The Rules of Life: A Personal Code for Living a Better, Happier, and More Successful Kind of Life Book

Introduction viii

Part I Rules for You 1

1 Keep It Under Your Hat 4

2 You’ll Get Older But Not Necessarily Wiser 6

3 Accept What Is Done Is Done 8

4 Accept Yourself 10

5 Know What Counts and What Doesn’t 12

6 Dedicate Your Life to Something 14

7 Be Flexible in Your Thinking 16

8 Take an Interest in the Outside World 18

9 Be on the Side of the Angels, Not the Beasts 20

10 Only Dead Fish Swim with the Stream 22

11 Be the Last to Raise Your Voice 24

12 Be Your Own Adviser 26

13 No Fear, No Surprise, No Hesitation, No Doubt 28

14 I Wish I’d Done That--and I Will 30

15 It’s OK to Give Up 32

16 Count to Ten--or Recite “Baa Baa Black Sheep” 34

17 Change What You Can Change; Let Go of the Rest 36

18 Aim to Be the Very Best at Everything You Do--Not Second Best 38

19 Don’t Expect to Be Perfect 40

20 Don’t Be Afraid to Dream 42

21 If You’re Going to Jump Off a Bridge, Make Sure You Know How Deep the Water Is 44

22 Don’t Dwell on the Past 46

23 Don’t Live in the Future 48

24 Get on With Life--It’s Whooshing Past 50

25 Be Consistent 52

26 Dress Like Today Is Important 54

27 Have a Belief System 56

28 Leave a Little Space for Yourself Each Day 58

29 Have a Plan 60

30 Have a Sense of Humor 62

31 Choose How You Make Your Bed 64

32 Life Can Be a Bit Like Advertising 66

33 Get Used to Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone 68

34 Learn to Ask Questions 70

35 Have Dignity 72

36 It’s OK to Feel Big Emotions 74

37 Keep the Faith 76

38 You’ll Never Understand Everything 78

39 Know Where True Happiness Comes From 80

40 Life Is a Pizza 82

41 Know When to Let Go--When to Walk Away 84

42 Retaliation Leads to Escalation 86

43 Look After Yourself 88

44 Maintain Good Manners in All Things 90

45 Prune Your Stuff Frequently 92

46 Remember to Touch Base 94

47 Draw the Lines Around Yourself 96

48 Shop for Quality, Not Price 98

49 It’s OK to Worry, or to Know How Not To 100

50 Stay Young 102

51 Throwing Money at a Problem Doesn’t Always Work 104

52 Think for Yourself 106

53 You Are Not in Charge 108

54 Have Something in Your Life That Takes You

Out of Yourself 110

55 Only the Good Feel Guilty 112

56 If You Can’t Say Anything Nice, Don’t Say

Anything at All 114

Part II Partnership Rules 117

57 Accept the Differences, Embrace What You Have in Common 120

58 Allow Your Partner the Space to Be Themselves 122

59 Be Nice 124

60 You Want to Do What? 126

61 Be the First to Say Sorry 128

62 Go That Extra Step in Trying to Please Them 130

63 Always Have Someone--or Something--That Is Pleased to See You 132

64 Know When to Listen and When to Act 134

65 Have a Passion for Your Life Together 136

66 Make Sure Your Love Making Is Making Love 138

67 Keep Talking 140

68 Respect Privacy 142

69 Check You Both Have the Same Shared Goals 144

70 Treat Your Partner Better Than Your Best Friend 146

71 Contentment Is a High Aim 148

72 You Don’t Both Have to Have the Same Rules 150

Part III Family and Friends Rules 153

73 If You Are Going to Be a Friend, Be a Good Friend 156

74 Never Be Too Busy for Loved Ones 158

75 Let Your Kids Mess Up for Themselves--They Don’t Need Any Help from You 160

76 Have a Little Respect and Forgiveness for Your Parents 162

77 Give Your Kids a Break 164

78 Never Lend Money Unless You Are Prepared to Write It Off 166

79 Keep Quiet 168

80 There Are No Bad Children 170

81 Be Up Around People You Love 172

82 Give Your Kids Responsibilities 174

83 Your Children Need to Fall Out with You to Leave Home 176

84 Your Kids Will Have Friends You Don’t Like 178

85 Your Role as a Child 180

86 Your Role as a Parent 182

Part IV Social Rules 185

87 We’re All Closer Than You Think 188

88 It Doesn’t Hurt to Forgive 190

89 It Doesn’t Hurt to Be Helpful 192

90 What’s in It for Them? 194

91 Hang Out with Positive People 196

92 Be Generous with Your Time and Information 198

93 Get Involved 200

94 Keep the Moral High Ground 202

95 Just Because You Have, Doesn't Mean They Have Too 204

96 Do Compare Yourself with Other People 206

97 Have a Plan for Your Career 208

98 Look at the Long-Term Ramifications of What You Do for a Living 210

99 Be Good at Your Job 212

100 Be Aware of the Damage You Are Doing 214

101 Be for the Glory, Not the Degradation 216

102 Be Part of the Solution, Not the Problem 218

103 Check What History Would Say About You 220

104 Not Everything Can Be Green 222

105 Put Something Back 224

106 Find a New Rule Every Day--or Occasionally at Least 226