The Rules to Break, 2nd Edition

Table of contents

1. Cover
2. Title page
3. Contents
4. Introduction
5. Author’s acknowledgements
6. Publisher’s acknowledgements
7. 1. “Success is a good job earning lots of money” - Rule 1: Success is what you say it is
8. 2. “Some people are just born lucky” - Rule 2: Don’t envy other people
9. 3. “You need the right qualifications” - Rule 3: Exams aren’t the be all and end all
10. 4. “Your parents are always right” - Rule 4: Don’t expect your parents to be perfect
11. 5. “Your parents are responsible for how you turn out” - Rule 5: Give your parents a break
12. 6. “The world is against you” - Rule 6: You’re responsible for your own life
13. 7. “We all have an absolute right to be respected” - Rule 7: There’s a balance between the right to respect, and tolerance
14. 8. “You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family” - Rule 8: Your siblings should be your best friends for life
15. 9. “Teacher knows best” - Rule 9: Getting on at school is not the same as getting on in life
16. 10. “Have something to say for yourself” - Rule 10: If you find it hard to talk, try listening
17. 11. “Some people are just difficult” - Rule 11: No one chooses to be difficult without a reason
18. 12. “Don’t waste your time on people who aren’t worth it” - Rule 12: Suffer fools gladly. Well, suffer them, anyway
19. 13. “You can’t be cheerful if you’re in pain” - Rule 13: Pain doesn’t have to make you miserable
20. 14. “Good work speaks for itself” - Rule 14: No one at work will know how good you are unless you tell them
21. 15. “Do what it takes to get what you want” - Rule 15: Don’t emotionally blackmail people
22. 16. “A place for everything, and everything in its place” - Rule 16: It’s not morally superior to be tidy
23. 17. “It matters what other people think” - Rule 17: Don’t live for other people’s approval
24. 18. “Give as good as you get” - Rule 18: You get what you give
25. 19. “Stick with your own kind” - Rule 19: Your friends don’t all need to be like you
26. 20. “The best things in life are free” - Rule 20: Everything worth having hurts
27. 21. “You can change people” - Rule 21: Don’t try to change people
28. 22. “It’s where you’re going that matters, not where you came from” - Rule 22: Be proud of your roots
29. 23. “Friends are for life” - Rule 23: Friends come and go
30. 24. “Mistakes are a bad thing” - Rule 24: Mistakes can be good
31. 25. “Be a friend to everybody” - Rule 25: You don’t have to like everyone
32. 26. “…and everybody will be your friend” - Rule 26: …and not everyone will like you
33. 27. “If you don’t like it, tough” - Rule 27: Remember you have a choice
34. 28. “You need to get your chores over with” - Rule 28: Life’s all about the little things
35. 29. “Stay true to your dreams” - Rule 29: Priorities change over the years
36. 30. “People have a right to know” - Rule 30: Know how to keep a secret
37. 31. “Face your fears” - Rule 31: Replace the bad thoughts
38. 32. “Make a New Year’s resolution every year” - Rule 32: You can’t change habits unless you want to
39. 33. “Respect the elderly” - Rule 33: Respect everyone
40. 34. “Look after number one” - Rule 34: Helping other people makes you feel good about yourself
41. 35. “If you’re in the firing line, keep your head down” - Rule 35: They can’t walk all over you unless you’re lying down
42. 36. “Just ignore the bullies” - Rule 36: Don’t let ’em bully you
43. 37. “Think on your feet” - Rule 37: Be in control
44. 38. “What you do is more important than why you do it” - Rule 38: Be honest with yourself
45. 39. “You can judge a book by its cover” - Rule 39: Everyone has a backstory
46. 40. “Put the past behind you” - Rule 40: You have to deal with your stuff before you can get on with your life
47. 41. “What about me?” - Rule 41: It’s not all about you
48. 42. “Just once won’t hurt” - Rule 42: Don’t let bad habits get a foot in the door
49. 43. “Be spontaneous” - Rule 43: Listen to the voices in your head
50. 44. “Take one step at a time” - Rule 44: If you want big things to change, you have to make big changes
51. 45. “The best people will be there for you for life” - Rule 45: People come and go, and it’s OK
52. 46. “Enjoy yourself while you’re young” - Rule 46: Your body is for life
53. 47. “Borrowing is OK so long as you can pay it back” - Rule 47: Don’t get into debt
54. 48. “Be generous” - Rule 48: Never lend money unless you’re prepared to write it off
