Topic: 34 Rules
Anonymous A started this discussion 12 hours ago #132,879
People communicate most honestly through jokes. Pay attention to them.
If you can't refuse something, it owns you.
Fear of being cringe will stop you living fully. Get over it.
Don't take criticism from someone you wouldn't take advice from.
Expect no applause for telling the truth. Sometimes doing the right thing costs you – friendships, comfort, peace. But always pay the price without question.
Whatever scenario you're in, just act like you belong.
The lazy person works twice as hard.
Curiosity is a superpower.
Honesty without kindness is brutality. Default to kindness. Though know when to be firm.
Life never meets your youthful expectations. As an adult, you need to learn to find joy nonetheless.
Death can come any day. Every day is a gift.
Adults make a lot more sense when you realise they're just children in big bodies.
Bears don't need motivation to hunt salmon for 12 hours straight. But put them in a circus and they need constant prodding to wave at an audience once. Motivation is a human problem – because we don't fit our 21st century environment. You must not be a circus bear.
Humans struggle to mentally combine their "now" self and their "future" self. So treat your future self as someone you love and want to see thrive. Today's laziness is tomorrow's burden. Do them a favour.
The obstacle is the way. Get used to it. Learn to love it.
Books are a cheat code – many of life's problems were solved and written down long before you were born. But reading is half the equation. Without action in the real world you get limited results. Action backed by theory is a potent mix.
The opinion of the person who rarely offers it is listened to more closely.
A free-thinker's beliefs are unlikely to align neatly with any political party. If your beliefs align 75% with your political party, you're not free-thinking – you're just trying to fit in with your tribe. Super-forecasters – the people who predict events better than anyone else – change their minds constantly. They update their views the moment new information appears. Do the same with every belief you hold.
Make your own religion. List your strongest principles. Become a devout worshipper. Update the doctrine when you learn better.
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. Be wary of ideologies that require buying into the absurd.
The hunt is the whole point. The kill is just bait. If you're chasing money, status, or objects, you'll be disappointed when you catch them. Chase family, growth, love – and the catch might actually be sweeter than the chase.
If you're a man, one of your hardest battles may be not giving in to sexual urges that cause harm to others. History is littered with otherwise entirely brilliant men who succeeded at everything but this. You must succeed. Edit: This one seems controversial. I will write a follow-up post explaining it with more nuance. For now, I'll just say: I am NOT on the side of cheaters and rapists – quite the opposite. Nor am I saying all men cheat and sexually assault. I think my original draft of this entry had more nuance. You can read it here.
There are parts of ourselves that are changeable and parts that are unchangeable. So much unhappiness comes from not knowing which is which.
One day your parents' names will be spoken more often in memories than in conversations. Every word shared with them now is a gift. Don't wait. Create a recurring calendar entry for coffee with your Dad. Visit your Mum every Friday. Force it. Squeeze it in. It will become one of your biggest regrets if you don't.
Keep notes on everyone you love. Their likes, dislikes, how their brain works. When they mention something they want, write it down. You'll never struggle with a gift again.
Sex is overrated. Sex with someone you love is underrated.
You can get more done in 5 minutes and 1 year than you think. That dirty kitchen? That work task you've been avoiding? Set a timer for 5 minutes and try. You'll surprise yourself. And that massive project or body transformation you've been putting off? Just write out a plan and go for it. Again, you'll surprise yourself.
Some people are profoundly broken – usually from life's harsh trials. Give yourself permission to remove them from your orbit. Their healing requires years of professional help, more than well-meaning friends and family can achieve.
Your health is the most important thing. It's a mind-numbing cliché because it's undeniably true. One day – probably somewhere between 28 and 38 – you'll wake up and just feel 'off'. A bit sore. A bit tired. That feeling will never leave you. Be grateful for your youth while you have it.
Leading a healthy life is simple: sleep well, exercise three times a week, have an active social life, eat a variety of vegetables and whole foods, avoid sugar, processed foods, alcohol and drugs. That's 90%. Everything else is optimisation.
The world is always on the brink. At any given moment, you can point to dozens of reasons the world is 'messed up'. It always is. It always has been. Don't use that as an excuse for despair.
War is always potentially around the corner. Doesn't matter how "advanced" your society is. And remember if a war does break out, take the consensus on how long it will last and multiply it by 20.
Start contributing as much as you can possibly afford to your pension – even if you're 16. At the very least contribute what your employer matches. More if you can – 10% is good. This is likely the best financial decision you'll make.
Getting a great deal on something you don't need costs more than overpaying for something you do.
If you can't refuse something, it owns you.
Fear of being cringe will stop you living fully. Get over it.
