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 actual 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 very good mobster, observe these 10 simple steps!”

1. No-one can current himself straight to a different of our pals. There have to be a 3rd particular person to do it.
2. By no means have a look at the wives of pals.
3. By no means be seen with cops.
4. Don’t go to pubs and golf equipment.
5. All the time being out there for Cosa Nostra is an obligation – even when your spouse’s about to offer start.
6. Appointments should completely be revered.
7. Wives have to be handled with respect.
8. When requested for any info, the reply have to be the reality.
9. Cash can’t be appropriated if it belongs to others or to different households.
10. 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 actually don’t cowl each single choice that each mobster must make each day, however they’re guidelines that someone can be taught, internalize, and apply after they discover themselves in a precarious state of affairs and are not sure 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 rules for their personal code of conduct:​

1. Righteousness (Justice)
2. Braveness
3. Benevolence (Mercy)
4. Respect
5. Honesty
6. Honor
7. Loyalty
8. Self-Management

Elsewhere, knights in medieval Europe had a “Code of Chivalry,” which lined 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 dwelling along with your defend, or on it.”

We have now Rules for the Nerd Fitness Rebellion too!

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

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

Guidelines may also help us make choices.

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

Nonetheless, when we’ve got a rule in place, it permits us to make a transparent selection quite than agonizing over it.

Extra importantly. We are able to make a rule ONCE, after which we don’t should waste any brainpower or willpower on every choice afterward.

Right here’s a fast instance:

Many of the profitable fashionable diets are merely an inventory of guidelines that folks observe that get them to eat fewer calories.

• ​Intermittent fasting means “I solely eat between midday at 8pm.”
• ​The Paleo Diet 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 actually have “fitness” rules that I usually follow:

I do know once I observe these guidelines, “the Method of the Nerd,” I’ve a reasonably good probability of staying match, wholesome, and feeling good about myself.

I even have guidelines about interacting with the world and being a good human:

These particular guidelines won’t give you the results you want, 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’d not like all guidelines, however we are inclined to respect other people’s rules:

our coworker gives you a donut, and also you say “ohhhhh, I shouldn’t.” They could come again with “c’mon, dwell a little bit,” as a result of they don’t need to be the one particular person consuming a donut…

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

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

There’s no cause you possibly can’t have guidelines for no matter rattling cause 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 all every!

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

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 workforce forward of schedule if I want extra time.”
• With pals, “I at all times ship a thank-you word after being invited to one thing by a good friend”
• For well being, “I solely drink alcohol on Friday evening and Saturday whereas watching school 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 cross/fail the principles are, the extra doubtless you’ll be to observe them.

Guidelines that really provide help to make the long-term proper choice in powerful conditions. You understand, 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 know-how, app-blocking software program, or recruit our pals to assist us keep true to our guidelines.

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

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

Keep in mind, failure will be one hell of a instructor, and leaning into the worry is a good probability to be taught the lesson life is making an attempt to show us.

-Steve