The, Rules of Life, 4th Edition

Table of contents

1. Cover
2. Title page
3. Contents
4. Dedication
5. Introduction
6. Acknowledgements
7. Rules for You
   1. 1 Keep it under your hat
   2. 2 You’ll get older but not necessarily wiser
   3. 3 Accept what is done is done
   4. 4 Accept yourself
   5. 5 Know what counts and what doesn’t
   6. 6 Dedicate your life to something
   7. 7 Be flexible in your thinking
   8. 8 Take an interest in the outside world
   9. 9 Be on the side of the angels, not the beasts
   10. 10 Only dead fish swim with the stream
   11. 11 Be the last to raise your voice
   12. 12 Be your own adviser
   13. 13 No fear, no surprise, no hesitation, no doubt
   14. 14 I wish I’d done that – and I will
   15. 15 It’s OK to give up
   16. 16 Count to ten – or recite ‘Baa baa black sheep’
   17. 17 Change what you can change, let go of the rest
   18. 18 Aim to be the very best at everything you do – not second best
   19. 19 Don’t expect to be perfect
   20. 20 Don’t be afraid to dream
   21. 21 If you’re going to jump off a bridge, make sure you know how deep the water is
   22. 22 Don’t dwell on the past
   23. 23 Don’t live in the future
   24. 24 Get on with life – it’s whooshing past
   25. 25 Be consistent
   26. 26 Dress like today is important
   27. 27 Have a belief system
   28. 28 Leave a little space for yourself each day
   29. 29 Have a plan
   30. 30 Have a sense of humour
   31. 31 Choose how you make your bed
   32. 32 Life can be a bit like advertising
   33. 33 Get used to stepping outside your comfort zone
   34. 34 Learn to ask questions
   35. 35 Have dignity
   36. 36 It’s OK to feel big emotions
   37. 37 Keep the faith
   38. 38 You’ll never understand everything
   39. 39 Know where true happiness comes from
   40. 40 Life is a pizza
   41. 41 Always have someone – or something – that is pleased to see you
   42. 42 Know when to let go – when to walk away
   43. 43 Retaliation leads to escalation
   44. 44 Look after yourself
   45. 45 Maintain good manners in all things
   46. 46 Prune your stuff frequently
   47. 47 Remember to touch base
   48. 48 Draw the lines around yourself
   49. 49 Shop for quality, not price
   50. 50 It’s OK to worry, or to know how not to
   51. 51 Stay young
   52. 52 Throwing money at a problem doesn’t always work
   53. 53 Think for yourself
   54. 54 You are not in charge
   55. 55 Have something in your life that takes you out of yourself
   56. 56 Only the good feel guilty
   57. 57 If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all
8. Partnership Rules
   1. 58 Accept the differences, embrace what you have in common
   2. 59 Allow your partner the space to be themselves
   3. 60 Be nice
   4. 61 You want to do what?
   5. 62 Be the first to say sorry
   6. 63 Go that extra step in trying to please them
   7. 64 Know when to listen and when to act
   8. 65 Have a passion for your life together
   9. 66 Make sure your love making is making love
   10. 67 Keep talking
   11. 68 Respect privacy
   12. 69 Check you both have the same shared goals
   13. 70 Treat your partner better than your best friend
   14. 71 Contentment is a high aim
   15. 72 You don’t both have to have the same rules
9. Family and friends Rules
   1. 73 If you are going to be a friend, be a good friend
   2. 74 Never be too busy for loved ones
   3. 75 Let your kids mess up for themselves – they don’t need any help from you
   4. 76 Have a little respect and forgiveness for your parents
   5. 77 Give your kids a break
   6. 78 Never lend money unless you are prepared to write it off
   7. 79 Keep schtum
   8. 80 There are no bad children
   9. 81 Be up around people you love
   10. 82 Give your kids responsibilities
   11. 83 Your children need to fall out with you to leave home
   12. 84 Your kids will have friends you don’t like
   13. 85 Your role as a child
   14. 86 Your role as a parent
10. Social Rules
    1. 87 We’re all closer than you think
    2. 88 It doesn’t hurt to forgive
    3. 89 It doesn’t hurt to be helpful
    4. 90 What’s in it for them?
    5. 91 Hang out with positive people
    6. 92 Be generous with your time and information
    7. 93 Get involved
    8. 94 Keep the moral high ground
    9. 95 Just because you have, doesn’t mean they have to
    10. 96 Do compare yourself with other people
    11. 97 Have a plan for your career
    12. 98 Look at the long-term ramifications of what you do for a living
    13. 99 Be good at your job
    14. 100 Be aware of the damage you are doing
    15. 101 Be for the glory, not the degradation
    16. 102 Be part of the solution, not the problem
    17. 103 Check what history would say about you
    18. 104 Not everything can be green
    19. 105 Put something back
    20. 106 Find a new Rule every day – or occasionally at least
11. The Rules of happiness
    1. 1 Take the long view
    2. 2 Do something you’re good at
    3. 3 Like yourself
    4. 4 Look from the other direction
    5. 5 Spin it
    6. 6 Mix it
    7. 7 Find a distraction
    8. 8 Know who you value
    9. 9 Break down the blocks
    10. 10 Take control
12. Had enough yet . . .?
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14. Imprint