Red Pill or Blue Pill: Choosing the Maverick Mindset over Victimhood or Heroism

In the movie "The Matrix", the main character Neo is offered a choice between a red pill and a blue pill. The red pill represents the truth, no matter how difficult it may be to accept. The blue pill represents comfort and security, but it also means living in ignorance. This choice is a metaphor for the decisions we make in life. Do we choose to face the truth and take responsibility for our lives, or do we choose to live in a state of victimhood or wait for someone else to save us?

The victim mentality and savior mindset are two ways of looking at the world that can have a profound impact on our lives. Many of us have been conditioned to wait for a savior - someone who is bigger, stronger, smarter, and more awesome - to come and rescue us. We've been taught to believe that we are powerless to change our circumstances, and that we need someone else to come and fix things for us. On the other hand, some of us believe that we are the saviors, and that it is our responsibility to save others. This mentality can lead to burnout, exhaustion, and an inability to take care of ourselves.

Both of these mindsets are limiting and can have extremely destructive consequences in our own lives. In this blog, we will explore how to break free from these patterns and become a maverick - someone who takes responsibility for their life, makes tough decisions, and is willing to go against the grain. It's not always easy, and it can be uncomfortable at times, but it is necessary for growth and progress. So, are you ready to take the red pill and face the truth, or will you choose the blue pill and stay in your comfort zone? The choice is yours.

The concept of adopting a victim mindset vs the saviour complex has been on my mind lately. My observations lead me to believe that this information is put out through education, media, and entertainment systems and is reinforced through our trust circles; families, friendships, and even religious communities.

To understand the relevant mechanisms we first need to understand propaganda.  Propaganda plays a huge role in this conditioning process. Contrary to popular belief, propaganda is not 100% lies. In fact, it is mostly facts. It has enough facts to make it believable. A lie is actually a small component, so small that it goes undetected. However, the lie is so destructive that it can ruin generations.

Earlier we mentioned religion. It's important to note that in my opinion it's not religious books themselves that are the source of propaganda, but rather the teachings of their respective teachers who have adopted terrible philosophical approaches fueled by a poor world view and a lack of understanding of basic principles of how the world actually functions. They were subjected to bad teachings which they never took the time to do the due diligence on. Now they spread propaganda instead of wholesome spiritual teaching. Please don't get me not every religious leaders is spreading Propoganda. Yes the are those who have a healthy understanding of what they are teaching and are a good source of spiritual guidance.

However we need to be alert as both the victim mentality and the savior mindset can have extremely destructive consequences in your own life. I can bear witness to how both of these philosophies have captured different components of my life. Thankfully, I have identified and interrupted the pattern. I am now transforming my thinking so that my life can progress in the manner in it should and can be the man of impact I was designed to be.

Becoming Maverick is a beautiful and rewarding process, but it's hard work. It can be uncomfortable at times, and you have to make tough decisions. Yes! you're going to go against the grain and be controversial. Yes!  This will upset some people. Yes! Some might call you rebellious when you question things. Someone might label you a conspiracy theorist. And, yes, when you start teaching others, there will be those who attempt to discredit you. I know I've been there.

The truth can be uncomfortable when you have accepted a lie or incomplete theory as a fact. Truth challenges you to change your behavior. Humans don't like to change, but it's necessary for growth and progress. 

In future blogs, we will unpack the victim and savior mentalities in more detail. But until then, enjoy the Maverick journey. It's important to be discerning with the information we consume, and to make choices that lead to growth and enlightenment, rather than ignorance and enslavement. So let's be Mavericks, and encourage others to join us on this journey towards truth and progress. Share this blog with your friends, and let's continue to inspire each other to be the best versions of ourselves.

 Shalom!

Challenging Outdated Parenting: A Maverick Approach to Raising the Next Generation

Challenging Outdated Parenting: A Maverick Approach to Raising the Next Generation

Becoming Maverick is a journey toward intentional living, personal growth, and greatness. It is about breaking free from inherited patterns, questioning what we’ve accepted as “normal,” and choosing a more conscious path forward.

As we walk this journey, one truth becomes unavoidable: how we parent matters. Parenting is not a side quest—it shapes future generations, cultures, and the world our children will one day lead. To become Maverick is to examine not only our careers, beliefs, and habits, but also the way we raise our children.

This reflection challenges outdated parenting models and invites a more progressive, intentional approach—one that allows us to live and love beyond limits.

Love Isn’t the Problem — Unexamined Tradition Is

Parents love their children. At least, we assume they do—and in most cases, they genuinely try their best.

So how do we end up harming the very people we love most?

Paradoxically, we often harm our children because we love them. In our desire to protect, provide, and preserve, we sometimes pass on habits, beliefs, and practices that no longer serve them. Love without reflection can become limitation.

