100 (very) short rules for a better life:
1/ Wake up early
2/ Ask: Am I using this technology, or is it using me?
3/ Forget about outcomes â focus on making a little progress every day
4/ Say no (a lot)
5/ Read something every day
6/ Donât watch TV news
7/ Comparison leads to unhappiness
8/ Journal
2/ Ask: Am I using this technology, or is it using me?
3/ Forget about outcomes â focus on making a little progress every day
4/ Say no (a lot)
5/ Read something every day
6/ Donât watch TV news
7/ Comparison leads to unhappiness
8/ Journal
9/ Strenuous exercise every single day
10/ Character is fate
11/ Practice the law of action, not attraction. Instead of envisioning the future you want, create it
12/ Get up when you fall/fail
13/ Prove your lifeâs philosophy with actions over words (and thatâs not easy)
10/ Character is fate
11/ Practice the law of action, not attraction. Instead of envisioning the future you want, create it
12/ Get up when you fall/fail
13/ Prove your lifeâs philosophy with actions over words (and thatâs not easy)
14/ Donât argue with facts just because you donât like them
15/ Itâs not about routine but about practice
16/ Forget credit. Do the work
17/ Do a kindness each day
18/ Grab the "smooth handle"
19/ Success = autonomy
20/ Pick up trash when you see it
15/ Itâs not about routine but about practice
16/ Forget credit. Do the work
17/ Do a kindness each day
18/ Grab the "smooth handle"
19/ Success = autonomy
20/ Pick up trash when you see it
21/ If you want to be good and feel good, you have to do good
22/ Deliberately think about death (every day)
23/ âTrust the process"
24/ Do your job well, whatever it is. Because how you do anything is how you do everything
25/ Always choose alive time
22/ Deliberately think about death (every day)
23/ âTrust the process"
24/ Do your job well, whatever it is. Because how you do anything is how you do everything
25/ Always choose alive time
26/ âWhat book has changed your life?â is a question you should ask people you admire if you want to change your own life
27/ Thereâs no such thing as âquality timeâ
28. Instead of trying to be the noun, do the verb
27/ Thereâs no such thing as âquality timeâ
28. Instead of trying to be the noun, do the verb
29/ The best thing you can do for your work is take a walk
30/ The present is enough
31/ You are what you repeatedly do
32/ Have a philosophy
33/ Make time for philosophy
33/ Donât just read â you must read to lead
30/ The present is enough
31/ You are what you repeatedly do
32/ Have a philosophy
33/ Make time for philosophy
33/ Donât just read â you must read to lead
34/ Keep a commonplace book, a collection of little sayings about how to live
35/ Stop looking for shortcuts... do the work
36/ Build an âinner citadel,â what the Stoics called that fortress inside all of us that no external adversity can ever break down
35/ Stop looking for shortcuts... do the work
36/ Build an âinner citadel,â what the Stoics called that fortress inside all of us that no external adversity can ever break down
37/ Let it go â those who wrong you wrong themselves
38/ Spend time with old people
39/ When evaluating an opportunity, ask yourself: What will teach me the most?
40/ Think purpose, not passion. (one is about you, the other about something bigger than you)
38/ Spend time with old people
39/ When evaluating an opportunity, ask yourself: What will teach me the most?
40/ Think purpose, not passion. (one is about you, the other about something bigger than you)
41/ Have kidsâor just talk to kidsâthey can teach you something if you really pay attention
42/ But donât use your kids as props for validation
43. Biographies are the best way to study the lives of the greats
42/ But donât use your kids as props for validation
43. Biographies are the best way to study the lives of the greats
44/ Donât try to beat other peopleâtry to be the only one doing exactly what youâre doing
45/ Know why you do what you do
46/ Be strict with yourself and forgiving of others
47/ Practice the art of negative visualization
48/ Cut toxic people out of your life
45/ Know why you do what you do
46/ Be strict with yourself and forgiving of others
47/ Practice the art of negative visualization
48/ Cut toxic people out of your life
49/ Before starting any project, have a âdraw-down period,â that phase when you step back, look at your idea, and ask: âWhat is this really going to be?â
50/ As the late coach and business executive Bill Campbell said: âIf youâve been blessed, be a blessing"
50/ As the late coach and business executive Bill Campbell said: âIf youâve been blessed, be a blessing"
