12 Rules for Life

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos (Random House Canada, Penguin Allen Lane) is a 2018 self-help book by the Canadian clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson. It provides life advice through essays in abstract ethical principles, psychology, mythology, religion, and personal anecdotes. The book’s central idea is that “suffering is built into the structure of being” and although it can be unbearable, people have a choice either to withdraw, or to face and transcend it.

Pic: http://www.digestboks.com

Highlights:

1. Stand Up Straight With Your Shoulders Back

The world is a tough, brutal place.

You must confront it boldly and with courage.

Do not back down from challenges.

Rise to meet them with your chin up and chest out.

2. Treat Yourself Like Someone You’re Responsible for Helping

Imagine you’re taking care of a sick parent.

You’ll make sure they:

• Do their rehab

• Eat healthy food

• Take their medicine

So why don’t we treat ourselves the same?

Love yourself like you would love another. Self-awareness and self-love is the key to a happy life.

3. Make Friends with People Who Want the Best for You

Your close circle defines you.

You want friends who push you forward toward your potential.

But too often, we associate with people who put us down and hold us back.

You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.

Choose wisely.

4. Compare Yourself to Who You Were Yesterday

Compete with yourself. Don’t compare yourself to others.

It’s only going to inflate your ego if you’re ahead, and make you feel worse if you’re behind.

Instead, try to just be a bit better today than you were yesterday.

5. Do Not Let Your Children do Anything that Makes You Dislike Them

Let people (especially your children) know politely but effectively, what you feel or expect.

Tell any friend or family member how you feel honestly and truthfully.

Unaddressed tension causes resentment to build up in the long run.

Confront your problems, and don’t push things under the rug.

6. Set Your House in Order Before You Criticize the World

It’s easy to criticize celebrities or public figures for their mistakes.

But take a look in the mirror.

Imagine if the world saw all your shortcomings.

Get yourself in order, then criticize the world.

This is the first step towards self improvement.

7. Pursue What is Meaningful (Not What is Expedient)

Set your goals thoughtfully.

Imagine yourself in 5, 10, or 20 years.

Act in a way that your future self would be proud of.

Choosing what’s easy in the short run leads to misery in the long run.

Hard choices = easy life

Easy choices = hard life

8. Tell the Truth – Or at Least Don’t Lie

Be impeccable with your words.

When you lie, you now have to worry about two realities.

One where the lie is the truth to another person.

And another where you know the truth.

This never works out in the long run and causes crippling anxiety.

Tell the truth.

9. Assume the Person You’re Listening to May Know Something You Don’t

Nobody in this world is omniscient.

You can only learn something when your mouth is shut.

Aim to learn something in every conversation.

It’ll make you a better listener, and make people like you.

10. Be Precise in Your Speech

Be a man/woman of few words.

Don’t speak things over yourself that make your life worse.

Don’t say things like:

I’m lazy

I can’t do that

I’m not smart

Statements like these limit your potential.

Adopt a growth mindset, and speak things into existence you want to happen.

11. Do Not Bother Children When They’re Skateboarding

When you see kids fooling around, committing silly mistakes or being idiots, let them.

If they’re not harming anyone, what’s the issue?

It’s how they make sense of the world and grow.

Maybe you can even reinstall that curiosity into your own life.

12. Pet a Cat When You Encounter One on the Street

Life is too short to be miserable 24/7.

Appreciate the little things in life: The cute pet you see on a walk, the first sip of coffee in the morning, the comfort of a warm bed on a cold, rainy day.

Be grateful for what you have.

Courtesy:

@jackmoses0

Wikipedia