10 important unspoken rules in life

There is no one-size-fit manual to live a contented life but there are some unspoken rules that we can follow to make the most of it. We are aware of most of these rules but seldom do we follow them. You will not find a single person in this world who succeeded without following a disciplined routine. Let’s have a look 10 important unspoken rules to live by:

1. Stress comes from inability to act

Whenever you think of stress, what comes to your mind? Probably people who are burnt out from having too much of life or work? In most cases, you are right. But have you ever thought that whatever you are doing, are you really doing the right thing? It turns out most people are stressed out about work because of poor organization. They don’t give priority to important tasks.

When you decide something to do, your focus should be to do the important tasks first. It will help you achieve more. You will see that stress does not come from doing too much work. It actually comes from leaving too little time for yourself to complete the important tasks. Why? Because you spend too much time on doing stuff that is not a priority. Your focus should be on giving priority to the tasks that are important and hence, this will cut off stress from your work life.

2. You teach others how to treat you

People respect you only if you respect yourself. However, respecting yourself does not mean that you shove your opinions or force others to agree with you. Rather, it is about knowing your rights and respecting them. It is about being treated in the same respectful way that you treat others. In short, the way you treat yourself sets standards for others to treat you.

3. Be kind to everyone you meet

‘Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.’ – Plato

Among the many things that Kung Fu masters teach their students, one fundamental lesson is to fight their own self. It is the hardest battles of all. There might be millions of voices in your head criticizing you or a part of you may be sabotaging your endeavors. This struggle can mess up your best laid plans. Once you have a good understanding of your own self, you will start viewing people in a different light. You will finally realize that the things people do or the way they behave is because they are fighting internal battles.

4. Nothing is beneath you but don’t be afraid to reach something above you

If someone asks you to make coffee, then make the best one ever. Don’t consider this beneath you. But if you want to reach something above you, then don’t be afraid to take an initiative. As weird as it may seem, just do it.

5. Always believe in yourself

‘Don’t be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.’ –Rumi

Nothing in life will work if you don’t believe it will. We often look for reasons why our ideas won’t succeed but what we really should be doing is to figure out ways to make it happen. Whether it is personal or professional life, the biggest difference between successful and unsuccessful people is that the former ones are determined to make things work for them and the latter ones spend their whole life playing the role of a victim. They look for reasons why things won’t work. If you just believe you can do it, you actually will.

6. When your boss says jump, answer “Why”

Don’t have a ‘Yes Boss’ attitude instead, ask questions. This was a lesson I learned during my second summer internship. You have to evaluate whether or not the task that you are asked to perform has a purpose.

7. Live like someone is watching you

We perform better when we know someone is watching us. Just because you are out of scotch tape at home, it does not mean you can take one from our office when no one is looking. You must never compromise your values.

8. Dress appropriately

No matter what occasion it is, you must dress appropriately. Wardrobe malfunction is not only a distraction but it raises judgments and people may start questioning your professionalism. Although there is no one-size-fit for what you should wear in a workplace but you can always determine what to wear by understanding the dress code policy of your company. When you are dressing for a formal occasion, keep your attire formal. However, pick something that you are comfortable with. Similarly, if it’s a casual occasion, don’t wear something that does not go with your personality.

9. Don’t assume – If you don’t understand something, just ask

It is said that when you start assuming something, that’s where the drama starts. It’s true in case of both personal and professional life. The list of assumptions just goes on and on. If you just ask your partner what he/she meant when they gave a certain statement or ask your supervisor what he/she expects from you when they gave you a certain task, you can avoid a lot of misunderstanding.

10. Be persistent

‘No great achievement is possible without persistent work.’ – Bertrand Russell.

Even if you have the most positive attitude in the world, you will achieve very little of your goals if you are not persistent. Depression, self-doubt, low self-esteem etc can break our persistence. A good thing is that you can fix it. Start by reading stories of persistence particularly the ones that you can relate to. No matter what you are trying to achieve in life know that challenges will arise. However, that doesn’t mean you should give up, instead, you must adapt your plan to the unexpected circumstances to keep going.

Now that you know what unspoken rules to follow, if you just hold on to these, life will become easier and you will not have any regrets later on.

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