In 2019, I found myself at a crossroads familiar to manyentrepreneurs. I had been a graphic designer for over a decade, burning the midnight oil and slogging through endless hours to make ends meet. Despite being a fast worker and charging $75 per hour, my paycheck didn't reflect the effort and dedication I poured into my work. I had become "just another graphic designer" in a saturated market, with clients often overlooking my true value.
Recognizing the need for a change, I embarked on a transformative journey with an intentional goal. I decided I wouldn't be "just a graphic de anymore. It was a shift that began with a simple realization: I needed to change. It wasn't just about my business.
I’m sharing these six pivotal moments in my business and how you can grow your business too, whether you’re a solopreneur or have a large team of employees. These simple yet effective changes helped me reach six figures in less than a year by allowing me to stand out in a crowded industry. I hope my experiences can inspire you on your own entrepreneurial path.
From burnout to success: 6 steps to increasing profits without working more
1. Define your vision
The first step in my transformation was clarifying my vision. I had been running in circles, chasing clients and money, but it didn't align with my greater aspiration of becoming a six-figure successful entrepreneur. Once it was clear what future me looked like, I had something tangible to strive for.
chart your path, ask yourself: Who do you want to become? What does success look like to you? What does it feel like? Your vision should guide your actions and decisions, setting the stage for what's come.
When you set a goal, ensure that every action and decision you make in your business and beyond align with that goal. This not only keeps you focused, but prevents you from wasting time and energy.
2. Know your worth
I had clients who were focused solely on cost cutting, disregarding the quality of my work and my creative talents. They just wanted the job done. It was time for me to elevate my self-worth.
When you have a clear understanding of the value you offer beyond the tangible product you sell, you'll start attracting the right kind of clients. When you believe in yourself and the results of what you sell, others will believe in you too.
3. Identify your ideal customer avatar and niche
One of the turning points in my journey was recognizing the importance of knowing my ideal customer avatar (ICA) and finding my niche. Previously I had been serving anyone willing to pay my hourly rate, but this unfocused approach was holding me back. Once I identified my ICA, my messaging became more precise and my content began to resonate with customers.Find your niche, and market directly to those customers, establishing yourself as the expert who can address their unique challenges. A lot of my digital content—podcast, blogging, and social media posts—offers free advice. This has primed my clients to realize how I can help them and bridge a gap between where they’re stuck and where they hope to be.
4. Offer one clear solution
Don't package your services based solely on your skills; tailor and market your skills in a way that delivers an outcome your clients desire. The error I made was selling my ability to create websites, logos, graphic design, and photography, which just sounded like a jumble of skills, and my clients weren’t clear on how those skills could help them. What I should have done was market myself as a “branding professional who helps small businesses stand out and succeed”—a common problem most small businesses face.
5. Invest in education and add value
My graphic design skills alone were not enough to guide my clients through the intricacies of growing their businesses. So I started educating myself in business branding and strategy, broadening my skill set to become a well-rounded branding strategist.
Your role as an entrepreneur is to keep learning and inspiring yourself. The true value you offer isn't just tangible; it's about solving problems and making your customers' lives easier
6. Share your why and brand story
People will buy based on emotions. Sharing your "why" and your brand story not only captures your audience's attention, but also establishes trust and fosters engagement. When I shared my story and the reason behind my work, people interacted with my social media posts and were more likely to reach out about working together. Connect with your audience on a personal level and you'll build lasting relationships.
Also infuse your personality and essence into your brand. I'm unapologetically pink and I love talking about Disney, my obsession with design, and how I like cold brew coffee. By being yourself, you create a genuine connection with your audience. Don't be afraid of appearing unprofessional—instead, be fun, memorable, and authentically human.
Goals are a powerful motivator
Don't shy away from setting big, seemingly unrealistic goals. Goals are a powerful motivator and writing them down makes it easier to plan intentional steps to reach them. When I set a goal to reach six figures in 2020, I wrote down my goal and visualized the life I would lead once I achieved it. Despite the challenges that year brought, I reached my goal, and in 2021, my dreams of homeownership and reaching six-figures in revenue came true.
The journey from burnout to success often involves profound transformation. These steps helped me redefine my path and find my unique place in the entrepreneurial world. To stand out, remember that it's not about overshadowing your competition; it's about staying true to your values and connecting with customers who share those values.As you make changes, you'll see your business flourish. Sometimes, it's the simplest shifts in the way we run our businesses that help us reach our goals faster.
