12 Life Rules to Break to cope with an insane world
Today’s newsletter is brought to you by StormGain!
I was recently comparing crypto platforms to use, but I knew the process of finding & vetting one was going to be an expensive headache.
StormGain fixes this—it makes using crypto a whole lot easier and far less confusing. No need to take selfie's holding up your I.D. like a criminal and pay ONLY when you make money. It’s as simple as that.
…you can even create a StormGain Demo Account, get 50,000 USDT to practice and learn how to trade crypto.
And the best part is - you can get free 25 USDT Welcome Deposit Bonus.
Riches are found in Niches...
Today at a Glance:
Jason Versey: Why Friction is necessary
Drawing Parallels with the Battle of Crécy
12 Life Rules Worth Breaking
“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength, within our trials lives our triumphs. Friction creates a platform for change, generates heat and or fervor and creates a motivational charge that gives us an opportunity to be better. A gem cannot be polished without friction and so neither a person without hardships. Friction within and friction without sharpens our senses and revives our internal resolutions. Friction is uncomfortable, hardships are distressing but both are necessary. We cannot light a match without friction nor can we hone steal. Uncomfortable as it may be, our adversity ultimately lights a fire and sharpens our very will to flourish. Today, let us not be discouraged, let us not be bitter in our suffering rather let us be encouraged as we look to our trials as a medium that will eventually make us better.”
― Jason Versey, A Walk with Prudence
On the 26th of August in the year 1346, English and French armies faced each other across the battlefield near the town of Crecy-en-Ponthieu in northern France in what would be among the first major battles of the Hundred Years War.
The English armies were equipped with relatively new technologies, like the longbow and bombard (an early medieval cannon), providing them major tactical advantages.
So, at least for the French, the battle was murderous; Crecy was one of the worst defeats in French military history. But for local French people living in the area, it was only the beginning of dark days ahead.
Only a short time after the Battle of Crecy, France was infested with the Bubonic Plague.
Some cities lost more than 50% of their population to the plague. And for the people who survived, life changed overnight.
France’s authorities deemed the plague to be God’s punishment for humanity’s evil ways. So their solution was to ban anything they deemed sinful, ranging from “human sensuality” to “extremely short garments” to men who “possess shoes with pointed toes. . .”
Fanatical religious cults sprung up all across Europe, including France, known as “flagellants”, who would wander from town to town, viciously whipping their own naked flesh into a bloody mess, in order to atone for their sinful ways.
These ‘mostly peaceful’ flagellants also frequently screamed at other townsfolk, trying to force all the evil sinners into joining their movement.
(It was later found that the flagellants were actually spreading the plague as they traveled the country, and they were officially condemned by Pope Gregory XI in 1349.)
Meanwhile, because of the devastating effects of the plague, economic activity ground to a halt. Agricultural output plummeted as labor was almost nonexistent.
Any able-bodied worker who survived the plague was too terrified to work. Food was scarce, and many farms were abandoned entirely.
Then, in early 1348, a giant earthquake originating in the Alps shook the entire continent, with aftershocks lasting for more than a month.
More lifestyle restrictions and mandates followed, as many governments took the earthquake as a continued sign of God’s wrath.
It’s remarkable that all of this happened in a relatively short period of time; in the early summer of 1346, life still felt pretty normal.
Yet within less than 18 months, a violent war was taking place, the Black Death had killed a third of the population, the economy collapsed, and basic lifestyle choices had been outlawed.
It must have been very difficult to cope with. And in many ways it reminds me of our own time.
You might wake up some mornings, look at the news, and wonder, “What else could possibly go wrong?” Or more appropriately, “What else are these people going to screw up?”
Most likely-- quite a bit.
For starters, nearly the entire world is dealing with historically high inflation. Yet the people in charge of controlling inflation seem completely clueless as to why it’s happening.
The President of the United States, for example, blames “greed”, war and claims that most of the inflation is due solely to rising automobile prices. As if rising fuel prices, food prices, university tuition, rents, home prices, etc. are all no big deal.
The Federal Reserve, meanwhile, blames inflation exclusively on supply chain dysfunction; they refuse to even consider the idea that they might be at least partially responsible after having expanded the money supply more than any other year in US history except for 1943.
The point is that they don’t understand why inflation even exists. So it’s doubtful they’re going to fix it.
Meanwhile, politicians have squashed protesters and parents whose only desire is freedom. Big Tech companies censor anything they deem wrongthink. Woke Marxists have hijacked control of everything from mainstream media to schools and universities to entire government institutions.
Civil discourse is at a historic low in the modern era, and propaganda at a historic high. Public health fanatics constantly want to control how we should be able to live our lives. Science, mathematics, and even language are being cleansed and rewritten in front of our very eyes.
The US national debt recently reached a record high $30 trillion. Social Security is losing money, and its trust funds will be fully depleted within the next decade.
The US was humiliated in its Afghanistan withdrawal; yet the leadership continues to prioritize diversity and inclusion over strength and security. Unsurprisingly, neither Putin nor China fears the West.
The border is a joke. Murder rates are soaring. Homelessness is appalling in many cities.
And, like Europe in the mid 1300s, this all happened in a very short period of time.
But there are ways to cope.
First, recognize that politicians are not going to save the world. They’re not going to fix any of this.
There are, without doubt, some good people serving in elected office. But the systems in place incentivizes the corrupt, incompetent, and hence some well-intentioned individuals aren't able to generate any meaningful forward progress.
So it’s paramount to cultivate an independent, self-reliant mentality for moments of transition.
