Mobsters, Knights, and Samurai have a code. Do You?

In 2007, Italian police arrested Salvatore Lo Piccolo.

This dude was an precise boss from the true 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 an excellent mobster, comply with these 10 simple steps!”

No-one can current himself instantly to a different of our mates. There have to be a 3rd particular person to do it.
By no means take a look at the wives of mates.
By no means be seen with cops.
Don’t go to pubs and golf equipment.
At all times being obtainable for Cosa Nostra is an obligation – even when your spouse’s about to offer beginning.
Appointments should completely be revered.
Wives have to be handled with respect.
When requested for any info, the reply have to 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 a detailed 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 definitely don’t cowl each single choice that each mobster must make each day, however they’re guidelines that any person can study, internalize, and apply once they discover themselves in a precarious state of affairs and are uncertain how one can 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 coated issues like “safety of the weak and poor, courtesy and respect, braveness and navy prowess.”

Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator and his fellow troopers at all times picked one another up with “Energy and honor.”

In 300, Spartan Troopers knew to “come house together with your protect, or on it.”

We’ve got Guidelines for the Nerd Health Rebel too!

I convey up these guidelines as a result of we would not be mobsters, knights, or samurai…

However I guess including some guidelines to your life might assist.

Guidelines will help us make choices.

Life is sophisticated, and our brains are able to speaking us into and out of varied choices.

Nonetheless, when now we have a rule in place, it permits us to make a transparent selection moderately than agonizing over it.

Extra importantly. We will make a rule ONCE, after which we don’t must waste any brainpower or willpower on every choice in a while.

Right here’s a fast instance:

Many of the profitable in style 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 Food regimen 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 particular person can provide you with a set of aspirational guidelines that assist them stage up their lives.

I definitely have “health” guidelines that I often comply with:

I do know once I comply with these guidelines, “the Approach of the Nerd,” I’ve a fairly good likelihood of staying match, wholesome, and feeling good about myself.

I even have guidelines about interacting with the world and being an excellent human:

These particular guidelines may not be just right for you, and that’s okay.

They’re my guidelines.

Your guidelines should mirror your state of affairs.

We Respect the Guidelines of Others

Right here’s one other enjoyable hack: we would not like all guidelines, however we are likely 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,” as a result of they don’t need to be the one particular person consuming a donut…

However in the event you say “I’ve a rule that I don’t eat donuts on weekdays,” then you will have a tough rule that you simply’re following, and your coworker will in all probability respect this.

Some folks would possibly abstain from sure meals or drinks for non secular or private causes.

There’s no motive you possibly can’t have guidelines for no matter rattling motive you need to!

What are YOUR guidelines?

A superb mixture of aspirational, skilled, and society-improving guidelines is an effective place to start out. Or heck, simply one in every of every!

Heck, even one for every is usually a good place to start out.

These guidelines ought to be YOURS.

Listed below are some concepts that can assist you get began:

At work “I do what I say I’m going to do, on schedule, or I inform my crew forward of schedule if I would like extra time.”
With mates, “I at all times ship a thank-you be aware after being invited to one thing by a buddy”
For well being, “I solely drink alcohol on Friday evening and Saturday whereas watching faculty soccer”
For sleep, “I solely watch 1 episode of TV per evening. 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 move/fail the principles are, the extra seemingly you’ll be to comply with them.

Guidelines that really assist you make the long-term proper choice in powerful conditions. You recognize, 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 will also be pre-emptive so that you don’t find yourself in these conditions within the first place.

We will use expertise, app-blocking software program, or recruit our mates to assist us keep true to our guidelines.

When you determine your guidelines, and truly write them down, hold observe of the way you’re doing with them.

If you end up breaking your guidelines extra regularly than not, it may be time to regulate the principles, do some deep considering, or work with a therapist to start out determining why and what’s occurring.

Bear in mind, failure may be one hell of a instructor, and leaning into the worry is a superb likelihood to study the lesson life is making an attempt to show us.

-Steve