55. 49. “Believe you’re the best” - Rule 49: Know your real worth
56. 50. “Don’t allow people to make you feel bad” - Rule 50: The only thing you can control is you
57. 51. “Some people just get to you” - Rule 51: No one can make you feel anything
58. 52. “You can’t help how you feel” - Rule 52: You feel what you think
59. 53. “Actions speak louder than words” - Rule 53: Don’t take anyone for granted
60. 54. “Avoid unnecessary displays of emotion” - Rule 54: Say thank you out loud
61. 55. “The Internet makes you anonymous” - Rule 55: The Rules don’t stop online
62. 56. “Always seek to improve yourself” - Rule 56: Accept your shortcomings
63. 57. “Strive for perfection” - Rule 57: Perfection can be a handicap
64. 58. “You are the product of your genes” - Rule 58: You are the sum of your experiences (so make them good)
65. 59. “Tomorrow is another day” - Rule 59: How you spend your day is how you spend your life
66. 60. “There aren’t enough hours in the day” - Rule 60: Know your limitations
67. 61. “Always get off on the right foot from the start” - Rule 61: Bide your time to make a good impression
68. 62. “Confident people know where they’re going” - Rule 62: Everyone else is as lost as you
69. 63. “Stand out from the crowd” - Rule 63: There’s a fine line between being ubercool and being a total prat
70. 64. “Appearances matter” - Rule 64: Be happy with the way you look
71. 65. “It’s just a drop in the ocean” - Rule 65: The insignificant is important
72. 66. “The job comes first” - Rule 66: Don’t mistake your career for your life
73. 67. “Get it all out in the open” - Rule 67: Avoid conflict
74. 68. “If you know you’re in the right, don’t back down” - Rule 68: Don’t be afraid of compromise
75. 69. “Give as good as you get” - Rule 69: Keep the moral high ground
76. 70. “It’s good to let your feelings out” - Rule 70: Don’t trample on other people’s emotions
77. 71. “No one is perfect” - Rule 71: Be on the side of the angels, not the beasts
78. 72. “Meet your deadlines” - Rule 72: Keep ahead of deadlines
79. 73. “Give good advice” - Rule 73: Don’t give advice
80. 74. “Let people know when you’re right” - Rule 74: Never say ‘I told you so’
81. 75. “Stick to what you’re good at” - Rule 75: Stretch yourself
82. 76. “You’ve a right to be treated fairly” - Rule 76: Stop expecting life to be fair
83. 77. “The more you learn about a subject, the more of an expert you become” - Rule 77: The more you know, the more you don’t
84. 78. “You can’t learn anything from a fool” - Rule 78: Learn from other people’s mistakes
85. 79. “If you’re going to do something, do it properly” - Rule 79: You don’t have to jump in the deep end
86. 80. “Stick with what you know” - Rule 80: Step out of your comfort zone
87. 81. “People will judge you by what you own” - Rule 81: Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses
88. 82. “Hide your mistakes” - Rule 82: Remember you could be wrong – someone has to be
89. 83. “Live in the present” - Rule 83: Keep perspective
90. 84. “Know what you want” - Rule 84: You don’t have to know what you want
91. 85. “Guilt tells you where you’re going wrong” - Rule 85: Don’t do guilt
92. 86. “Someone will make it better” - Rule 86: Pick yourself up (no one else will do it for you)
93. 87. “Think through your problems” - Rule 87: Thinking hard doesn’t always help
94. 88. “Narrow down your options” - Rule 88: Look at all the options
95. 89. “Stick to a plan” - Rule 89: Life is unpredictable
96. 90. “Trust no one” - Rule 90: Trust everyone
97. 91. “Trust everyone” - Rule 91: Trust no one
98. 92. “Sometimes you need a good moan” - Rule 92: There are people who moan, and people who just get on with it
99. 93. “Don’t sacrifice yourself for a relationship” - Rule 93: It’s the compromises that make relationships worth having
100. 94. “Feelings should be rational” - Rule 94: Feelings aren’t right or wrong – they just are
101. 95. “Eat, drink and be merry…” - Rule 95: Stay alive
102. 96. “I want doesn’t get” - Rule 96: Ask for what you want
103. 97. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” - Rule 97: Look up
104. 98. “Find yourself a safe job” - Rule 98: Follow your passion
105. 99. “Protect your property” - Rule 99: People are more important than things
106. 100. “You can’t change horses in midstream” - Rule 100: It’s never too late to start following the real Rules
107. Imprint