FAQs on growing a startup
How do you improve the profitability of a small business?
Enhance small business profitability by expanding your customer base through targeted marketing and strong branding. Connect with potential customers, ensuring they recognize the value in your offerings. Effective branding fosters customer alignment, translating into increased sales and overall profitability.
Why is it important for a business to stand out?
Standing out is vital in today's saturated digital landscape. Amidst the noise of social media and fierce competition, differentiation is key to capturing attention, attracting customers, and ultimately ensuring business success.
How can I work hard without getting burned out?
The key to working hard without getting burned out is implementing a strategy that has been tested and works. Avoid aimless efforts by relying on proven methods, ensuring your hard work is purposeful and sustainable, preventing exhaustion, and promoting long-term success.
1. Embrace Bold Vision and Audacious Goals: Don't set your sights on the ordinary. Dare to dream big and pursue goals that seem impossible at first. Elon Musk exemplifies this, from revolutionizing space travel with SpaceX to pushing the boundaries of electric vehicles with Tesla.
2. Learn Constantly and Never Stop Growing: Curiosity and a thirst for knowledge are essential. Musk's dedication to lifelong learning, often diving deep into new fields like rocket science and AI, fuels his innovative pursuits.
3. Take Calculated Risks and Embrace Failure: Don't shy away from calculated risks. Musk isn't afraid to put his ideas on the line, even if it means facing failures. He views setbacks as learning opportunities and pivots accordingly.
4. Build a Strong Team and Delegate Effectively: Surround yourself with talented and passionate individuals. Musk thrives on collaborating with exceptional teams and empowers them to excel in their domains.
5. Focus on First Principles and Logical Thinking: Don't blindly follow conventional wisdom. Break down complex problems to their core principles and apply logic to find innovative solutions. Musk's first-principles approach has led to breakthroughs in diverse fields.
6. Persevere Through Challenge and Stay Focused: Resilience is key. There will be setbacks and detours on the path to success. Musk's relentless determination and unwavering focus on his goals have helped him overcome numerous hurdles.
7. Lead with Passion and Inspire Others: Be a passionate leader who motivates and inspires those around you. Musk's infectious enthusiasm and belief in his vision attract and retain talented individuals who share his mission.
8. Prioritize Long-Term Impact Over Short-Term Gains: Think beyond immediate profits and focus on creating lasting value. Musk's ventures, like colonizing Mars or fighting climate change, tackle long-term challenges with potential to impact humanity's future.
9.Embrace Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility: Recognize the importance of environmental responsibility in all endeavors. Musk's commitment to sustainable technologies, like electric vehicles and solar energy, showcases this awareness.
10. Never Give Up on Your Dreams: Above all, believe in yourself and your vision. Musk's journey is a testament to the power of unwavering belief and relentless pursuit of dreams, even when they seem unrealistic.
Remember: While his achievements may seem extraordinary, Musk's life demonstrates that anyone can cultivate these traits and apply them to their own goals and aspirations. By harnessing the lessons from his journey, you can navigate your own path to success and impact the world in meaningful ways.
You can learn more about Elon Musk by reading Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson credit:
@Crypto_Medias
🔝BRUCE LEE ONCE SAID You will CONTINUE TO SUFFER if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is SAID TO YOU.
Embark on a transformative journey to enhance resilience and perceive challenges as opportunities for growth. Stay grounded in the present with mindful awareness, cultivating inner peace. Nourish your soul with self-compassion and patience, maintaining calmness in adversity. Cultivate gratitude, focusing on the positives in every situation, and keep a tranquil mind. Build emotional intelligence to gracefully navigate life's complexities while protecting your inner peace. Regular self-reflection ensures alignment with your core values, maintaining balance in adversity. Embrace challenges, stepping out of your comfort zone to build strength, and discover your ability to remain peaceful and grounded in any circumstance.
1. Embracing Failure as a Learning Opportunity: The book likely emphasizes the idea that failure is not a negative outcome but a valuable learning opportunity. Lessons may involve reframing failures as essential steps in the process of growth and development.
