In 2007, Italian police arrested Salvatore Lo Piccolo.
This dude was an precise boss from the actual life Sicilian Mafia.
As they explored his home, they stumbled throughout what they believed to be their official “10 commandments” of their crew.
In different phrases, “If you wish to be a superb mobster, comply with these 10 simple steps!”
- No-one can current himself straight to a different of our mates. There should be a 3rd individual to do it.
- By no means have a look at the wives of mates.
- By no means be seen with cops.
- Don’t go to pubs and golf equipment.
- All the time being obtainable for Cosa Nostra is an obligation – even when your spouse’s about to offer beginning.
- Appointments should completely be revered.
- Wives should be handled with respect.
- When requested for any info, the reply should be the reality.
- Cash can’t be appropriated if it belongs to others or to different households.
- Individuals who can’t be a part of Cosa Nostra: anybody who has an in depth relative within the police, anybody with a two-timing relative within the household, anybody who behaves badly and doesn’t maintain to ethical values.
These guidelines actually don’t cowl each single resolution that each mobster must make day-after-day, however they’re guidelines that any person can be taught, internalize, and apply once they discover themselves in a precarious scenario and are not sure easy methods to act.
The Mob isn’t the one crew that has guidelines both.
Historical Samurai in Japan, had “Bushido” aka “The best way of the warrior.” 8 guidelines for his or her private code of conduct:
- Righteousness (Justice)
- Braveness
- Benevolence (Mercy)
- Respect
- Honesty
- Honor
- Loyalty
- Self-Management
Elsewhere, knights in medieval Europe had a “Code of Chivalry,” which lined issues like “safety of the weak and poor, courtesy and respect, braveness and army prowess.”
Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator and his fellow troopers at all times picked one another up with “Power and honor.”
In 300, Spartan Troopers knew to “come dwelling along with your protect, or on it.”
We’ve got Guidelines for the Nerd Health Insurrection too!
I convey up these guidelines as a result of we’d not be mobsters, knights, or samurai…
However I wager including some guidelines to your life might assist.
Guidelines will help us make selections.
Life is difficult, and our brains are able to speaking us into and out of assorted selections.
Nonetheless, when we’ve got a rule in place, it permits us to make a transparent alternative slightly than agonizing over it.
Extra importantly. We are able to make a rule ONCE, after which we don’t must waste any brainpower or willpower on every resolution in a while.
Right here’s a fast instance:
A lot of the profitable widespread diets are merely an inventory of guidelines that individuals comply with that get them to eat fewer energy.
- Intermittent fasting means “I solely eat between midday at 8pm.”
- The Paleo Weight loss program means “I don’t eat something a caveman wouldn’t eat.”
- Vegan means “I don’t eat any merchandise derived from animals.”
I’m not saying any of those methods above are higher or worse than any others, both. I convey up these heuristics as a result of they’ve helped many, and been unhelpful for a lot of.
Every individual can provide you with a set of aspirational guidelines that assist them stage up their lives.
I actually have “health” guidelines that I normally comply with:
I do know once I comply with these guidelines, “the Manner of the Nerd,” I’ve a reasonably good probability of staying match, wholesome, and feeling good about myself.
I even have guidelines about interacting with the world and being a superb human:
These particular guidelines won’t be just right for you, and that’s okay.
They’re my guidelines.
Your guidelines should replicate your scenario.
We Respect the Guidelines of Others
Right here’s one other enjoyable hack: we’d not like all guidelines, however we are inclined to respect different folks’s guidelines:
our coworker gives you a donut, and also you say “ohhhhh, I shouldn’t.” They may come again with “c’mon, dwell a bit of,” as a result of they don’t need to be the one individual consuming a donut…
However in case you say “I’ve a rule that I don’t eat donuts on weekdays,” then you may have a tough rule that you simply’re following, and your coworker will in all probability respect this.
Some folks may abstain from sure meals or drinks for spiritual or private causes.
There’s no motive you’ll be able to’t have guidelines for no matter rattling motive you need to!
What are YOUR guidelines?
A great mixture of aspirational, skilled, and society-improving guidelines is an effective place to begin. Or heck, simply considered one of every!
Heck, even one for every could be a good place to begin.
These guidelines must be YOURS.
Listed below are some concepts that will help you get began:
- At work “I do what I say I’m going to do, on schedule, or I inform my group forward of schedule if I would like extra time.”
- With mates, “I at all times ship a thank-you word after being invited to one thing by a good friend”
- For well being, “I solely drink alcohol on Friday night time and Saturday whereas watching faculty soccer”
- For sleep, “I solely watch 1 episode of TV per night time. I cease taking part in video video games and switch off social media at 8pm.”
Begin writing down some aspirational guidelines and see the way it feels.
I discover the extra particular and cross/fail the foundations are, the extra seemingly you’ll be to comply with them.
Guidelines that truly provide help to make the long-term proper resolution in powerful conditions. You understand, these conditions the place your lizard mind says “eat the sweet!” or “drink the drink” or “keep up late and doomscroll for 7 hours!”
Guidelines may also be pre-emptive so that you don’t find yourself in these conditions within the first place.
We are able to use know-how, app-blocking software program, or recruit our mates to assist us keep true to our guidelines.
When you establish your guidelines, and truly write them down, maintain monitor of the way you’re doing with them.
If you end up breaking your guidelines extra ceaselessly than not, it may be time to regulate the foundations, do some deep considering, or work with a therapist to begin determining why and what’s happening.
Bear in mind, failure may be one hell of a instructor, and leaning into the worry is a superb probability to be taught the lesson life is making an attempt to show us.
-Steve
