Reality Check - Increasing Your Real Life Stats

A new year is upon us and you probably have some resolutions to work on, but is there a way to level up your life instantly like you’re in a game? Dave investigates on this week’s Reality Check.

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Reality Check

Reality Check

Airs Thursdays at 12pm PT

Flex those mental muscles and join Lucy James on a journey of discovery in Reality Check, the show that investigates the science behind your favourite games, and spawns a few wild theories of its own.

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scarred_fox

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one way is creating scenarios in your mind where you are asked a certain question and you follow it up and try to continue a snowball effect of either witty or counter remarks. almost like anticipating what the other person will say and having answers/remarks ready. I'm certain lawyers do this or something similar as they have to counter anything that may come their way.

funny enough, a lot of us do this without realizing it. most of us have stories or pick-up lines already set and ready to use when certain situations arise. want to tell your story but not force it down other peoples face? you engineer your story so others will ask a follow up question for example:

scenario: late 20's college student with overseas travel: "I'm a college student now, but I use to work abroad before committing to full time studies."

the other interested party will likely respond with a follow up question regarding what you did for work or where you worked abroad.

but, if you just say: "I'm a full time student" the only follow up will be what you are studying and may have potentially missed the opportunity to present your interesting background. then you're forced to find a way to bring it into the conversation and then possibly looking egotistical. of course, there are many variables and this is just an example.

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scamarot

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Its true, I have on occasion worn a spidey or superman t shirt and felt stronger and better all around. I might try the mirror thing giving myself POSITIVE reenforcement. The brain is amazingly powerful so I'll try it out.

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Ravenlock_2112

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Well, wearing the sweater from my karate club sure makes the idiots looking for a fight avoid me :p

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xaznxps4boy

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Seriously this is not going to be a enjoyable gaming thing to do. You got a nice with a nice view playing games on your tv already this thing is going to mess up your eye i dont like this design seriously beside is too expensive for this device. Im happy with my ps4 and a nice tv to play game very enjoyable maybe to other people is enjoyable. Ive grew up in the early early 90s playing ninterndo super nintendo and sega. playing street fighter and other fighting games wouldnt be fun at all but is pretty cool device and is future gaming but sorry i was back in the 90s game so im enjoy what im playing right now

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Ditronus

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Edited By Ditronus

Very interesting video. Thanks.

Another interesting video is one done at TedEx about power poses and their affects on attitude and performance. Check it out on youtube.

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omotih

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believe it or not, standing in front of a mirror and reflecting some self-recriminations achieves a lot more then padding urself on the shoulder ... it is distrubing for a long time (in most cases) but if u sacrifice ur ego every day (like that guy nailed to a gigantic cross) every day will be a fresh start and step by step this will remove the shell, to help that Person inside you break free ...

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nefphlegm

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@omotih: So you're saying is... by putting yourself down you can free yourself from the restraints of being... that are preventing you from being... yourself? Please explain.

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omotih

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Edited By omotih

@nefphlegm: there is much more space between the atoms, then there are atoms in the universe ... religion is sacred but the cross is obviously a geometric shape, ever tried to flatten a cube ?

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omotih

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Edited By omotih

@omotih: a more fair answer would be, that all of ur weaknesses and fears and shortcomings are in reality the hidden capabilities of ur persona ...they are not what makes u helpless and small in the real world, they are the seeds that needs to be cultivated to experience their full bloom during live time ... what I said in the first comment would be part of the process of determining these seeds in the first place

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nefphlegm

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@omotih: wow thanks so much. I will reflect upon this as I'm in the middle of drawing. Thank you for the explanation. What you say is true though how else does one grow as a person if not over-coming our own personal short-comings. First we acknowledge.

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Iemander

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Edited By Iemander

Why this joke episode? Role playing games have been trying to simulate real life "mechanics" with dice roles and stats since Dungeons and Dragons released in the 70s. I'm sure there's tons of serious stuff to talk about where we can really compare gaming systems well with real life. Yet this "reality check" chooses to focus on talking to mirrors and wearing superman t-shirts?

What's the point of these videos exactly?

I feel like the quality has really dropped since Cam left.

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FBohler

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@Iemander: Danny is the last one. And they're going to fire him. I just sense it!

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Iemander

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Edited By Iemander

@FBohler: Lucy's even worse. The one about PC ports was just... ugh... .

Danny's great tho, would be really painful to see him go.

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gorillasmoothie

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This is the opposite of a reality check.

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nefphlegm

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@gorillasmoothie: I honestly thought they were gonna tell me to go outside and do stuff... phew on that!

