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15 Life Rules Worth Breaking
Episode 48
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Today at a Glance:
“The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions.” - Oliver Wendall Holmes, Sr.
As children, we are taught to live by an ever-expanding set of rules. The rules keep us safe. They limit our downside during a fragile period of our lives. They also limit our upside, as they create artificial constraints on our movement and collisions as we travel through the universe.
Rules are good—but just like the old man in the quote above, you have to know when to bend and break them.
15 Life Rules Worth Breaking
I’d like to open with one of my favorite quotes of all time:
“The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions.” - Oliver Wendall Holmes, Sr.
Read that again.
So much wisdom contained in such a short, concise statement.
As children, we are taught to live by an ever-expanding set of rules. This is (mostly) good—it gives us a concrete, stable way to view the increasingly complex, dynamic world that we have entered.
The rules keep us safe. They limit our downside during a fragile period of our lives.
The problem? They also limit our upside, as they create artificial constraints on our movement and collisions as we travel through the universe. They force us to walk down a narrow path with bumpers on both sides—they eliminate the flashes of serendipity, the asymmetries that define the lives of the greatest among us.
Rules may limit your risk, but they also limit your reward.
Rules are good—but if you’re looking to play asymmetric games—those with low downside and uncapped upside—you have to know when to bend and break them.
Here are 15 life rules worth breaking:
Wait for the Perfect Moment
This rule has paralyzed would-be action-takers for generations.
The reality: there is no such thing as the perfect moment.
Sometimes you just have to open the door, jump out of the plane, and hope you packed the parachute tight.
You Have to Work Hard to Succeed
Hard work is important—but it's relative, not absolute.
In the Digital Age—when creative and inspired work stands out and is rewarded—what you work on is more important than how hard you work.
Play your game, not theirs. You’ll play it better.
Become an Expert, Not a Generalist
Society celebrates experts in any given field.
But as David Epstein finds in Range, many experts succeed because of the range of pursuits that preceded their main endeavor.
Become a polymath. Generalize first, specialize later.
Let Things Play Out
This isn't a movie that you're watching on your TV.
You are not a pas
Published on 3 years, 10 months ago