“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
— Winston Churchill
When you hear “The Matrix,” what’s the first thing that comes to your mind?
Neo dodging bullets?
The red pill vs. the blue pill?
But there’s another story, one that hasn’t been talked about as much.
For “The Matrix” sequels, Keanu took a hefty pay cut. He wanted to make sure that production had the funds for spectacular visual effects and to keep the dedicated crew onboard.
Keanu saw beyond personal gains. He understood that for a project to succeed, sometimes personal sacrifices must be made.
Did you recently make a choice where you prioritize others or understood the bigger picture beyond personal gains?
I bet it left a warm feeling in your heart…
Left you smiling 🙂
When we stretch out a helping hand, when we think beyond ‘me’ to ‘we,’ the world feels… more hopeful. And that’s enough to help us keep going.
How can we be intentional about this?
Here’s something to reflect on —
👉 Are there decisions you’ve made recently that were purely for personal gain, and could have been adjusted for collective good?
👉 Identify one decision or action where you can place the collective good or someone else’s need above your own.
Maybe it’s helping your team meet a deadline even if you’ve done your part of the job.
Or it can be spending your free weekends mentoring community youngsters or adults in a skill you’re good at.
Selflessness doesn’t always mean grand gestures.
It can even be setting aside your own minor worries to fully listen and support a friend or family member going through a tough time.
👉 Seek out stories of people who’ve made selfless decisions. Learn from them. Let their stories inspire you, and consider sharing your own to inspire others.
Now, for a mic-drop moment…
Keanu Reeves reportedly earned MORE money from The Matrix films than any other actor in a single movie franchise. It goes to prove that when you give more, you often get back in unexpected ways.