2. Fostering Resilience: Lessons might revolve around the importance of fostering resilience in children by allowing them to face challenges, setbacks, and failures. This could involve building the skills to bounce back from adversity.
3. Promoting Intrinsic Motivation: The book may discuss the benefits of promoting intrinsic motivation in children. Lessons could involve cultivating a love for learning and a sense of curiosity rather than relying solely on external rewards.
4. Encouraging Independence: Lessons might include the importance of encouraging independence and autonomy in children. Allowing them to navigate challenges on their own can contribute to their sense of agency and self-efficacy.
5. Balancing Support and Independence: The book may offer insights into finding a balance between providing support and allowing children to experience autonomy. Lessons might involve understanding when to step in and when to let children navigate challenges independently.
6. Reframing Parental Expectations: Lessons may involve challenging conventional notions of parenting success and reframing expectations. This could include recognizing that mistakes and failures are part of a child's journey toward competence.
7. Nurturing a Growth Mindset: The book may discuss the concept of a growth mindset and its role in children's development. Lessons might involve cultivating a belief in the potential for improvement through effort and perseverance.
8. Effective Communication: Lessons might address the importance of effective communication between parents, educators, and children. This could include fostering an environment where mistakes are communicated openly and constructively.
9. Learning Through Play: The book may highlight the value of play in a child's learning process. Lessons could involve understanding how play and exploration contribute to cognitive, social, and emotional development.
10. Building Healthy Relationships with Failure: Lessons may involve helping children build healthy relationships with failure, understanding that it is not a reflection of their worth but a natural part of the learning journey.
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🚨BREAKING NEWS: Save America Coin Surges as Elon Musk Invests $5 Million🚨
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🚨JUST IN: Elon Musk Open to Use Bitcoin on X Following SEC’s Approval of Bitcoin Spot ETFs 🧐🚀
In a landmark decision, the SEC has voted to approve Bitcoin Spot ETFs, as reported. This approval has sparked a reaction from Elon Musk, who, during an X Spaces event with Cathie Wood, expressed his openness to the idea of utilizing Bitcoin on X. The SEC’s ETF Approval voting was divided: Gensler, Peirce, and Uyeda voted in favor, while Crenshaw and Lizárraga opposed the approval. 📈
Here’s the voting breakdown:
Gensler: Approved ✅
Peirce: Approved ✅
Uyeda: Approved ✅
Crenshaw: Not Approved ❌
Lizárraga: Not Approved ❌
Wednesday 10 January 2024
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“If it wasn't rewarding instinctively to have kids, we wouldn't have them. You will absolutely be happier if you have kids.”
Everything around us is changing. Fast and sharp - so 21st century. Technologies, relations between countries, human values, views, priorities.
Everything changes except education. Unfortunately, training programs at most universities remain unchanged. Not only in the CIS, but also in the world - education simply does not have time to adapt to the current pace.
This problem is being researched and studied. However, they cannot offer effective solutions at the moment. But there are four skills that you definitely won’t be lost with. And not only in work, but also in life:
- Communication skills. The ability to exchange thoughts, discuss issues, ideas and solutions - this has always been and will be in demand.
- Critical thinking. Today, if you do not read the news, then you are not an informed person. And if you are reading, you are most likely misinformed. Therefore, thinking critically, looking at a problem from different angles is valuable.
- Ability to collaborate. There are more and more introverts every day, so the ability to find an approach to people and unite to achieve a common goal is more important than ever.
— Creativity. Trying new, revolutionary and non-standard things is also in demand in the age of innovation and invention.
It doesn't matter whether you've completed your formal education or are still in the process, pay attention to these 4 aspects. Because in the future they will bring much more benefit than a diploma. And their relevance will only grow.
When someone tries to trigger you by insulting you or by doing or saying something that irritates you, take a deep breath and switch off your ego.Remember that if you are easily offended, you are easily manipulated.
You know when people say don’t reveal your next move or your plans to people, or stop telling people everything, In a way, I have always found this saying hard to grasp because, if you don’t tell people your situation, how will they know when and how help you? What I’m saying is no man is born to be an island and you’ll need people at some point in your life. You’ll need people to put you through, guide you, and show you directions.
Let me use myself as an example. About three years ago, when I was still studying at my undergraduate level, I was given a very small project to work on and I decided that you know what I’m going to test this saying out and see how well I perform in the end, so I told no one about the project.
