Mafiots, knights and samurai have a code. You?

In 2007, Italian police arrested Salvatore Lo Piccolo.

This dude was a real real life boss Sicilian Mafia.

As they explored his house, they came across what they thought of them Official ’10 commandments’ of their crewS

In other words, « If you want to be a good mafia, follow these 10 easy steps! »

1. No one can present directly to another of our friends. There must be a third party to do it.
2. Never look at friends’ wives.
3. Never see yourself with cops.
4. Do not go to pubs and clubs.
5. Always be available for Cosa Nostra is an obligation – even if your wife is about to give birth.
6. Appointments must be absolutely respected.
7. Women should be treated with respect.
8. When asked for any information, the answer must be the truth.
9. Money cannot be assigned if they belong to others or other families.
10. People who cannot be part of Cosa Nostra: Anyone who has a close relative in the police, everyone who has a relative of two times in the family, anyone who behaves badly and does not hold moral values.

These rules certainly do not cover every solution that every mafia should take every day, but these are rules that anyone can learn, internalized and apply when in an uncertain situation and are not sure how to act.

The Mafia is not the only crew that has rules.

An ancient samurai in Japan had a « Bushido » known as the Warrior’s Road. 8 Rules for their Personal Code of Conduct:​

1. Legion (justice)
2. Courage
3. Kindness (mercy)
4. Respect
5. Honesty
6. Honoring
7. Loyalty
8. Self -control

Else places, knights in medieval Europe had a « Code of Knights », which covered things like « Protection of weak and poor, kindness and respect, courage and military capacity. »

Maxim Decim Meridius in a gladiator and his fellow soldiers have always risen each other with « power and honor. »

In 300, The Spartan soldiers knew to « go home with your shield or on it. »

We have Nerd fitness rebellion rules He!

I bring these rules because we may not be mafia, knights or samurai …

But I bet adding some rules to your life can help.

The rules can help us make decisions.

Life is complex and our brains are capable of telling us in and beyond different decisions.

However, when we have a rule, it allows us to make a clear choice, not to agonize over it.

More important. We can make a rule once and then we do not have to lose any brain force or will of the will in any decision later.

Here’s a quick example:

Most of the successful popular diets are just a list of rules that people follow this Have them eat less calories.

• Re -fasting means « I eat only between noon at 20:00. »
• Paleo’s diet means « I don’t eat anything that a cave would eat. »
• Vegan means « I don’t eat any animal products. »

I am not saying that none of these strategies are better or better than all others. I bring these heuristicians because they helped many and were useless to many.

Anyone can come up with a set of ambitious rules that help them equalize their lives.

I certainly have Fitness rules that I usually follow:

I know that when I follow these rules, the « path of the fool », I have a pretty good chance of maintaining shape, healthy and to feel good about myself.

I also have rules for interaction with the world and To be a good man:

These specific rules may not work for you and that’s good.

They are My rules.

Your rules must reflect your situation.

We respect the rules of others

Here’s another fun hack: we may not like all the rules but we tend to Respect the rules of other people:

Our colleague offers you a donut, and you say « Ohhh, it should not. » They can come back with « Come on, live a little » because they don’t want to be the only person who eats a donut …

But if you say « I have a rule that I do not eat donuts on weekdays », then you have a difficult rule you follow, and your colleague will probably respect it.

Some people may refrain from certain foods or drinks for religious or personal reasons.

There is no reason not to have rules for any damn reason you want!

What are your rules?

A good combination of ambitious, professional and society -enhancing rules is a good place to start. Or hell, only one from each!

Hell, even one for anyone can be a good place to start.

These rules must be yours.

Here are some ideas that will help you get started:

• At work, « I do what I say I will do, on schedule or tell my team before graphics, if I need more time. »
• With friends: « I always send a note of gratitude after I was invited to something by a friend »
• For the health « I only drink alcohol on Friday night and Saturday while watching football at college »
• For a dream, « I only watch 1 episode on TV per night. I stop playing video games and turn off social media at 20:00. « 

Start recording some ambitious rules and see how it feels.

I find that the more concrete and the rules pass/fail, the greater the likelihood of following them.

Rules that actually help you make the long -term right decision in difficult situations. You know, those situations where the lizard’s brain tells you « Eat candy! » Or « drink the drink » or « stay late and doom for 7 hours! »

The rules can also be preventing so that you do not find yourself in these situations in the first place.

We can use technology, application blocking software, or recruit our friends to help us stay true to our rules.

After identifying your rules and actually record them, keep track of how you handle them.

If you find, Why and What’s going on.

Remember that failure can be a hell of a teacher and bend down in fear is a great chance to learn the lesson that life is trying to teach us.

-Steve