Where do your rules about life originate? Well, for most of us, we either choose consciously the rules we accept as reality or, in the majority of cases, we simply accept the rules we pick up along the way from family, friends, school, work and church. Every once in a while somebody comes along and discovers a simple truth that we all can, through choice, actually decide which rules we’ll live by and those we’ll reject. Once the discovery gets made that you truly do make your own rules, it becomes a classic case of choosing to use your newfound power to soar to new heights or descend into the more base levels of human behavior.
When I say you make your own rules, here’s what I mean: that you get to make rules that empower you and lift you up in mind, spirit and body. You can make your own rules that rid you of self-imposed or externally imposed limitations which hold you back from reaching your true potential. Making your own rules means abandoning patterns of thought that lead you to interpret things, events and other people in ways that don’t empower you or enrich you and others.
Bottom line: Making your own rules means setting yourself up to WIN at this game called life, instead of holding yourself down and literally stacking the odds so high against you that nobody short of God Almighty could win.
Now, making your own rules is absolutely fine as long as they are:
Morally sound. Religions and creeds abound on this earth, but basic morality rates fairly universal. Don’t cheat on your wife. Don’t beat your kids. Don’t tear others down. Don’t steal, cheat, or lie. You know, the basics!
Harmonious with the Laws of the Universe. You can’t go against the basic laws of the universe and expect your “rules” to lead anywhere but a downward spiral into the gutter.
Something to be Proud of. Here’s my litmus test for whether something I’m considering is something to be proud of or hang my head in shame over: could I go tell my mom what I did and still hold my head up high? For me, that’s an immediate reference point that never steers me wrong.
So, now that we’ve got the good side of “The Force” defined, let’s talk about the dark side of making your own rules and how, carelessly applied, it can ultimately lead to your destruction!
In a nutshell, it’s NOT okay to make your own rules if those rules are:
Just an Excuse to do your own thing with no thought or care about the impact or potential impact on others. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about expressing your individuality. However, here’s an example of how doing your own thing is very irresponsible.
Someone I love very much (who shall remain nameless), wants a motorcycle. Now, I have nothing against motorcycles in and of themselves. They actually look like fun. However, a 30 year old man with a wife and two children under the age of 3 has no earthly business on a motorcycle. If he gets killed or, worse, maimed, what will his kids say to their friends? “My daddy is in a wheelchair because he wanted a motorcycle.”
Always remember that the rules you make affect more than just yourself!
Masking immorality in the cloak of a “free” spirit. We’re all adults here! Go peddle that BS about living your life on your own terms and being a “free” spirit somewhere else. They tried all that free love and other psychologically damaging crap back in the 1960’s and 70’s and we’re still paying the price. Never use making your own rules as an excuse to justify actions that, if everyone saw you doing them in the light of day, you’d think twice because you might get “caught.”
I think this is one of the reasons the world is in such trouble. Everyone is off doing their own thing and doing what “feels” good instead of seeing that our actions and their impact go way beyond ourselves, whether we want them to or not. This type of attitude creates problems because it fosters a very short-term view of life and the world.
So what should you do when it comes to making your own rules for “success?”
First, define exactly what “success” is and design the rules so you and others around you get advanced and enriched as a result. Don’t use the rules to justify bad behavior or self indulgent behavior and then hide behind it and say “Don’t judge me! I’m making my own rules!”
“If you want to be great, you must first think great thoughts!”
– Wallace Wattles, Author
“Science of Being Great”
I hate to say this, but nobody can think great thoughts if they’re eaten up with self satisfaction and self indulgence. It doesn’t work (what you think about expands – good or bad).
If you think about how you can do great things and elevate everyone around you as a result of your impact, you have nothing to worry about!
I’m not saying anybody is perfect or we won’t screw up at various points in our lives. What I AM saying is that masking vices under the guise of “making your own rules” is a delusion. So when you finally understand and accept that you really do “make your own rules” make sure that your newfound power creates a life, lifestyle and impact on the world that you can feel proud of and those who love you can also point to as an example for others to follow.
That’s the sign of a truly well-lived life!
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