Rule 6: Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world

We tend to worry about things beyond our control. This is futile.

When things don’t go our way, we become critical of others and of situations we cannot influence. At best, this behavior is unproductive. At worst, it breeds contempt and ill-will towards others who seem better off than we are.

Action items:

• Realize that you cannot control everything. We can’t control the weather. We can’t control how people feel about us. Well, we can to some degree, but pursuing others’ acceptance becomes frustrating. It’s a moving target.
• Realize that you can control some things. Figure out what these are and get to work. We can control how we respond to stimulus. We can control how much work we put in. We have the power to make our own decisions. We can decide to pursue certain paths.
• Work hard but accept the fact that things may not always go your way. Continue to press on.

There’s little doubt that if all lived by this rule, the world may be a better place. But such hypotheticals are besides the point. Living by this rule will help you focus on yourself. It will help you pursue your goals more efficiently because of the focus.

Don’t get worked up because others aren’t living by this rule. Instead, work on what you can control and attempt to live by this rule yourself.

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