21 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson
1. Stand up straight with your shoulders back.
- Maintain good posture to exude confidence and self-respect.
2. Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping.
- Take care of your physical and mental well-being.
3. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today.
- Focus on your own progress, not on the achievements of others.
4. Make friends with people who want the best for you.
- Surround yourself with supportive and positive individuals.
5. Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them.
- Establish clear boundaries and discipline to nurture respect and obedience.
6. Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world.
- Take responsibility for your own life and actions before blaming others.
7. Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient).
- Find purpose and fulfillment in your endeavors.
8. Tell the truth – or, at least, don't lie.
- Be honest with yourself and others.
9. Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don't.
- Practice active listening and respect different perspectives.
10. Be precise in your speech.
- Use clear and concise language to avoid misunderstandings.
11. Do not bother children when they are skateboarding.
- Allow others to pursue their interests and hobbies without interference.
12. Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street.
- Show compassion and kindness to animals.
13. Imagine who you could be, and then aim single-mindedly at that.
- Set clear goals and work towards them with determination.
14. Write a letter to your future self.
- Reflect on your present thoughts and aspirations for the future.
15. Work as if you were in mortal danger.
- Approach tasks with a sense of urgency and commitment.
16. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today.
- (Repeated rule for emphasis)
17. If you have something important to say, say it.
- Speak up when it matters, even if it's difficult.
18. Act so that your actions would be consistent with the noblest person you know.
- Strive to live up to high ethical standards.
19. Do what is right, even if no one is watching.
- Maintain integrity even when it's not convenient.
20. Do not pet a dog that is clearly uncomfortable.
- Respect the boundaries of others, both human and animal.
21. You are not your job.
- Define your worth by more than your occupation.