Of course, I did my research on the project, and I went online to get guidance and I was pretty confident that it would turn out to be a really wonderful project.
The day came for me to present my work and when I got up to begin my presentation, a lot of my friends and even the people around me, I would say, were a bit shocked to find out that I was given the project to work on and didn’t mention anything about it because it was quite a huge deal.
I could hear whispers of *why didn’t she tell us* but what’s done is done and I was going to present it. As I began my presentation, I wasn’t confident and bold enough to speak well, my body language was giving a totally different message, I rushed everything and a presentation that was supposed to take 45 minutes of simple and clear explanation was done in under 15 minutes.
The lecturers were not happy, and as a matter of fact, if I could translate the expression on their faces into words, it would be, *we should have given it to somebody else.
After I was done with the presentation, a friend of mine came over and asked, “why didn’t you tell us and then we would have helped you or guided you on how to do it". I couldn’t say a word because I thought I was doing the right thing, but my performance and judgment of the whole situation was below average and underwhelming.
In all fairness, I would have asked somebody to show me how to do it. What did I learn from that experience? It is this, if you don’t know how to do something, reach out to people who can help you and don’t rely on yourself thinking that you can do a great job.
"Stop revealing your plans to people"
I don’t think I understand this thing well enough or maybe I apply it in the wrong situations. I even read books on really successful people in life and they say the same thing too, but I don’t understand what they mean.
I’m still struggling to come to terms with what the saying truly means and how to apply it. If you can help me with a clearer understanding, I would really appreciate it because lately I’ve been going through tough challenges and, in all honesty, I need help.
So do I agree with the saying? Not entirely. I feel like if you need help with your plans, you should reach out to people who know better and have pure intentions.
“In the fourth quarter, we produced approximately 495,000 vehicles and delivered over 484,000 vehicles. In 2023, vehicle deliveries grew 38% YoY to 1.81 million while production grew 35% YoY to 1.85 million”
1. Be nice to people on your way up because you might meet them again on your way back down.
2. Set an example. Treat everyone with kindness and respect, even those who are rude to you – not because they are nice, but because you are.
3. Kindness is not to be mistaken for weakness, nor forgiveness for acceptance. It’s about knowing resentment of any kind is not on the path to happiness.
4. Give as much as you can, but don’t allow yourself to be used. Listen to others closely, but don’t lose your own voice.
5. Say what you need to say. Speak your truth. There is no greater sadness than holding on to the words you never had the courage to speak.
6. You can’t change how people treat you or what they say about you. All you can do is change how you react and who you choose to be around.
7. Negative company will never give you a positive life. Examine what you tolerate in the long-term.
8. What you allow is what will continue. It’s always better to spend more time alone than allow negative people and their opinions to derail you from your destiny.
Curiosity has always been the hallmark of all geniuses. An inquisitive mind is better at generating new ideas. Keep your mind open and always be ready to learn something new.
2. Read books and articles that are not related to your field of work.
Get out of your comfort zone, expand your knowledge of the world. So you will not only become smarter, but also become an interesting conversationalist.
3. Train your brain
Proper brain exercises can improve mental performance. Start with simple exercises and gradually move on to more complex ones. For example, you can try Android games that improve brain function.
4. Exercise
Physical exercise is good for more than just your body. From a purely scientific point of view, exercise increases blood flow to the brain and increases the production of proteins that stimulate the growth of neural connections in the brain.
5. Learn something new
Train your creative genius. Learning something new is great brain stimulation. You never know in advance what knowledge will be useful. So learn something new.
6. Read really helpful blogs
If you are reading this article, then you are already halfway there. You are reading an interesting blog about productivity, health, sports and gadgets. But don't stop there. There are other useful sites on the Web that are worth subscribing to.
7. Keep your own blog and share what you read
Keeping your own blog stimulates creativity. When you share something, it improves your communication skills. Blogging helps keep your brain sharp and makes you more creative. When you write about something, you begin to understand it better.
Take one idea. Make this idea the center of your life - think about it, dream about it, live this idea. Let the brain, the muscles, the nerves, every part of your body be full of this idea, and just leave all other ideas alone. Concentration is the path to success.
Life is made up of rules. What rules should you follow? What rules can you break? I See, everyone was obessed about grades — and quite understandably so. At that age, grades seemed to be everything. It’s only when after you graduate that you realize that’s not the case.
