My ten rules for success, happiness whatever. Rule 1

Ok, I've been spending a little more time thinking as I ride and run recently but not putting much of anything down. One of the things I've been (mentally) getting back into is how to live my life and I've been wondering if my thoughts would have any value for others. Well the egoism at the centre of all blogging assumes my thoughts are worthy of being distributed so I may as well throw my rules out there.


Note, these ideas are fully formed yet, nor will I promise not to change my mind moving forward (see rule three). But here goes.


1. The Oxygen Mask rule. You have to take responsibility for yourself first before you can really help others.


2. The Budda rule. Our lives cant be accidents - be mindful of what do want, eat, do etc


3. The Iron Mike rule. Flexibility. “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
― Mike Tyson


4. The Gorilla rule. Dont give up. “Success is a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.”
― Robert Strauss


5. The Bourne rule. To change you have to really change your identity otherwise you are stil just a fat/unhappy/unsuccessful etc person trying something new.


6. The Omar rule. A man's got to have a code.


7. The Will Munny rule. Deserves got nothin to do with it.


8. The Godfather rule. Its not personal, its only business.


9. The Socrates rule. Be an elitist when it comes to opinions.


10. The John Kennedy emergency rule. Ok, all the above rules are based having time to contemplate your navel, carefully consider your options, choose the best and press on in accordance with the plan and following the process. But sometimes life just doesn't give you that time. When its all gone to shit an you feel paralyzed then follow the John Kennedy emergency rule. No, not John Kennedy the US president, yeah he said a few memorable things but he pales against the other great John Kennedy, Australian Football coach during the 60's and 70's. Once when his team was getting belted and the plan was shot to pieces he exhorted his players with this simple dictum:


"At least DO SOMETHING! DO! Don't think, don't hope, do! At least you can come off and say 'I did this, I shepherded, I played on. At least I did something.'"


A man could do worse.