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 true 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 mobster, observe these 10 straightforward steps!”

1. No-one can current himself straight to a different of our buddies. There have to be a 3rd individual to do it.
2. By no means take a look at the wives of buddies.
3. By no means be seen with cops.
4. Don’t go to pubs and golf equipment.
5. At all times being out there for Cosa Nostra is an obligation – even when your spouse’s about to present delivery.
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 an in depth 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 definitely don’t cowl each single resolution that each mobster must make day by day, however they’re guidelines that someone can be taught, internalize, and apply after they discover themselves in a precarious scenario and are uncertain the right way to act.

The Mob isn’t the one crew that has guidelines both.

Historic Samurai in Japan, had “Bushido” aka “The way in which of the warrior.” 8 guidelines for his or her private 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 coated 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 residence together with your protect, or on it.”

We’ve Guidelines for the Nerd Health Rebel too!

I deliver up these guidelines as a result of we would not be mobsters, knights, or samurai…

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

Guidelines will 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 reasonably than agonizing over it.

Extra importantly. We will make a rule ONCE, after which we don’t must waste any brainpower or willpower on every resolution afterward.

Right here’s a fast instance:

A lot of the profitable well-liked diets are merely a listing of guidelines that individuals observe that get them to eat fewer energy.

• ​Intermittent fasting means “I solely eat between midday at 8pm.”
• ​The Paleo Weight loss plan 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 deliver up these heuristics as a result of they’ve helped many, and been unhelpful for a lot of.

Every individual can give you a set of aspirational guidelines that assist them stage up their lives.

I definitely have “health” guidelines that I normally observe:

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

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

These particular guidelines won’t give you the results you want, and that’s okay.

They’re my guidelines.

Your guidelines should replicate your scenario.

We Respect the Guidelines of Others

Right here’s one other enjoyable hack: we would not like all guidelines, however we are inclined to respect different individuals’s guidelines:

our coworker presents you a donut, and also you say “ohhhhh, I shouldn’t.” They may come again with “c’mon, reside a bit of,” as a result of they don’t wish to be the one individual consuming a donut…

However in the event you say “I’ve a rule that I don’t eat donuts on weekdays,” then you might have a tough rule that you just’re following, and your coworker will most likely respect this.

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

There’s no motive you possibly can’t have guidelines for no matter rattling motive you wish to!

What are YOUR guidelines?

A very good mixture of aspirational, skilled, and society-improving guidelines is an efficient place to start out. Or heck, simply considered one of every!

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

These guidelines needs to be YOURS.

Listed here are some concepts that can assist you get began:

• At work “I do what I say I’m going to do, on schedule, or I inform my group forward of schedule if I want extra time.”
• With buddies, “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 night time and Saturday whereas watching faculty soccer”
• For sleep, “I solely watch 1 episode of TV per night time. 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 move/fail the foundations are, the extra probably you’ll be to observe them.

Guidelines that really enable you make the long-term proper resolution in robust conditions. You realize, 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 will use know-how, app-blocking software program, or recruit our buddies to assist us keep true to our guidelines.

When you establish your guidelines, and really write them down, maintain observe of the way you’re doing with them.

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

Bear in mind, failure will be one hell of a instructor, and leaning into the concern is a superb likelihood to be taught the lesson life is attempting to show us.

-Steve