Jobs famously engaged in "reality distortion fields"—a soft term for a manipulative manic episode. His passion for design perfection created the iPhone. But his mania led to screaming fits, parking in handicap spots, denying paternity of his daughter, and undergoing unproven medical treatments for his cancer. The same drive that built Apple destroyed his body and burned his colleagues.
Free solo climbers and extreme endurance runners often speak of "summit fever"—the phenomenon where climbers continue ascending even when snowblind, frostbitten, and aware that descent is impossible. The mountain has ceased to be a rock; it has become a lover demanding a fatal embrace. Horizon of passion- Madness Mania
Consider the influencer who equates likes with oxygen. When engagement drops, they experience a manic scramble: posting erratic videos, starting feuds, revealing too much. Their passion for validation has become a manic compulsion. The same drive that built Apple destroyed his
The manic mind cannot self-regulate. If you are building a business, writing a novel, or falling in love, you need an external anchor. A therapist, a sober friend, or a journal that you read twice (once while high energy, once while calm). If the calm version of you disagrees with the manic version, trust the calm one. Consider the influencer who equates likes with oxygen