The way out is simple but by no means easy
Nonetheless, it is possible to actually escape the Matrix. Here's how:
How do you avoid falling into sin? Don’t eat the apple.
How do you achieve your goals? Stay focused and ignore temptations.
How do you solve any problem? Try many solutions and iterate until one works.
As I said, the way out is simple, but simple can still be extremely difficult.
Some people try to aim at a higher purpose.
Trick themselves into doing it not for ego but for god, society, family, or comrades-in-arms. (And other facets of the same thing.)
This can work, but requires the right mindset.
For example, using others as motivation can easily lead to resentment if your efforts are not reciprocated. And many who say they’re doing it for others are really seeking meaning in martyrdom.
Instead, you have to recognize the selfishness in your altruism. Your purpose isn’t self-sacrifice for its own sake, but because helping others helps you.
It improves your skills, makes you feel better, gets you going whether your attempts are appreciated or not.
Helping others is a means of achieving what you want to feel.
And what you want to feel is that unimpeded flow of accomplishing any task with ease. Represented in movies by floating equations and furious typing, or defeating a mob with effortless fight choreography.
A feeling which can only be sustained if your physical and mental health is above a subjective standard.
In other words, what you want to feel depends on how you already feel at that moment.
This means that becoming who you want to be isn’t something you can just think into existence but requires practice, and you can’t practice unless you want to practice, and you won’t want to practice unless you have the right mindset, but it’s hard to stick to any mindset if you’re unhealthy, and it’s hard to get healthy when you feel too weak to get going.
This is why you have to start somewhere totally unrelated to your goal on the surface. It’s why people say things like, “prioritize sleep” even thought that sounds stupid when you’re trying to make a billion dollars or end global warming, or whatever.
All the advice for getting started and achieving your dreams are easy-to-dismiss platitudes because they work on a general level.
They have to be, because only you can address the specific problems of your goal.
And if you find you “just can’t” with whatever specific obstacle is before you, then it might be worth trying the general solutions for your other problems first. Not showering, sleeping, eating, etc. only seems insignificant if you’ve been wallowing in your own filth for too long to notice.
That’s why you should never underestimate the power of fresh air and sunlight.
It’s also why faith and prayer works: Asking a higher power or your ideal future self to take the reins makes it so that you can take the general steps and apply simple principles without judgment from someone who thinks it’s not worth the effort—i.e. your current self.
“God” is enough to make you get up and open a window when you otherwise wouldn’t.
One note though: the more concrete you make your prayer, the more effective it will be. Uttering the good words is better than thinking them, which is better than vague intention. As with rituals, you have to act it out to make it real.
Imagine if, whilst being tempted by the serpent, Eve had just checked with God. It’s not like the almighty isn’t everywhere and inaccessible by a thought.
Less “what would Jesus do?” and more, “Jesus, what would you do?”
Make it real.