Lessons From The Matrix Part Three

Welcome to the third lesson that can be learned from the movie The Matrix. I am hoping you will glean some wisdom from this post as we continue our journey down the rabbit hole.

Remember, there are spoilers in these posts, so if you haven't watched the movie, be forewarned!

Brief Recap

We have gone from meeting Neo and his search for Morpheus to the "bug in the stomach" incident when Mr. Anderson/Neo meets Agent Smith. We are seeing a small glimpse of what the Matrix is, but it is still mostly a mystery to us and to Neo.

This is Now (Or is it)

Neo has awoken from his "bug in the stomach" moment when he receives a phone call and goes out to meet Trinity.

While in the car with Trinity, Switch and Apoc, Neo is given a choice. He can either go down the same street that he always has—the one he knows—or he can stay with the group.

With his hand on the door ready to leave the car, Neo is reminded by Trinity that he knows that street. He knows where it leads and what it means.

So what is the Lesson, Karin?

The lesson here may not appear very obvious, although I have strongly alluded to it.

It is not only about choices, but also the path we choose to take.

We often choose to stay on the same, safe path throughout our lives. I guess there is nothing wrong with that. For a lot of people, it may be their best choice.

But for Neo, the choice to take that safe and known street would have been his end.

As for us, taking the safe road is always an option in our blogs. We can do quite well taking the same street we have always taken—the one that is well-lit and used by many.

But I truly belieive that if your goal is to make a true difference in this world and in yourself, then you will opt to stay in the car and see where it takes you.

Is it scary?

Most definitely!

I don't know about you, but my parents raised me to not take rides with strangers!

Is it worth it?

Oh yeah!

How does this fit into our "real" world?

Perhaps you feel like your blog about traveling or about shoes or golf clubs or whatever can't be life-changing, but you would be wrong!

Anything written with heart, soul and a true desire to help other people make good choices on products or paths or whatever can be a life-changing blog.

If I am looking for a great pair of running shoes and your post about a pair I have been thinking about inspires me to buy them, you have made a difference.

Even though buying a pair of shoes might seem like a small thing, people are looking for things and that is why they read our blogs, our reviews, etc. When we can show them the "correct" items to buy through choices, we have made a difference for them.

What if I am looking for something to help me make a decision for my life? Your blog may help in unexpected ways.

On a personal note, I try to write all of my blogs posts with the idea that I could be helping someone with an important decision. (Even if it is "just" which pressure cooker is the best one!)

When I write these posts on WA, I write them with the hope that they will lead the ones who read them to a deeper understanding of why we create websites and write blogs in the first place.

The Obvious

Yes, we write our blogs to make money. For many of us, that is a primary intention. I am stating that when we write with only that intention, it will come through in your blog that you are doing this to make money and I am probably not going to click a single link on your site.

But if you have written your blog about shoes in such a way that I feel you are really trying to help me, I am WAY more likely to click a link and make a purchase.

The Not So Obvious

Taking a different path can be a difficult thing. There are sometimes obstacles in our way. There may be broken street lights. There may be unexpected turns. It might be a much longer path than the direct approach, but I truly believe that the not so obvious path is the better path.

This is my opinion, but I feel that many of you have taken this not so obvious path, as well, because we believe in making a difference through our writing.

I read many of your blogs and posts and I feel your heart in them. It makes me happy that we are on this different street together.

Tying it all up for today

This lesson that I learned from The Matrix is probably one of the more "obvious" things in the movie. It is all about choices and paths. When we strike out on a different path than the obvious one, I think that is when we truly flourish!

Hope to see you all back tomorrow for Lesson #4.

Best wishes,
Karin