Personal rules turn desired behaviors into default behaviors.1 They are constraints we set during our best moments to avoid making poor decisions under pressure or during moments of weakness.
These rules don't have to be absolutely right. They only need to be useful for us and can even be arbitrary styles we prefer.2 We just need rules to automate desired decisions and reduce cognitive load3 under specific conditions.
Rules that are no longer helpful for us should evolve to remain meaningful. We must adapt our rules to our goals at different stages. As in Finite and Infinite Games, the rules of an infinite game must change in the course of play.4
The above is referenced in chengweihu.com/rules
Here are some personal rules that have been helpful to me:
- I only wear white socks.
- I don’t use RSS.
- I don't drink coffee
- I don't use my phone when hanging out with people. If I must use, I will let others know why I need to.