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 a great mobster, comply with these 10 straightforward steps!”

No-one can current himself immediately to a different of our buddies. There should be a 3rd individual to do it.
By no means have a look at the wives of buddies.
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 present 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 definitely don’t cowl each single choice that each mobster must make day-after-day, however they’re guidelines that someone can be taught, internalize, and apply after they discover themselves in a precarious scenario and are not sure tips on how to act.

The Mob isn’t the one crew that has guidelines both.

Historic 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 “Power and honor.”

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

We’ve Guidelines for the Nerd Health Rise up too!

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

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

Guidelines may 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 a rule in place, it permits us to make a transparent selection fairly 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 choice afterward.

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 Weight loss plan 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 carry 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 degree up their lives.

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

I do know after I comply with these guidelines, “the Manner 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 a great human:

These particular guidelines may not give you the results you want, and that’s okay.

They’re my guidelines.

Your guidelines should mirror your scenario.

We Respect the Guidelines of Others

Right here’s one other enjoyable hack: we would not like all guidelines, however we are inclined to respect different folks’s guidelines:

our coworker provides you a donut, and also you say “ohhhhh, I shouldn’t.” They may come again with “c’mon, stay a bit,” 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 might have a tough rule that you just’re following, and your coworker will most likely 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 one in every of every!

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

These guidelines needs to 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 buddies, “I at all times ship a thank-you be aware 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 school 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 move/fail the foundations are, the extra doubtless you’ll be to comply with them.

Guidelines that truly allow you to make the long-term proper choice in robust conditions. You already know, 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 can be pre-emptive so that you don’t find yourself in these conditions within the first place.

We are able to use expertise, app-blocking software program, or recruit our buddies to assist us keep true to our guidelines.

When you establish your guidelines, and really write them down, hold monitor of the way you’re doing with them.

If you end up breaking your guidelines extra continuously than not, it is perhaps time to regulate the foundations, do some deep pondering, or work with a therapist to begin determining why and what’s happening.

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

-Steve