Why you need more rules in your life

Yesterday I finished a book that I had been reading both for myself and as research before redrafting my novel. The book was Jordan Peterson’s “12 rules for Life: an antidote to chaos.”

I know what you are thinking: another self-help book why should I bother? While I was reading it, someone actually told me they don’t read “self-help” books though they didn’t give a reason. It’s completely possible that your life is completely together and everything is perfect. It’s also completely possible that your life is not completely together and that you are an idiot. For myself, I’ll read a couple of the classical books on life every so often. I’ll usually compare the content to my worldview and see how my life seems to be doing. If you are only going to read one though, I suggest you read Jordan Peterson’s book.

That’s not to say I agree with everything he says. Jordan Peterson is a Christian and it comes across in his book though he tries to avoid it while analyzing the mythological side of Christianity and he looks at other religions too. I’m not going to summarize or comment on the book, I will just say that it is the first book in a long time that I actually made notes while reading it. I will list the twelve rules here for you to peruse:

1.       Stand up straight with your shoulders back

2.       Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping

3.       Make friends with people who want the best for you

4.       Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today

5.       Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them

6.       Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world

7.       Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient)

8.       Tell the truth-or, at least, don’t lie

9.       Assume the person you are listening to might know something you don’t

10.   Be precise in your speech

11.   Do not bother children when they are skateboarding

12.   Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street

I can assure you that while you might have thought of some of the sentiments covered in these rules, you have not thought them through like Jordan Peterson has and you’ll have many “lightbulb” moments when reading them where you will say to yourself: I’ve always thought that but I’ve never quite taken it to its logical conclusion.