January 26, 2012 | 
Category: 
[Quick note to those learning German:
I'll be taking the Why German is easy option off this site permanently on Monday. It will then only be available as an add-on to the Speak from Day 1/Language Hacking Guide package. To get it as a stand-alone download for €19 or the Language Hacking Guide inclusive version before then, go here.]
The late and great Steve Jobs was famous for many things, and was arguably one of the most influential contributors to how advanced personal use technology developed over the last few decades. But another thing that he was quite well known for, which definitely contributed a huge amount to how much he achieved, was his reality distortion field (RDF).
Rather than the mystical powers the name (and my silly photo) suggests, this is simply charm, persistence, boldness and, most importantly, a refusal to give up, which leads to great things being achieved that the average person won’t, since they simply don’t try hard enough.
It’s “distorting” reality, very simply because one “reality” is what people think about you failing, and another is what you think and do, to make sure you succeed. You have to ignore the naysayers, even if some of what they say may be true (i.e. a “reality”), but actually totally irrelevant to you and your situation (e.g. maybe some unhelpful studies show that kids are better learners, but others show that adults are), and focus only on what will bring you in the right direction.
I don’t actually think Steve Jobs was unique in having one. It’s something that could be argued (depending on how you define it) that everyone applies in one way or another. The difference is that some people have configured their RDF to work for them (or to help other people), while the majority of us have ours set to self-sabotage mode. Those who have achieved great things despite setbacks have had a way of living and a mentality that made these things much more likely.
In my mind a RDF is synonymous with a lifestyle and mentality that hacks luck, filters for success, ignores any “signs” from the universe that you should stop, is filled with passion, and helps you to surround yourself with people who will help you achieve that goal.
This is not about the law of attraction; a cheesily marketed and questionably explained technique to “think” yourself to greatness. The point is that a positive mentality combined with a LOT of hard work is what’s really required here. No bogus explanations about quantum psychic energy are required to understand why the following suggestions, with video illustrations, simply work:
1. Don’t let anybody tell you what you can’t do
Will Smith explains it best here. [And I like the fact that there are Taiwanese flags in the background 
] Read the Rest!
{ 7 comments }
What I’m attempting is extremely ambitious, and I may not achieve it precisely as I’ve defined it (and get something lower, but still very useful instead), but it is not impossible.
English
French
Italian
Esperanto
Irish
Spanish
Portuguese
German
Mandarin (Taiwan)
