I break a lot of “rules”.
- Not because they’re wrong.
- Not because I’m a rebellious brat (though I think some people believe that’s why).
- And not because they don’t work beautifully for other people.
I break them because I’ve weighed the pros and cons and looked carefully at my priorities, and they don’t work for me. For example…
I don’t do LinkedIn on Sunday night. It’s apparently the most important time because important people check it then, but I choose to prioritize my personal time on weekends.
I don’t chase “followers” and “likes”. It apparently could get me speaking gigs and improve my bottom line, but I find it a soul sucking pursuit and I’d rather spend my time and emotional energy on things that feel really good.
I don’t make videos on Tik Tok. It’s apparently THE place everyone is right now, but I love my yard, and I’d rather spend time making it beautiful than competing with people who know what they’re doing on there.
I don’t send a bunch of cold outreach e-mails a day. It apparently could get me more speaking gigs, but I know how much I hate getting them, so I don’t want to be that person in someone’s inbox.
I’m a lady with short hair. I don’t get my nails done. I don’t have a morning routine. I don’t journal (often.) I sometimes eat salad for breakfast and eggs for dinner. I sometimes grocery shop in the middle of the night. I dislike most holidays. I change plans regularly. I love mowing my grass.
And somehow, I still live a happy and successful life!
Lately I’ve become acutely aware of “rules” that we have, whether we realize it or not. (if you gasped at any of the above….we found one of yours.)
I recently found a rule of mine when I gasped at a LinkedIn message a friend and fellow speaker posted. He said he came back from vacation and deleted his entire inbox. My brain screamed “YOU CAN’T DO THAT!” but he was recently on a billboard in Times Square…apparently you CAN do that and still be very successful! I will probably still choose not to do that, but it helped identify and loosen a “rule” I had and maybe some day the Inbox Bankrupt approach might be exactly what I need!
As we run around this planet together, part of getting along and developing our emotional intelligence is making room for differences. When we have hard and fast rules about things (“Short haired women aren’t attractive/feminine.”) we don’t change anything, and rob ourselves of possibility.
What “rules” do you have that could be getting in your way? Think about it. “Do I really HAVE to do that?” is the question I ask myself.
Gravity? It’s a RULE! But that doesn’t mean we can’t fly. (See also planes, hot air balloons and parachutes!)
Examine and ask “really? Why can’t I? or “Or could I?” It’s worth asking!
Go get ‘em Tiger.