Insead of caring about my grades too much, I spent all that time, effort, and mental energy improving my social skills, learning public speaking, and joining organizations. I learned what I thought was appropriate and useful, and got by just enough to get by on the rest.
As a result, my grades weren’t anything great.
But outside of college, I could get into job interviews with ease, was confident about my writing, and became passionate about pursuing further education. Most importantly, I realized that you can make money outside of the traditional 9–5 setup.
I’m one of the few people I know who enjoyed their college life — and still seem to be doing well after.
Life is full of these “soft rules.” These are things that most people follow but don’t know why. When asked, their most likely question is “Everyone’s doing it.”
In this article, I attempt to explain a framework that I’ve followed my entire life, which I call Mindful Rulebreaking: the art and process of finding which rules youcan’tbreak, which rules youcanbreak, and which rules youshouldbreak.
This article is my attempt at explaining how I take charge of my life and live less stressfully, by breaking rules. Let’s dive right in.
But First: Should You Be Breaking Rules?
Life is made up of rules, but not every rule deserves to be followed.
Some rules are there for our benefit and protection, sure. But some rules are there not for us, but for culture, tradition, or the benefit of others.
Mindlessly following the rules that society set for you will lead to an unexamined, unremarkable life. Your destiny will not be your own — it will be your parent’s, your company’s, or your country’s. You will be a dead fish floating down the river only given the illusion of swimming the current.
More than that, following every rule will make you fragile.
Because you’re following a path that others set, you are vulnerable to consequences not of your own making. You make yourself susceptible to society’s folly.
If society is going well (which rarely happens) your life will also go well. On the other hand, if society deteriorates (which very often happens) your life will also go terribly. You won’t get to choose at all.
On the other hand, mindfully breaking unnecessary and damaging rules will make you antifragile. Why? Because you own your path, the consequences of those paths, and the agency for choosing it.
Even if, in the worst-case scenario, the path that you chose was objectively wrong, it would still have been your choice.
You would have found one way that doesn’t work — you can find others.
But if you just mindlessly follow rules,you will never find the right path, only the next step that society laid out for you.
That is because society doesn’t have your best interests at heart — it has the best interest of thespeciesat heart. Society is a self-preservation machine that sacrifices individual will for the great survival (not for the greater good), and it’s becoming more and more powerful. Simply following the path that others cut out for us will lead to:
To an unexamined, unremarkable life
To a life overly reliant on the structures, narratives, and aid of society, and
To a life of vulnerability to chaos and disorder.
Breaking unnecessary and damaging rules will let you take control of your path, making you antifragile.
This is why I try to consciously break rules — but only the right ones. More on that later.
The Universal Laws of Rules, Agency, and Consequence
This mental framework is called Mindful Rulebreaking.
It’s the art and process of finding which rules youcan’tbreak, which rules youcanbreak, and which rules youshouldbreak. Before we can get into that, though, there are three premises that this framework rests upon:
The Law of Rules
The Law of Consequences, and
The Law of Agency
Understanding these laws, which are universal to anyone, everyone, and anything, is fundamental to understanding the framework. Let’s discuss them in detail.
The First Law: The Law of Rules
Life is made up of rules.
Rules are everywhere. They are the seen and unseen guidelines for how we live our lives. Recognizing them is the first step to controlling them, so that’s what the First Law is all about. There are two sub-laws under the First Law.
First sub-law: Rules are everywhere
Every person, group, situation, social interaction, and institution has their own set of rules.
Legal laws are a great example. These rules are codified and formally recognized. Breaking them will result in specific punishments, as far as our imperfect justice systems can make them.
On the other hand, there are alsorules for daily living.These rules are sometimes spoken or codified, but often they aren’t.
A great example is school. At school, you are “supposed” to care about your grades. I have a close friend who got into the national university. We talked a lot because she would cry and break down every week like clockwork.
This was because, while we were at school, it was a “rule” to care about your grades.
Rules exist in every situation imaginable. There are rules for churches, workplaces, and parks. There are unspoken rules between acquaintances, workmates, friends, lovers, spouses, and family members. There are rules for interaction, non-interaction, and self-interaction.
There are rules for anything that you can think of.
