These are the rules I’ve developed for myself. Not advice for you — your rules should be different. But these are mine, earned through trial and error.
I don’t follow them perfectly. But I try.
⚙️ Work Rules
01. Ship before comfortable
If I’m not slightly embarrassed by what I ship, I waited too long. Perfect is the enemy of done. The feedback from real users is worth more than another month of polish.
02. No work after 8 PM
The work I do after 8 PM is worse than useless — it’s harmful. Tired code creates bugs. Tired decisions create problems. The work will be there tomorrow. I won’t be effective if I don’t rest.
03. Writing is thinking
If I can’t explain it in writing, I don’t understand it. Before starting complex work, write out the plan. The writing will reveal the gaps in thinking. Always.
04. Meetings require agendas
No agenda, no meeting. If someone can’t articulate what we need to discuss, we don’t need to discuss it. “Quick sync” is not an agenda.
05. Build what you’d use
I only build products I would pay for. If I’m not the target user, I can’t evaluate quality. Scratching my own itch ensures authenticity.
06. Never sacrifice sleep for work
Sleep deprivation makes me stupid, irritable, and unproductive. No deadline is worth a week of impaired performance. 7-8 hours, non-negotiable.
🧠 Thinking Rules
07. Strong opinions, loosely held
Have the conviction to take a position. Have the humility to update when evidence demands it. The worst stance is no stance at all.
08. Steelman, then critique
Before disagreeing, articulate the strongest version of the opposing argument. If I can’t steelman it, I don’t understand it well enough to disagree.
09. Notice confusion
When something doesn’t make sense, that’s information. Don’t paper over it. Sit with the confusion. The confusion is pointing at something worth understanding.
10. Read primary sources
Summaries lose nuance. Read the actual paper, book, or document. The extra time is worth it. Second-hand information is second-rate information.
11. Probability, not certainty
Express beliefs as probabilities, not absolutes. “I’m 70% confident” is more honest than “I believe.” It also makes updating easier.
🤝 People Rules
12. Assume good faith until proven otherwise
Most misunderstandings aren’t malice. They’re miscommunication, different contexts, or different priorities. Start with charity.
13. Praise publicly, criticize privately
Public recognition amplifies. Public criticism humiliates. This isn’t about avoiding conflict — it’s about preserving relationships while still being honest.
14. Don’t work with assholes
Life is too short. No amount of money or opportunity is worth regular exposure to toxic people. Walk away. Every time.
15. Respond, don’t react
When emotions spike, wait. Sleep on it. The response I write immediately is almost never the response I should send. Cool down, then communicate.
16. Keep promises, especially small ones
Big promises are remembered. Small promises are forgotten. But reliability is built from small promises kept. Be the person who does what they said they’d do.
🏋️ Health Rules
17. Move every day
No exceptions. Rest days are for recovery, not sedentary. At minimum: a walk. The body was built to move.
18. Progressive overload
In the gym and in life: gradual, consistent increase in challenge. Not dramatic heroic efforts. Small increments compound.
19. No alcohol on weekdays
Alcohol disrupts sleep, recovery, and cognition. Weekend drinks are fine. Weekday drinks become habits too easily.
20. Protein at every meal
0.8-1g per pound of bodyweight. Every meal should have protein. It’s not complicated. It’s just execution.
💰 Money Rules
21. Save 30% minimum
Before lifestyle, before discretionary spending. Pay yourself first. Financial runway creates freedom.
22. Never work only for money
If the only reason is money, eventually I’ll resent it. Every project needs at least one non-financial motivation: learning, relationships, impact, or pure interest.
23. Buy quality once
Cheap things need replacing. Quality things last. For items used daily, buy the best I can afford. For rarely-used items, buy the cheapest.
🎯 Meta Rules
24. Rules are defaults, not absolutes
These rules are starting positions. Context can override any of them. The rule exists to prevent thoughtless deviation, not to prevent thoughtful deviation.
25. Review and update
Rules that aren’t reviewed become outdated. Annually, I review this list. Some rules are upgraded. Some are deprecated. The system must evolve.
❌ Anti-Rules
Things I explicitly will NOT do:
| Anti-Rule | Why |
|---|---|
| Inbox zero | Not worth the effort. Triage is enough. |
| Time blocking | Too rigid. I work in flows, not blocks. |
| Social media detox | I use it; I don’t let it use me. Moderation > abstinence. |
| “Eat the frog” | Sometimes I need a warm-up. That’s fine. |
| Wake up at 5 AM | I’m not a morning person. Fighting it wastes energy. |
📜 Origin
Some of these rules come from:
- The Stoics (rules 7, 9, 12, 15)
- Derek Sivers (rule 3, the general format)
- Naval Ravikant (rules 6, 22)
- Personal failure (rules 2, 4, 14, 19 — learned the hard way)
- Observation (rules 13, 16, 25 — watching what works for others)
Last updated: January 2026
If you have personal rules you live by, send them to me. I’m always looking to steal good ideas.
Related
See also: What I Believe | What I’m Doing Now | How I’ve Changed