Rules to Life: A Guide to Understanding and Navigating the World Around Us

The world we inhabit is complex and ever-changing, demanding us to continuously adapt, grow, and learn. Here, we present a set of core principles, designed to guide you through this journey. Each rule is explained briefly, accompanied by the most pertinent times to apply them and the benefits of doing so.

1. Everything is Temporary

Explanation: Life is transient — experiences, emotions, people, all come and go. Accepting this impermanence can help ease the pain of loss and magnify the joy of good moments.

Relevant Times: This principle can provide solace during difficult times, peace in moments of change, and a healthy perspective during times of joy.

Benefits: Embracing this rule allows us to cherish the present, accept the past, and look forward to the future without fear.

2. Information & Diverse Understanding is Power

Explanation: Knowledge is key, and understanding diverse perspectives grants us the power to make informed decisions and empathize with others.

Relevant Times: This principle is applicable when making significant decisions, encountering unfamiliar cultures or viewpoints, and seeking personal growth.

Benefits: Broadening our horizons and understanding empowers us to engage effectively with the world around us and promotes intellectual and emotional growth.

3. Be a Chameleon

Explanation: Adaptability is crucial. Being a ‘chameleon’ means adjusting to different situations and people without losing your essence.

Relevant Times: This rule is key during social interactions, career changes, and any situation requiring a swift adaptation.

Benefits: It increases your resilience, improves your interpersonal skills, and ensures that you’re prepared for any situation.

4. Enjoy/Entertain Yourself as Much as Possible

Explanation: Life is meant to be enjoyed. Finding joy and entertainment in daily activities can improve overall happiness and satisfaction.

Relevant Times: This principle is beneficial in times of stress, when seeking motivation, or when needing a mood uplift.

Benefits: It promotes a positive mindset, enhances mental health, and contributes to a fulfilled life.

5. Seek Discomfort/Comfort Zone is a Crutch

Explanation: Discomfort promotes growth. Staying within our comfort zones can prevent us from taking risks and pursuing opportunities.

Relevant Times: This rule applies when facing a new challenge, stagnating in personal growth, or hesitating to take risks.

Benefits: It fosters personal development, enhances resilience, and can lead to unforeseen opportunities.

6. Constantly Upgrade Yourself & People Around You

Explanation: Continuous personal development, along with the improvement of others around us, is crucial for growth and success.

Relevant Times: This principle is pertinent during self-reflection, performance evaluations at work, and when interacting with friends and family.

Benefits: It fosters a growth mindset, improves relationships, and contributes to a productive environment.

7. Be Very Selective of Your Core Group

Explanation: Your immediate circle can significantly influence your thoughts, actions, and growth. Choosing the right people is vital for personal and professional development.

Relevant Times: This principle is applicable when choosing friends, partners, or teams at work.

Benefits: It promotes a positive influence, nurtures supportive relationships, and contributes to a harmonious personal and work life.

8. Everything & Everyone Can Be/Is Being Manipulated by Something

Explanation: Everyone and everything can be influenced by various factors, both consciously and subconsciously.

Relevant Times: This rule is key when analyzing behavior, making decisions, or assessing situations.

Benefits: It encourages a critical mindset, enhances understanding of situations and people, and aids in effective decision making.

9. Everything is Cyclic and Reverts to the Mean

Explanation: Life often presents patterns that tend to revert back to a common average over time.

Relevant Times: This principle is relevant when evaluating long-term trends, making future predictions, or dealing with exceptional situations.

Benefits: It promotes understanding of patterns, aids in forecasting, and provides a balanced perspective in volatile situations.

10. Nothing is Absolute

Explanation: Life is fluid and changeable. There are always multiple perspectives, answers, and ways of doing things.

Relevant Times: This rule applies when faced with seemingly insurmountable problems, disagreements, or making critical decisions.

Benefits: It promotes creativity, enhances problem-solving skills, and encourages a flexible mindset.

11. Constant A/B Testing of Everything & Its Limits

Explanation: Continuous testing, comparison, and pushing boundaries can lead to improved results and new discoveries.

Relevant Times: This principle is applicable in problem-solving, optimizing performance, and innovative thinking.

Benefits: It fosters a culture of continuous improvement, enhances performance, and drives innovation.

12. Consistent Criticism, Feedback, and Improvement is Key

Explanation: Continuous feedback and improvement are critical to growth and achieving excellence.

Relevant Times: This principle is vital when evaluating performance, during learning, and in iterative processes.

Benefits: It promotes a culture of excellence, fosters personal and professional growth, and drives continuous improvement.

13. Plan for Everything in Advance, with Contingencies Covered

Explanation: Effective planning, including for unexpected situations, enables smooth execution and mitigates potential risks.

Relevant Times: This principle is vital when launching projects, planning for future events, or making significant decisions.

Benefits: It ensures preparedness, reduces risk, and promotes successful outcomes.

14. Be as Minimally Co-dependent on Others as Possible

Explanation: While interdependence is a part of life, being overly reliant on others can limit your autonomy and growth.

Relevant Times: This rule is applicable in personal relationships, professional decisions, and self-development.

Benefits: It fosters independence, enhances personal growth, and ensures resilience.

15. The Average Person Lives Their Lives on Rails, with Blinders

Explanation: Many people live life according to set patterns without questioning them. Recognizing this can help you step out of the mold and see broader perspectives.

Relevant Times: This principle is pertinent when you feel stuck in a routine, when seeking motivation, or striving for personal growth.

Benefits: It promotes critical thinking, fosters personal growth, and can lead to innovative ideas.

16. 90/10 Rule — Always do your 85–90%, everything else is up to chance

Explanation: Give your best effort to what’s in your control. The rest, often around 10–15%, is influenced by factors outside your control.

Relevant Times: This rule is applicable when setting goals, making plans, or dealing with disappointments.

Benefits: It fosters a healthy perspective on control and effort, encourages focus on actionable items, and mitigates stress.

17. Let People Assume What They Want

Explanation: You can’t control other’s perceptions. Letting people form their own assumptions saves energy that you can spend on more productive tasks.

Relevant Times: This principle is relevant in social interactions, dealing with criticism, or navigating complex situations.

Benefits: It fosters emotional resilience, saves energy for productive tasks, and encourages focus on personal growth.