Don't take criticism from someone you wouldn't take advice from.
Expect no applause for telling the truth. Sometimes doing the right thing costs you – friendships, comfort, peace. But always pay the price without question.
Whatever scenario you're in, just act like you belong.
The lazy person works twice as hard.
Curiosity is a superpower.
Honesty without kindness is brutality. Default to kindness. Though know when to be firm.
Life never meets your youthful expectations. As an adult, you need to learn to find joy nonetheless.
Death can come any day. Every day is a gift.
Adults make a lot more sense when you realise they're just children in big bodies.
Bears don't need motivation to hunt salmon for 12 hours straight. But put them in a circus and they need constant prodding to wave at an audience once. Motivation is a human problem – because we don't fit our 21st century environment. You must not be a circus bear.
Humans struggle to mentally combine their "now" self and their "future" self. So treat your future self as someone you love and want to see thrive. Today's laziness is tomorrow's burden. Do them a favour.
The obstacle is the way. Get used to it. Learn to love it.
Books are a cheat code – many of life's problems were solved and written down long before you were born. But reading is half the equation. Without action in the real world you get limited results. Action backed by theory is a potent mix.
The opinion of the person who rarely offers it is listened to more closely.
A free-thinker's beliefs are unlikely to align neatly with any political party. If your beliefs align 75% with your political party, you're not free-thinking – you're just trying to fit in with your tribe. Super-forecasters – the people who predict events better than anyone else – change their minds constantly. They update their views the moment new information appears. Do the same with every belief you hold.
Make your own religion. List your strongest principles. Become a devout worshipper. Update the doctrine when you learn better.
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. Be wary of ideologies that require buying into the absurd.
The hunt is the whole point. The kill is just bait. If you're chasing money, status, or objects, you'll be disappointed when you catch them. Chase family, growth, love – and the catch might actually be sweeter than the chase.
If you're a man, one of your hardest battles may be not giving in to sexual urges that cause harm to others. History is littered with otherwise entirely brilliant men who succeeded at everything but this. You must succeed. Edit: This one seems controversial. I will write a follow-up post explaining it with more nuance. For now, I'll just say: I am NOT on the side of cheaters and rapists – quite the opposite. Nor am I saying all men cheat and sexually assault. I think my original draft of this entry had more nuance. You can read it here.
There are parts of ourselves that are changeable and parts that are unchangeable. So much unhappiness comes from not knowing which is which.
One day your parents' names will be spoken more often in memories than in conversations. Every word shared with them now is a gift. Don't wait. Create a recurring calendar entry for coffee with your Dad. Visit your Mum every Friday. Force it. Squeeze it in. It will become one of your biggest regrets if you don't.
Keep notes on everyone you love. Their likes, dislikes, how their brain works. When they mention something they want, write it down. You'll never struggle with a gift again.
Sex is overrated. Sex with someone you love is underrated.
You can get more done in 5 minutes and 1 year than you think. That dirty kitchen? That work task you've been avoiding? Set a timer for 5 minutes and try. You'll surprise yourself. And that massive project or body transformation you've been putting off? Just write out a plan and go for it. Again, you'll surprise yourself.
Some people are profoundly broken – usually from life's harsh trials. Give yourself permission to remove them from your orbit. Their healing requires years of professional help, more than well-meaning friends and family can achieve.
Your health is the most important thing. It's a mind-numbing cliché because it's undeniably true. One day – probably somewhere between 28 and 38 – you'll wake up and just feel 'off'. A bit sore. A bit tired. That feeling will never leave you. Be grateful for your youth while you have it.
Leading a healthy life is simple: sleep well, exercise three times a week, have an active social life, eat a variety of vegetables and whole foods, avoid sugar, processed foods, alcohol and drugs. That's 90%. Everything else is optimisation.
The world is always on the brink. At any given moment, you can point to dozens of reasons the world is 'messed up'. It always is. It always has been. Don't use that as an excuse for despair.
War is always potentially around the corner. Doesn't matter how "advanced" your society is. And remember if a war does break out, take the consensus on how long it will last and multiply it by 20.
Start contributing as much as you can possibly afford to your pension – even if you're 16. At the very least contribute what your employer matches. More if you can – 10% is good. This is likely the best financial decision you'll make.
Getting a great deal on something you don't need costs more than overpaying for something you do.
Anonymous B joined in and replied with this 12 hours ago, 7 minutes later[^] [v] #1,417,573
Anonymous C joined in and replied with this 12 hours ago, 1 minute later, 9 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #1,417,575
boof joined in and replied with this 11 hours ago, 29 minutes later, 38 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #1,417,586
...for dating my daughter