Matrix red pill or blue pill quote how to#
Matrix red pill or blue pill quote free#

Although the short-term benefits of the status quo may feel good, what have been the long-term consequences to your family and career?

Matrix red pill or blue pill quote free#

When I was working in BIGLAW, there were tons of benefits – regular takeout paid for by the firms, a paid car if I worked late on deals in Palo Alto and New York, free sodas, a dog walker, discounted food in the lunchroom, a mobile car detailer, and expensive vacations. How has staying plugged into the Matrix worked for you?

When did you first become aware that you knew something was wrong? That you were on the wrong path? Think back to when you first became aware of the Matrix. I was able to leave the Matrix by defining what I really wanted from my career and developing the willingness to experience the anxiety that comes along with making a value-based decision.

Matrix red pill or blue pill quote how to#

But, if you are willing, you can learn how to surf- by leveraging the opportunity this emotional response brings. Once the process starts, you can’t stop it on a dime. Once your limbic system is activated, it hijacks your prefrontal cortex or thinking brain-the later evolved part of the brain responsible for decision-making and planning. This is the older emotional center of the brain that is critical to our survival. When you have thoughts about leaving your job, it causes a threat response in your limbic system. What is known feels better than what is unknown to a nervous system that is evolutionally geared to protect you from harm. Your nervous system sets at the thing that you do repeatedly, even if you don’t like it. The human mind craves what the blue pill offers-what we already know-and avoids what the red pill requires-what is still to be determined. Like many professionals, I was unhappy with my current situation but did not change because I felt uncertain about my alternatives. I kept seeing glitches in the system, and I couldn’t unsee them. I was living in a beautiful place, spending my weekends hiking, skiing, or kayaking, and making more money than I thought I could ever spend. My colleagues were brilliant, and my clients were amazing. I was an intellectual property attorney working in a large, multinational law firm. Have you ever seen the Matrix? That’s probably the easiest way to explain it.” I told them the truth: “There’s no quick and easy solution. It was sad to hear how so many brilliant men and women chose to stay in jobs that made them unhappy when making a move-even within the legal profession-could have made a huge difference. By the end of the day, no less than ten lawyers asked me how I escaped my corporate law job. There was a collective head snap, and thankfully, the stares relaxed into smiles.

In one breath, I introduced myself and said, “I used to be an intellectual property attorney at a large law firm, and now I’m a psychologist and a professor.” Most attendees were either partners or associates at large law firms. At lunch, we went around the table introducing ourselves. Recently, I attended my first CLE since I left the full-time practice of law. It’s the beginning of a new year, and like many attorneys, I’m not only breaking my resolutions but also scrambling to cram in my continuing legal education or CLE credits before the winter grace period ends.