Introduction Acknowledgements Rules to break 1. Success is a good job earning lots of money Rule 1: Success is what you say it is 2. Some people are just born lucky Rule 2: Don't envy other people 3. You need the right qualifications Rule 3: Exams aren't the be all and end all 4. Your parents are always right Rule 4: Don't expect your parents to be perfect 5. Your parents are responsible for how you turn out Rule 5: Give your parents a break 6. The world is against you Rule 6: You're responsible for your own life 7. We all have an absolute right to be respected Rule 7: There's a balance between the right to respect, and tolerance 8. You can choose your friends but you can't choose your family Rule 8: Your siblings should be your best friends for life 9. Teacher knows best Rule 9: Getting on at school is not the same as getting on in life 10. Have something to say for yourself Rule 10: If you find it hard to talk, try listening 11. Some people are just difficult Rule 11: No one chooses to be difficult without a reason 12. Don't waste your time on people who aren't worth it Rule 12: Suffer fools gladly. Well, suffer them, anyway 13. You can't be cheerful if you're in pain Rule 13: Pain doesn't have to make you miserable 14. Good work speaks for itself Rule 14: No one at work will know how good you are unless you tell them 15. Do what it takes to get what you want Rule 15: Don't emotionally blackmail people 16. A place for everything, and everything in its place Rule 16: It's not morally superior to be tidy 17. It matters what other people think Rule 17: Don't live for other people's approval 18. Give as good as you get Rule 18: You get what you give 19. Stick with your own kind Rule 19: Your friends don't all need to be like you 20. The best things in life are free Rule 20: Everything worth having hurts 21. You can change people Rule 21: Don't try to change people 22. It's where you're going that matters, not where you came from Rule 22: Be proud of your roots 23. Friends are for life Rule 23: Friends come and go 24. Mistakes are a bad thing Rule 24: Mistakes can be good 25. Be a friend to everybody Rule 25: You don't have to like everyone 26. ... and everybody will be your friend Rule 26: ... and not everyone will like you 27. If you don't like it, tough Rule 27: Remember you have a choice 28. You need to get your chores over with Rule 28: Life's all about the little things 29. Stay true to your dreams Rule 29: Priorities change over the years 30. People have a right to know Rule 30: Know how to keep a secret 31. Face your fears Rule 31: Replace the bad thoughts 32. Make a New Year's resolution every year Rule 32: You can't change habits unless you want to 33. Respect the elderly Rule 33: Respect everyone 34. Look after number one Rule 34: Helping other people makes you feel good about yourself 35. If you're in the firing line, keep your head down Rule 35: They can't walk all over you unless you're lying down 36. Just ignore the bullies Rule 36: Don't let 'em bully you 37. Think on your feet Rule 37: Be in control 38. What you do is more important than why you do it Rule 38: Be honest with yourself 39. You can judge a book by its cover Rule 39: Everyone has a backstory 40. Put the past behind you Rule 40: You have to deal with your stuff before you can get on with your life 41. 'What about me?' Rule 41: It's not all about you 42. Just once won't hurt Rule 42: Don't let bad habits get a foot in the door 43. Be spontaneous Rule 43: Listen to the voices in your head 44. Take one step at a time Rule 44: If you want big things to change, you have to make big changes 45. The best people will be there for you for life Rule 45: People come and go, and it's OK 46. Enjoy yourself while you're young Rule 46: Your body is for life 47: Borrowing is OK so long as you can pay it back Rule 47: Don't get into debt 48. Be generous Rule 48: Never lend money unless you're prepared to write it off 49. Believe you're the best Rule 49: Know your real worth 50. Don't allow people to make you feel bad Rule 50: The only thing you can control is you 51. Some people just get to you Rule 51: No one can make you feel anything 52. You can't help how you feel Rule 52: You feel what you think 53. Actions speak louder than words Rule 53: Don't take anyone for granted 54. Avoid unnecessary displays of emotion Rule 54: Say thank you out loud 55. The internet makes you anonymous Rule 55: The Rules don't stop online 56. Always seek to improve yourself Rule 56: Accept your shortcomings 57. Strive for perfection Rule 57: Perfection can be a handicap 58. You are the product of your genes Rule 58: You are the sum of your experiences (so make them good) 59. Tomorrow is another day Rule 59: How you spend your day is how you spend your life 60. There aren't enough hours in the day Rule 60: Know your limitations 61. Always get off on the right foot from the start Rule 61: Bide your time to make a good impression 62. Confident people know where they're going Rule 62: Everyone else is as lost as you 63. Stand out from the crowd Rule 63: There's a fine line between being ubercool and being a total prat 64. Appearances matter Rule 64: Be happy with the way you look 65. It's just a drop in the ocean Rule 65: The insignificant is important 66. The job comes first Rule 66: Don't mistake your career for your life 67. Get it all out in the open Rule 67: Avoid conflict 68. If you know you're in the right, don't back down Rule 68: Don't be afraid of compromise 69. Some people are just asking for it Rule 69: Keep the moral high ground 70. It's good to let your feelings out Rule 70: Don't trample on other people's emotions 71. No one is perfect Rule 71: Be on the side of the angels, not the beasts 72. Meet your deadlines Rule 72: Keep ahead of deadlines 73. Give good advice Rule 73: Don't give advice 74. Let people know when you're right Rule 74: Never say 'I told you so' 75. Stick to what you're good at Rule 75: Stretch yourself 76. You've a right to be treated fairly Rule 76: Stop expecting life to be fair 77. The more you learn about a subject, the more of an expert you become Rule 77: The more you know, the more you don't 78. You can't learn anything from a fool Rule 78: Learn from other people's mistakes 79. If you're going to do something, do it properly Rule 79: You don't have to jump in the deep end 80. Stick with what you know Rule 90: Step out of your comfort zone 81. People will judge you by what you own Rule 81: Don't try to keep up with the Joneses 82. Hide your mistakes Rule 82: Remember you could be wrong - someone has to be 83. Live in the present Rule 83: Keep perspective 84. Know what you want Rule 84: You don't have to know what you want 85. Guilt tells you where you're going wrong Rule 85: Don't do guilt 86. Someone will make it better Rule 86: Pick yourself up (no one else will do it for you) 87. Think through your problems Rule 87: Thinking hard doesn't always help 88. Narrow down your options Rule 88: Look at all the options 89. Stick to a plan Rule 89: Life is unpredictable 90. Trust no one Rule 90: Trust everyone 91. Trust everyone Rule 91: Trust no one 92. Sometimes you need a good moan Rule 92: There are people who moan, and people who just get on with it 93. Don't sacrifice yourself for a relationship Rule 93: It's the compromises that make relationships worth having 94. Feelings should be rational Rule 94: Feelings aren't right or wrong - they just are. 95. Eat, drink and be merry ... Rule 95: Stay alive 96. I want doesn't get Rule 96: Ask for what you want 97. If it ain't broke, don't fix it Rule 97: Look up 98. Find yourself a safe job Rule 98: Follow your passion 99. Protect your property Rule 99: People are more important than things 100. You can't change horses in midstream Rule 100: It's never too late to start following the real Rules Rules to follow Rule 1: No man is an island Rule 2: Two wrongs don't make a right Rule 3: When in Rome, do as the Romans Rule 4: Don't judge a book by its cover Rule 5: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction Rule 6: There's no such thing as a free lunch Rule 7: Do as you would be done by Rule 8: The pen is mightier than the sword Rule 9: Keep dry, and away from children Rule 10: Give it time