Second sub-law: We all subconsciously follow the rules around us.
Even when we don’t think about it, we’re following rules every waking moment of our lives. Most of it is buried so deep that we don’t even think about it — and that’s good.
Rules are there to protect us from uncertainty. When we were children, our parents taught us rules to give our lives order and to protect us from the consequences of painful trial and error. Even as we become adults, our parents are still trying to teach us the rules they operate by.
As we grow up, we learn to look for these rules.
Some people are better at charting and following unspoken rules. Others do it instinctively, compelled by a sense of what is “right” they can’t quite name. Yet others struggle to discern rules and get branded as social rejects.
Regardless, we are all subconsciously following rules.
But while this is ultimately good, it also leads us to pretty dicey paths.
For example, the “rule” that everyone must go to college to enjoy a good future has not worked so well for everyone. Tons of people graduated college with nothing years of lessons they can’t use in real life, and tons of debt. Thus, it’s now a rule that many people are now trying to rewrite.
Recognizing that life is made up of these rules that we all subconsciously follow is the first important premise of this framework.
Acknowledgment is the first step to control.
The Second Law: The Law of Agency
You always have the power to choose but never the power to escape consequences.
Most people don’t realize this. Or worse, choose to ignore this reality.
You often hear people say “I didn’t have a choice.” For example, “Everyone was there, I had to go to the party!” or “I was raised this way, I don’t have a choice!”
But that’s wrong.
As soon as you realize your agency, as soon as you recognize your impact on the world when you were three and started putting objects into shapes, you were — have always been — making choices.
Let’s look at a more extreme example.
Say you’re a soldier in a war. Say, for one reason or another, you were captured by enemy forces and held at gunpoint. You have exactly two choices: surrender or die.
But those arestillchoices. You can’t say “I have no choice.” You can’t not make a decision, either. Youknowthat silence will be taken as “death.”
If a soldier at gunpoint has a choice, why don’t you?
You never have “no choice.” You never “couldn’t do anything.”
The fact is, you only feel like you have “no choice” because of years and years of conditioning and biases that are clouding your thinking. Or the decision is difficult. The consequences might be painful, deeply uncomfortable, or don’t align with your expectations.
And maybe those big consequences are there for a reason. Maybe you’re right to feel pressured to lean into a particular decision.
But whatever the case, recognize that you always,alwayshave agency — that you chose to make that decision.
The Third Law: The Law of Consequence
Choice = consequence.
Rules are everywhere, but of course, you can choose to follow them — or break them. We’re not robots. But, remember that these ruleshave consequences.
That’s what the third law is: recognition that, whatever the rule, and whatever your decision, — you can’t escape from the consequences.
For example, let’s look at dating. Say you fell in love with your friend’s ex (icky, I know, but bear with me). You have two choices and two consequences:
Date them = you find the love of your life, but you potentially destroy your friend’s trust and maybe even break up your friend group.
Don’t date them = you lose out on the love of your life.
This applies to every decision imaginable.
The consequences might be heavy, or hidden, or still a long way off. But they’re there. Whatever decision you make, there will always be consequences. Always. That is the third law.
Fundamentals of Mindful Rulebreaking
Mindful Rulebreaking is the art and process of finding which rules youcan’tbreak, which rules youcanbreak, and which rules youshouldbreak.
At this point, we already know the following facts:
There are rules around us,
Those rules have consequences, and
We can choose what consequences to have but never escape from those consequences.
Now, the next step is realizing the fact that we have to break the rules.
From a young age, our parents and guardians taught us that we must always follow rules, and this is good. Their rules are there to protect us from ourselves, and chances are that every time we break rules we would hurt ourselves or others.
Yet as we grow older, mindlessly following the rules becomes more and more disadvantageous.
If we never break any of the rules that society imposes on us, we can do nothing but go with the flow. And the “flow,” the herd mentality of society, doesn’t always lead to good places. There’s a quote that perfectly summarizes this thought:
If you mindlessly follow society’s rules, you won’t end up anywhere good.
So then, how do you break free from this path?
The key is knowing which rules you should break to maximize the possible outcomes, in whatever aspects of your life you find yourself in. By learning this, you take control of your path and break free from unconscious limiting beliefs that you might be following.
For that, there are five key steps.
Step 1: Learn the Lay of the Land.