Second, make sure you have a place to go. We all learned from the pandemic that everything can change, overnight. So it’s important to have a Plan B, and make sure there’s another place that you and your family will be welcome.
Also consider taking at least a portion of your money out of the financial system.
One key problem with banks is that the instant you make a deposit, it’s no longer legally your money. It becomes the bank’s money. As a depositor, you are merely an unsecured creditor of your financial institution.
Generally this arrangement works fine. But we’ve seen numerous occasions in which banks have completely violated this trust-- most recently with the Freedom Convoy protests in Canada.
For this reason it makes sense to consider holding at least some emergency savings outside of the banks. There are plenty of options, including physical cash and bitcoin.
The constantly howling and screaming of the mainstream media, woke corporations, Twitter mob, etc. can be really demoralizing.
They call everyone who disagrees with them terrible names; for example, you’re a “flat earther” or “murderer” if you think for yourself.
And they’ve been really effective at making us believe that WE are the intellectual minority, and that MOST people think like they do.
But that’s a complete lie.
These crazed fanatics are a relatively small minority on the ideological spectrum. They seem bigger than they are because they control so many powerful institutions. And they’re loud.
But if you’re a rational person who has valid concerns about the direction of the world, you should know that you are not alone.
12 Life Rules Worth Breaking
by Sahil Bloom
“The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions.” - Oliver Wendall Holmes, Sr.
So much wisdom contained in such a short, concise statement.
As children, we are taught to live by an ever-expanding set of rules. This is (mostly) good—it gives us a concrete, stable way to view the increasingly complex, dynamic world that we have entered.
The rules keep us safe. They limit our downside during a fragile period of our lives.
The problem? They also limit our upside, as they create artificial constraints on our movement and collisions as we travel through the universe. They force us to walk down a narrow path with bumpers on both sides—they eliminate the flashes of serendipity, the asymmetries that define the lives of the greatest among us.
Rules may limit your risk, but they also limit your reward.
Rules are good—but if you’re looking to play asymmetric games—those with low downside and uncapped upside—you have to know when to bend and break them.
Here are 12 life rules worth breaking:
Wait for the Perfect Moment
This rule has paralyzed would-be action-takers for generations.
The reality: there is no such thing as the perfect moment.
Sometimes you just have to open the door, jump out of the plane, and hope you packed the parachute tight.
You Have to Work Hard to Succeed
Hard work is important—but it's relative, not absolute.
In the Digital Age—when creative and inspired work stands out and is rewarded—what you work on is more important than how hard you work.
Play your game, not theirs. You’ll play it better.
Become an Expert, Not a Generalist
Society celebrates experts in any given field.
But as David Epstein finds in Range, many experts succeed because of the range of pursuits that preceded their main endeavor.
Become a polymath. Generalize first, specialize later.
Let Things Play Out
This isn't a movie that you're watching on your TV.
You are not a passive observer of your own life. There are times to sit back, and there are times to push.
Learn to identify the difference and never be afraid to provide a little push.
Don't Ask Too Many Questions
Children are born with an insatiable curiosity, but somewhere along the line, we are told to stop asking questions.
The most successful people in the world never listened—they broke this rule.
Ask questions. Be curious. Be interested.
If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It
Complacency will always lead you down a bad path.
Just because something isn't broken, doesn't mean it can't be improved.
Continuous improvement is the way. Focus on small, incremental improvements—day in, day out.
Get a Stable Job
This might have been a good rule in the Industrial Age, but its foundation is crumbling in the Digital Age.
The way we work is fundamentally changing—opportunities for creative, unstructured career paths are endless.
Find your Zone of Genius and operate in it.
Stay in Your Lane
A rule of the fixed, stagnant, and hierarchical—often used to keep employees in line.
It's great to double down on your strengths, but never let external pressures prevent you from expanding your domains.
Growth mindsets rule the world.
Think Through Every Big Decision
We are told to methodically consider the pros and cons of every big decision in our lives.
As a result, many of us have decision paralysis.
With big decisions, you're actually better off making them fast—let your gut and instincts guide you.
Don't Talk to Strangers
A classic we are told as children—the residue of which carries into adulthood for far too many.
When we open up to those around us, we stimulate, learn, and grow.
"There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven't yet met." — William Butler Yeats
Get a Four-Year Degree
For decades we told children they had to attend a traditional four-year college, or else they were a failure.
That is a lie—and we loaded a generation with student debt because of it.
Four-year degrees make sense for many, but not for all.
Follow YOUR path.
Save Now to Enjoy Later
All mainstream financial advice tells you one thing: save now to enjoy later.
I agree, with a caveat...
You have to enjoy the prime of your life! Now and then, it's ok to save a bit less to go to that concert with your friends.
Find your balance.
Have a Plan & Stick to It
It's important to have a plan.
But as Mike Tyson famously said, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."
Plans have to be dynamic—and punch-proof! You'll only go as far as your ability to absorb and pivot on the fly.
Don't Be Self-Promotional
It's easy to condone self-promotion when you're at the top.
But when you're first starting out, you may be the only one in a position to promote.
When you put in the work, energy and love, share it with the world! Genuine pride is infectious.
Be Realistic
It's not up to anyone else to decide what is possible for you or your life.
Are there constraints outside of your control? Sure. Is that a reason to settle? Hell no.
As Will Smith says in Pursuit of Happyness: "If you want something, go get it. Period."
There you have it: 12 life rules worth breaking.
Until next time, as always, stay curious, friends!
Talk soon!