Consider food—something essential, pleasurable, and deeply cultural. It can nourish, but it can also slowly poison when choices are driven by tradition rather than understanding. The same principle applies to parenting.

This idea echoes the haunting truth behind the song “Killing Me Softly.” Made famous globally by the Fugees in 1996, the phrase captures something uncomfortable: harm doesn’t always come loudly or violently. Sometimes, it comes gently—wrapped in love, familiarity, and good intentions.

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Parenting with Outdated Information

Most parents do not intentionally damage their children. They parent using the information available to them—information passed down through generations, reinforced by society, culture, and personal experience.

Here’s the challenge: much of that information is outdated.

In medicine, it can take over a decade for new discoveries to reach textbooks and training institutions. Professionals who don’t actively update themselves often practice with yesterday’s knowledge. Parenting is no different.

Without intentional learning and self-renewal, we default to what we were taught:

• “This worked for me.”

• “This is how I was raised.”

• “This is how it’s always been done.”

But what worked in one era may quietly fail in another.

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Universal Principles vs. Evolving Application

Some principles are timeless. Gravity still works. Human development still follows patterns. Children still need love, boundaries, safety, and affirmation.

What does change is how we apply those principles.

There was a time when humanity believed flight was impossible. The sky was the limit—literally. Today, we fly across continents and leave Earth’s atmosphere entirely. The laws of physics didn’t change; our understanding did.

Parenting is the same. Love remains essential. Guidance remains necessary. Discipline still matters. But the methods, awareness, and psychological insight must evolve.

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A Maverick Call to Progressive Parenting

To parent as a Maverick is not to reject the past entirely—but to question it wisely. It is to honour what still works while courageously upgrading what no longer serves.

Progressive parenting requires:

• Intentional learning

• Emotional intelligence

• Self-reflection

• Willingness to unlearn

• Openness to new research and perspectives

It asks us to parent not only for today, but for our children’s children—and generations beyond.

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Living and Loving Beyond Limits

Let us continue to parent to the best of our ability—but let us also be brave enough to grow.

Be kind to the third, fourth, fifth generation, and beyond. Challenge inherited limitations. Renew your mindset. Upgrade your understanding.

This is the Maverick way.

Live consciously. Love intentionally. Parent beyond limits.

Living with Intention: My Path to Becoming Maverick

Welcome back to "Becoming Maverick," a blog where I unpack my personal journey through life, sharing the lessons I've learned and the challenges I've overcome. It's a story of resilience, courage, and growth, inspired by the origin of the word "Maverick."

The term "Maverick" originated from the name of a Texas rancher, Samuel Maverick, who was known for his independent spirit and refusal to brand his cattle. He allowed his cattle to roam freely and unbranded, which went against the common practice of the time. Samuel Maverick's non-conformity and individuality led to the term "Maverick" being used to describe someone who is independent, unconventional, and unafraid to challenge the status quo.

In this blog, I share some personal experiences, insights, and reflections as I've embraced my own Maverick mindset and navigated through life's challenges and opportunities. I'll be candid about the lessons I've learned, the mistakes I've made, and the wisdom I've gained along the way. My aim is to give hope and inspiration to those who may be facing their own challenges or seeking guidance on their own journey towards success.

Through my journey, I've come to realize that Becoming Maverick is about more than just being independent and unconventional. It's also about giving purpose and meaning to life. As Earl Nightingale once said, "A life without purpose is like a ship without a guidance system." So many people simply let life happen to them, without actively pursuing their passions, dreams, and goals. But being a Maverick is about living life with intention, purpose, and direction.

In this blog, I also explore how finding purpose and meaning in life has been a driving force behind my journey of Becoming Maverick. I share some of my passions, setting clear goals, and aligning my actions with my values have given my life direction and helped me navigate through challenges and setbacks. I will also discuss how embracing change, taking risks, and learning from failures have been essential in my pursuit of purposeful living.

To all the regular readers, thank you for your continued support and engagement. Your encouragement and feedback have been invaluable on this journey of Becoming Maverick. I hope our diverse perspectives and insights will inspired you and provided you with encouragement and motivation.

For those who are new to the blog, welcome! I encourage you to return and join us on this journey of self-discovery, growth, and purposeful living. As John C. Maxwell once said, "You don't have to be intentional to exist, but you do have to be intentional to live." If you resonate with our message of embracing challenges, living with intention, and finding meaning in life, I invite you to share this blog with anyone who could benefit from diverse perspectives or needs some encouragement on their own journey.

Together, let's continue to explore the joys and challenges of life, uncover the power of purpose, and embrace the Maverick mindset. Thank you for being a part of our community, and I look forward to sharing more insights and lessons with you in the future.

 Please feel free to leave comment, I would appreciate your perspective.

With gratitude,

Steven WAYNE Nicholls