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bbq_R0ADK1LL

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@gorillasmoothie: Finding an interesting experiment & trying to relate it back to a game? Yeah, shoulda gone more specific - wearing clothes to boost stats is like every RPG ever.

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Zombunny

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I readly found this video sad

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varmintx

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"I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!"

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nefphlegm

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@varmintx: How about "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" Oh, I think I need a window for that...

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Starshine_M2A2

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Edited By Starshine_M2A2

Improve your life stats? Get a job and live a good and productive life... There's nothing scientific about it.

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deactivated-5d495083aed2b

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@Starshine_M2A2: Sure, getting a job is the answer to all life's mysteries right? I mean why conduct scientific studies, ask questions and think outside the box. Just get a job and stop being miserable today!

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Starshine_M2A2

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@NTenseify:

The job itself might be scientific - getting one in the first place is not. Also, since when is working in a scientific field not a job? Science is about seeking the truth to life's mysteries - so, yes, getting a job in that field is indeed the answer.

I just love shooting down sarcastic arseholes who are way out of their depth

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deactivated-5d495083aed2b

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@Starshine_M2A2: You act like a job is the answer to everything yet there are many people not happy in their work, many who can't even get a job, there are alternatives also. You come across as narrow minded. So yes, there is a lot of science and mystery to a happy life, "nothing scientific about it" is wrong, applying science to a job doesn't prove your argument

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Starshine_M2A2

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@NTenseify:

I never said it was the answer to everything or that it would result in happiness. I said it was one factor that would improve your life. If you believe that people are happier being unemployed, you are severely mistaken. Anyone whose ever had a job will know that a sense of purpose enriches life. If you're not happy in your job, find a new one but don't tell me it's difficult. The "there are no jobs out there" excuse was utter nonsense even during the recession. They are out there, it just requires some effort.

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itchyflop

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Edited By itchyflop

@Starshine_M2A2: how about lottery winners or people born into money and dont need a job maybe there happy?

Further more social economics and greed have evolution-ed a need to get jobs or make money to survive, did early man work or Jesus?

Happy new year :)

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deactivated-5d495083aed2b

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@Starshine_M2A2: You need to get outside your bubble, it's a big world outside of there. Some of the happiest people in the world don't need a job to tell them they have purpose and some of the most miserable and depressed work 9-5 Monday to Friday. You're saying that the only way to find purpose in this life is through a job and it sounds pathetic. You're seriously telling me that if given the choice between sitting on a beach sipping cocktails and attending a place of work people would choose the latter? Sure it's not feasibly possible but my point is people don't choose to go to work, they do it because it's the only way to survive in Western society. You may tell yourself that it gives you purpose but that's because the human condition seeks purpose and when work takes up so much of your life that it becomes your life, there isn't time for anything else like self reflection or inner purpose, your job becomes your purpose, like the good little slave that you are

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Starshine_M2A2

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Edited By Starshine_M2A2

@NTenseify: Thank you for your concern but I am in no such bubble. You called me narrow minded and yet you appear to think that the only kind of job out there is working as an automaton in a tiny office cubicle. There are many types of jobs out there that don't involve any of that - everything from working outdoors to charity work. And of all the countless people working in charity, you think they would do it for nothing if it didn't give them a sense of purpose to help people? Or that no one anywhere has ever had a job they enjoy? Then there are all those people who set up their own businesses and watch them grow and develop. Are they not fulfilled and satisfied in life? I can only imagine the horrors you've suffered at whatever job you've had that you would write off all forms of work as undesirable and not worth bothering with.

Also I would like to point out that if you get a job as a club rep or an overseas estate agent, you do indeed get to sit on a beach sipping cocktails - and get paid for it!

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mimsoo

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Edited By mimsoo

@Starshine_M2A2: Right now, i have no job, no women, no money! -_-

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Iamkalell

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So basically, these studies show that there are a lot of delusional people out there. lol

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deactivated-5d495083aed2b

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@Iamkalell: These people were able to physically outperform others from something simple as a T-shirt... If anything the studies prove the power of the human mind, those unaware of this power are delusional I'd say... LOL

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Iamkalell

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@NTenseify: lol, Yeah, I meant it as a joke. It's amazing how people can be fooled into being better than they normally would be with a bit of suggestion. Honestly I think it shows how much we underestimate ourselves.

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deactivated-5d495083aed2b

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@Iamkalell: True that, we are capable of so much, yet also so fragile and susceptible to the suggestions of others, life is such a mystery!

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skemaal

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New year resolutions are bogus resolutions. Nothing prevents you from "leveling up" yourself at any time of the year. To make change you need to completely minded to do them or else you won't hold to change after a few weeks. Your mind must be set, nothing more.

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