Categories
Business

On Steve Job’s Reality Distortion field

According to Walter Isaacson in his book on Steve Jobs, many people who worked for Steve claimed he had unrealistic expectations, as if he was operating under a distortion field.

Based on experience, I think this distortion field was likely a conscious technique Steve Jobs used the maximize the productivity of his team. If he didn’t set the bar high, how could people be pushed to do great things on time? Without breaking laws or doing something crazy, how else could he push for hitting deadlines?

Without deadlines, it’s challenging to get something great done. You need this sense of urgency.

In reality, I think Walter/others like to criticize tough managers. However, to be an effective leader, you need to do whatever it takes sometimes. You can’t please everyone. That might not be polite. That might be unpopular to 90%+ of people. Still, results don’t lie.

Again, this is purely speculative, but I truly believe this was a strategy Steve used and I think it’s pretty smart to use this strategy.

Categories
Lifestyle

On Becoming a Pescatarian with a Twist

I’ve decided to become a pescatarian–“the practice of a diet that includes seafood but not the flesh of other animals. A pescetarian diet shares many of its components with a vegetarian diet and includes vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, beans, eggs, and dairy, but unlike a vegetarian diet also includes fish and shellfish.”

This was a gradual transition where I mentally don’t enjoy unhealthy foods because I immediately think of the long term implications of eating the food. For example, if I look at a cookie or cake, I just think of the poor energy it will provide. It’s like a simple video game decision to me – I don’t feel compelled by cravings.

The following are more foods I try to cut out:

  • Sugars:?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM?”Robert H. Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, explores the damage caused by sugary foods. He argues that fructose (too much) and fiber (not enough) appear to be cornerstones of the obesity epidemic through their effects on insulin”
  • Artificial sweeteners
  • Soy products because apparently they mimic estrogen
  • Milk products – it’s hard to cut out cheese entirely since many salads I like have cheese so I eat it sparingly

The following are some products I consume instead:

  • Seafood: Everything from fish, to shrimp and mussels
  • Drinks: Water, tea, and coffee (best french-pressed)
  • Deserts:?Almond milk ice cream, and?occasionally?chocolate
  • Vegetables (major influence: Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead -?http://www.hulu.com/watch/289122): Vegetables probably are close to 50% of my diet. I pick up trays/platters of vegetables to save time. I love most vegetables including spinach, asparagus, beans, avocados, olives.
  • Fruit: I like many varieties but I like a lot of nectarines (I like the texture/taste), watermelon, apples, grapes and berries.?I’ll add tomatoes as another major fruit I consume.
  • Nuts: Almonds, peanuts, and cashews

Still, when with friends and colleagues I’ll be open to breaking my general guidelines/eating habits.