for his battles. The same applies for the awakened wannabe entrepreneur.

First you need to internalize why the employee status sucks and why the whole premise is totally flawed and counterproductive in the long run. Start with these articles:

• What is the Rat Race and how to Escape it
• 7 Easy Steps to Becoming a Modern Slave
• The High-Salary Employee Fallacy

Then, you need to understand what the correct money mindset is, and internalize. These articles will help:

• 21 Articles to Set your Money Mindset Straight
• What is Wealth? (And a high-level game plan to acquire it)
• The Ugly Truth about Making Money
• How to Become Rich in 500 Words (or less)

As you progress, you are going to realize that entrepreneurship is one of the best approaches to achieve your goals. Especially, online businesses are perfect for budding entrepreneurs and done correctly, they can lead you to the land of riches:

• 11 Reasons your First Business Should be Online
• A Tale of two Business Models
• 3 Examples of Online Businesses you can Start Today and Scale to 6-Figures
• How to Make $1 Million in 10 Years or Less by Building an Online Business

However, entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Here are some resources to prepare you for the rough road ahead:

• Are you infected with Entrepreneurial Fuckarounditis?
• Even the Mighty Fall: 7 Lessons from Fallen Business Empires
• Entrepreneurial Diworsification in all its Glory
• 5 Signs You Shouldn’t Be an Entrepreneur

As you might have gathered, a lot of studying awaits. And all these are just the tip of the iceberg.

Even more action is going to be required. Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint.

“Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.”

Conclusion

The Matrix in our world is the 9-5. And the Red Pill you need to swallow in order to escape it is Entrepreneurship.

Living in the Blue Pill world of 9-5 means playing it “safe” and accepting lifetime mediocrity.

But with the Red Pill of entrepreneurship, a brave new world awaits.

So it all boils down to this…

Blue Pill or Red Pill, which will you choose?