Rules…

Now there is a word that stimulates lively conversation, true?  When someone tells us not to “break the “rules”, I sometimes feel we take actually it as a challenge, LOL!  Other times when we see some blatant infraction we’re not as understanding, are we.  Speeding and weaving on the highway gets my goat.  Others too I’d say, based on increased incidents of “road rage”. 

I get it…  we like to believe that rules are for those “other people”.  Afterall, we have a good reason why we need to break the rules, don’t we?  Malcolm Forbes reminds us there’s even a rule for that: 

There are no exceptions to the rule that everybody likes to be the exception to the rule. 

People my age like to point at those darn young people!  Do you think its generational?  Well, breaking rules has been occurring regularly over the years; occasionally for the greater good: 

Rules?  There ain't no rules here.  We're trying to accomplish something. 

Thomas Edison 

Truly, there are rules and then there are rules.  Like you, I feel some of today’s rules are stupid, especially those dreamed up by our elected officials: 

To the government, cutting red tape often means slicing it into long strips lengthwise. 

Norman R. Augustine 

Have you ever noticed how someone responds with an excuse or explanation when they get caught breaking some rule?  I bet it happens often – and yes, I’m guilty.  However, when it comes to business performance, personal success, and related, heeding rules can make a real difference. 

Rules help us with all sorts of things in life, big and little.  For instance, Thomas L. Friedman offers us this practical rule: 

The First Rule of Intelligent Tinkering: 

Save all the parts. 

There are rules to help us at the other end of the little to big spectrum, also.  I read Tony Dungy’s book, Quiet Strength © recently.  I especially liked his approach to performance.  The context was professional football but I think it applies beyond sports.  Short, sweet, applicable to so many situations - “No excuses.  No explanations.”  Here’s how Tony put it: 

I told them that I expected our team to live and play by the concept, Whatever it Takes, then ended with a second basic phrase which I posted in our locker room, No excuses. No explanations. 

                   Tony Dungy 

I’m not sure when or why we began over reliance on excuses and explanations.  Maybe it’s not more common today than the generations before us but it sure feels so.  (People parking in handicapped spaces with the excuse that they’re elderly or overweight vs. those with true handicaps gets my goat.) 

On the other hand, maybe it’s my goat that needs adjusting.  I mean it’s not like someone is taking my parking space.  I don’t park in handicapped.  Those zooming past me on the highway are the ones that risk getting a ticket or getting in an accident, not me.  I’m not the traffic enforcer. 

What’s best for me is to focus on those rules that make a difference in my life.  You know, healthy diet; courtesy towards others; contributing my fair share; honoring my family; operating dangerous machinery safely; keeping my commitments; and of course, minding pool rules:

Did Nordstrom get office rules right perchance? 

Nordstrom Rules: 

Rule # 1 - Use your good judgment in all situations. 

   There will be no additional rules. 

Bob Nelson 

Now there’s a rule we should follow.  No excuses.  No explanations. 

GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.