In the First Law, we learned that there are rules for every scenario.
The first step to Mindful Rulebreaking is therefore charting these rules. You can do that by:
Determining the spoken rules.When rules are spoken, things become a matter of seeking them out. Find the rulebook, read the signs, or talk to people who know more than you.
Observing the unspoken rules.When rules are unspoken, things become a matter of observation. See how the people around you think, act, and talk. Asking others is a last resort: there’s bound to be a reason the rules are unspoken.
Learn the spoken and unspoken rules.
Step 2: Determine the Hard and Soft Rules
Not all rules are created equal.
Some rules are “heavier” than others. Arguably, the core component of Mindful Lawbreaking is determining which of the important rules are, and which ones can be safely broken to maximize gains for you.
I call these rules Hard and Soft rules.
Hard Rules
These are the rules that you shouldn’t break. It has three characteristics:
Hard Rules have immense consequences that can change your life.An extreme example is killing another person, or even just being complicit in their death (like driving drunk). When caught, you will spend years in jail, if not your entire lifetime. Even if not, you will spend your entire life with a guilty conscience that can drive you insane.
There are hard rules for every scenario.In your job, for example, a hard rule might be talking back to the boss, (cost you your job.) In your romantic relationship, a hard rule might be to not go anywhere romantic with a member of the opposite sex (cost you your relationship).
Hard rules are personally imposed and socially imposed.For example, the legal (hard) rule to not take money from other people is socially (and structurally) imposed. You might also have a hard rule — something would risk you losing your sense of self. In other words, some hard rules are objective, and some hard rules are subjective.
Soft Rules
On the other hand, some rules are there as more of a general guideline — they don’t have as big of a consequence. There are soft rules that you should follow, and also soft rules that you can break.
It has three characteristics.
Soft rules are not life-changing.At most, they might result in minor inconveniences. When you break soft rules, your life doesn’t change. For example: In your job, there could be a “no chatting during work hours” rule — everybody breaks it. In your romantic relationship, a soft rule could be a gift limit. You likely won’t break up if you buy something worth $100 when the limit is $50.
Soft rules are often unexamined.Most people follow these rules but don’t know why. When asked, their most likely answer is “Everyone’s doing it.” For example, dating in college.
Soft rules are difficult to spot.While hard rules have big consequences but are easy to spot, soft rules have lighter consequences but are more difficult to spot because they masquerade as hard rules. For example: going to college.
Identifying soft rules and hard rules in any scenario is important because it will inform your strategy. But it can be tricky and requires a lot of introspection.
Step 3: Know Your Why
Why do you want to break a rule in the first place?
The third step is about examining your motivations. Ask your inner self why you don’t want to follow the current rule that you’re evaluating. Is it because it doesn’t “feel right”? Will it cost you to follow it? Or is it merely inconvenient for you?
Knowing your motivations is essential because of the consequences you will face.
Remember the Third Law: every decision will always have a consequence, and sometimes your decision to break a rule will result in some pretty significant things. Knowing your why can be critical to the decision to stick to your path.
Step 4: Count the Cost
Learn and evaluate the consequences of your actions.
Once again, remember the Third Law. Whatever you choose, you will always face consequences for your actions. It’s thus critical that you know what those consequences are so that you are not blindsided when it arrives.
Counting the cost will help you determine whether the rule is something you should break, can break, or definitely shouldn’t break.
Don’t be afraid to be both creative and methodological. You need a mixture of both for better evaluation — creativity will show you consequences that you might have never considered while being systematic (ie, doing research or searching online) will reveal objective facts that you might have not considered. AI is also helpful in this path.
Step 5: Commit to Your Path
Once you’ve made a decision, commit to it wholeheartedly. Nothing is more damaging than a half-assed decision, you can’t reap the benefits of either one.
Step 3 is crucial here. You need to know your internal motivations for your decision, and continually remind yourself that you made the right choice.
Mindful Rulebreaking for an Easier Life
Life is made up of rules, but not every rule deserves to be followed. Some rules are there for our benefit and protection.
Yet, Some rules are there not for your benefit, but for the sake of culture, tradition, or the i of others.
That’s why mindful rulebreaking is so important. Your time, resources, and energy are severely limited — we only have a short life to live. Following a predetermined path wastes our potential and limits the things we can achieve.
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