51/ Donât wait until later... do it now
52/ Never go a day without some deep work
53/ Examine how you spend your time and how youâre living up to your values
54. Ask yourself: How does this action Iâm about to take affect other people?
52/ Never go a day without some deep work
53/ Examine how you spend your time and how youâre living up to your values
54. Ask yourself: How does this action Iâm about to take affect other people?
55/ Donât take the money if it means sacrificing your autonomy
56/ Stay a student
57/ Break things down to see what they really are
58/ âIf you see fraud and do not say fraud, you are a fraud.â â Nassim Taleb
59/ Undersell and overdeliver
60/ You must tame your temper
56/ Stay a student
57/ Break things down to see what they really are
58/ âIf you see fraud and do not say fraud, you are a fraud.â â Nassim Taleb
59/ Undersell and overdeliver
60/ You must tame your temper
61/ Never recline your seat on an airplane (see also: âHow do my actions affect others?â)
62/ Belief in yourself is overrated... generate evidence.
63/ Donât overthink the price on a book... buy it if you think youâll read it, and the purchase will pay you back
62/ Belief in yourself is overrated... generate evidence.
63/ Donât overthink the price on a book... buy it if you think youâll read it, and the purchase will pay you back
64/ Good things happen in bookstores
65/ See what you can learn from every person you meet â even people you donât like
66/ Set a bedtime
67/ A successful marriage is worth more than a successful career
68/ âGo straight to the seat of intelligence.â â Marcus Aurelius
65/ See what you can learn from every person you meet â even people you donât like
66/ Set a bedtime
67/ A successful marriage is worth more than a successful career
68/ âGo straight to the seat of intelligence.â â Marcus Aurelius
69/ Itâs human being, not human doing
70/ Amor fati (love your fate)
71/ Go the f*ck to sleep
72/ âAlways say less than necessary.â â Robert Greene
73/ Never take a phone call sitting down... go outside and go for a walk
70/ Amor fati (love your fate)
71/ Go the f*ck to sleep
72/ âAlways say less than necessary.â â Robert Greene
73/ Never take a phone call sitting down... go outside and go for a walk
74/ Champion other peopleâs work (see my annual reading list)
75/ Make commitments: short, regular deadlines that you have to meet
76/ Animals make life better
77/ âAssociate with people who are likely to improve you. Welcome those who you are capable of improving.â â Seneca
75/ Make commitments: short, regular deadlines that you have to meet
76/ Animals make life better
77/ âAssociate with people who are likely to improve you. Welcome those who you are capable of improving.â â Seneca
78/ See the beauty in the mundane
79/ Print out good advice and put it right in front of your desk, or wherever you work every day
80/ Remember: Nobody is thinking about you... theyâre too busy thinking about themselves
81/ Donât just read books, reread books
79/ Print out good advice and put it right in front of your desk, or wherever you work every day
80/ Remember: Nobody is thinking about you... theyâre too busy thinking about themselves
81/ Donât just read books, reread books
82/ Make haste, slowly
83/ Donât talk about projects until youâre finished
84/ To build resilience, go into the wilderness
85/ Try to see opportunities where others see obstacles
86/ Focus on your inner scorecard rather than your outer scorecard
83/ Donât talk about projects until youâre finished
84/ To build resilience, go into the wilderness
85/ Try to see opportunities where others see obstacles
86/ Focus on your inner scorecard rather than your outer scorecard
87/ Have hobbies unrelated to your job
88/ You donât solve problems by running away
89/ Seek out challenges
90/ âWhenever you are offended, understand that you are complicit in taking offense.â â Epictetus
91/ Think progress, not perfection
88/ You donât solve problems by running away
89/ Seek out challenges
90/ âWhenever you are offended, understand that you are complicit in taking offense.â â Epictetus
91/ Think progress, not perfection
92/ âAsk yourself at every moment, âIs this necessary?ââ â Marcus Aurelius
93/ Relax... whatever it is, youâre probably taking it too seriously
94/ Focus on what you can control
95/ Wrap up each day as if it were the end of your life
96/ Strive to live an interesting life
93/ Relax... whatever it is, youâre probably taking it too seriously
94/ Focus on what you can control
95/ Wrap up each day as if it were the end of your life
96/ Strive to live an interesting life
97/ Value the four Stoic virtues: wisdom, justice, courage, and moderation
98/ The obstacle is the way
99/ Ego is the enemy
100/ Stillness is the key
98/ The obstacle is the way
99/ Ego is the enemy
100/ Stillness is the key
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