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 a great mobster, comply with these 10 straightforward steps!”

1. No-one can current himself immediately to a different of our buddies. There have to be a 3rd particular person 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 obtainable for Cosa Nostra is an obligation – even when your spouse’s about to present start.
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 a detailed 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 actually don’t cowl each single resolution that each mobster must make day by day, however they’re guidelines that any person can study, internalize, and apply after they discover themselves in a precarious state of affairs and are uncertain tips on how to act.

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

Historical 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 all the time picked one another up with “Power and honor.”

In 300, Spartan Troopers knew to “come residence together with your protect, or on it.”

We’ve Guidelines for the Nerd Health Insurrection too!

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

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

Guidelines may also help us make selections.

Life is difficult, and our brains are able to speaking us into and out of varied selections.

Nevertheless, when we have now a rule in place, it permits us to make a transparent alternative reasonably than agonizing over it.

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

Right here’s a fast instance:

Many of the profitable well-liked diets are merely a listing of guidelines that folks comply with 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 convey up these heuristics as a result of they’ve helped many, and been unhelpful for a lot of.

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

I actually have “health” guidelines that I normally comply with:

I do know after I comply with these guidelines, “the Approach of the Nerd,” I’ve a reasonably good likelihood of staying match, wholesome, and feeling good about myself.

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

These particular guidelines may not be just right for you, and that’s okay.

They’re my guidelines.

Your guidelines should replicate your state of affairs.

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 folks’s guidelines:

our coworker provides you a donut, and also you say “ohhhhh, I shouldn’t.” They may come again with “c’mon, stay just a little,” as a result of they don’t need to be the one particular person consuming a donut…

However if you happen to say “I’ve a rule that I don’t eat donuts on weekdays,” then you’ve got a tough rule that you simply’re following, and your coworker will most likely respect this.

Some folks would possibly abstain from sure meals or drinks for spiritual or private causes.

There’s no motive you may’t have guidelines for no matter rattling motive you need to!

What are YOUR guidelines?

An excellent mixture of aspirational, skilled, and society-improving guidelines is an efficient place to start out. Or heck, simply one in every of every!

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

These guidelines ought 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 workforce forward of schedule if I want extra time.”
• With buddies, “I all the time ship a thank-you be aware 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 school soccer”
• For sleep, “I solely watch 1 episode of TV per night time. I cease enjoying 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 principles are, the extra doubtless you’ll be to comply with them.

Guidelines that really show you how to make the long-term proper resolution in powerful conditions. , 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, hold monitor of the way you’re doing with them.

If you end up breaking your guidelines extra incessantly than not, it could be time to regulate the principles, 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 trainer, and leaning into the concern is a good likelihood to study the lesson life is making an attempt to show us.

-Steve

The submit Mobsters, Knights, and Samurai have a code. Do You? first appeared on Nerd Health.

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