Introduction

Author’s acknowledgements

Publisher’s acknowledgements

1. “Success is a good job earning lots of money”
Rule 1: Success is what you say it is

2. “Some people are just born lucky”
Rule 2: Don’t envy other people

3. “You need the right qualifications”
Rule 3: Exams aren’t the be all and end all

4. “Your parents are always right”
Rule 4: Don’t expect your parents to be perfect

5. “Your parents are responsible for how you turn out”
Rule 5: Give your parents a break

6. “The world is against you”
Rule 6: You’re responsible for your own life

7. “We all have an absolute right to be respected”
Rule 7: There’s a balance between the right to respect, and tolerance

8. “You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family”
Rule 8: Your siblings should be your best friends for life

9. “Teacher knows best”
Rule 9: Getting on at school is not the same as getting on in life

10. “Have something to say for yourself”
Rule 10: If you find it hard to talk, try listening

11. “Some people are just difficult”
Rule 11: No one chooses to be difficult without a reason

12. “Don’t waste your time on people who aren’t worth it”
Rule 12: Suffer fools gladly. Well, suffer them, anyway

13. “You can’t be cheerful if you’re in pain”
Rule 13: Pain doesn’t have to make you miserable

14. “Good work speaks for itself”
Rule 14: No one at work will know how good you are unless you tell them

15. “Do what it takes to get what you want”
Rule 15: Don’t emotionally blackmail people

16. “A place for everything, and everything in its place”
Rule 16: It’s not morally superior to be tidy

17. “It matters what other people think”
Rule 17: Don’t live for other people’s approval

18. “Give as good as you get”
Rule 18: You get what you give

19. “Stick with your own kind”
Rule 19: Your friends don’t all need to be like you

20. “The best things in life are free”
Rule 20: Everything worth having hurts

21. “You can change people”
Rule 21: Don’t try to change people

22. “It’s where you’re going that matters, not where you came from”
Rule 22: Be proud of your roots

23. “Friends are for life”
Rule 23: Friends come and go

24. “Mistakes are a bad thing”
Rule 24: Mistakes can be good

25. “Be a friend to everybody”
Rule 25: You don’t have to like everyone

26. “…and everybody will be your friend”
Rule 26: …and not everyone will like you

27. “If you don’t like it, tough”
Rule 27: Remember you have a choice

28. “You need to get your chores over with”
Rule 28: Life’s all about the little things

29. “Stay true to your dreams”
Rule 29: Priorities change over the years

30. “People have a right to know”
Rule 30: Know how to keep a secret

31. “Face your fears”
Rule 31: Replace the bad thoughts

32. “Make a New Year’s resolution every year”
Rule 32: You can’t change habits unless you want to

33. “Respect the elderly”
Rule 33: Respect everyone

34. “Look after number one”
Rule 34: Helping other people makes you feel good about yourself

35. “If you’re in the firing line, keep your head down”
Rule 35: They can’t walk all over you unless you’re lying down

36. “Just ignore the bullies”
Rule 36: Don’t let ’em bully you

37. “Think on your feet”
Rule 37: Be in control

38. “What you do is more important than why you do it”
Rule 38: Be honest with yourself

39. “You can judge a book by its cover”
Rule 39: Everyone has a backstory

40. “Put the past behind you”
Rule 40: You have to deal with your stuff before you can get on with your life

41. “What about me?”
Rule 41: It’s not all about you

42. “Just once won’t hurt”
Rule 42: Don’t let bad habits get a foot in the door

43. “Be spontaneous”
Rule 43: Listen to the voices in your head

44. “Take one step at a time”
Rule 44: If you want big things to change, you have to make big changes

45. “The best people will be there for you for life”
Rule 45: People come and go, and it’s OK

46. “Enjoy yourself while you’re young”
Rule 46: Your body is for life

47. “Borrowing is OK so long as you can pay it back”
Rule 47: Don’t get into debt

48. “Be generous”
Rule 48: Never lend money unless you’re prepared to write it off

49. “Believe you’re the best”
Rule 49: Know your real worth

50. “Don’t allow people to make you feel bad”
Rule 50: The only thing you can control is you

51. “Some people just get to you”
Rule 51: No one can make you feel anything

52. “You can’t help how you feel”
Rule 52: You feel what you think

53. “Actions speak louder than words”
Rule 53: Don’t take anyone for granted

54. “Avoid unnecessary displays of emotion”
Rule 54: Say thank you out loud

55. “The Internet makes you anonymous”
Rule 55: The Rules don’t stop online

56. “Always seek to improve yourself”
Rule 56: Accept your shortcomings

57. “Strive for perfection”
Rule 57: Perfection can be a handicap

58. “You are the product of your genes”
Rule 58: You are the sum of your experiences (so make them good)

59. “Tomorrow is another day”
Rule 59: How you spend your day is how you spend your life

60. “There aren’t enough hours in the day”
Rule 60: Know your limitations

61. “Always get off on the right foot from the start”
Rule 61: Bide your time to make a good impression

62. “Confident people know where they’re going”
Rule 62: Everyone else is as lost as you

63. “Stand out from the crowd”
Rule 63: There’s a fine line between being ubercool and being a total prat

64. “Appearances matter”
Rule 64: Be happy with the way you look

65. “It’s just a drop in the ocean”
Rule 65: The insignificant is important

66. “The job comes first”
Rule 66: Don’t mistake your career for your life

67. “Get it all out in the open”
Rule 67: Avoid conflict

68. “If you know you’re in the right, don’t back down”
Rule 68: Don’t be afraid of compromise

69. “Give as good as you get”
Rule 69: Keep the moral high ground

70. “It’s good to let your feelings out”
Rule 70: Don’t trample on other people’s emotions

71. “No one is perfect”
Rule 71: Be on the side of the angels, not the beasts

72. “Meet your deadlines”
Rule 72: Keep ahead of deadlines

73. “Give good advice”
Rule 73: Don’t give advice

74. “Let people know when you’re right”
Rule 74: Never say ‘I told you so’

75. “Stick to what you’re good at”
Rule 75: Stretch yourself

76. “You’ve a right to be treated fairly”
Rule 76: Stop expecting life to be fair

77. “The more you learn about a subject, the more of an expert you become”
Rule 77: The more you know, the more you don’t

78. “You can’t learn anything from a fool”
Rule 78: Learn from other people’s mistakes

79. “If you’re going to do something, do it properly”
Rule 79: You don’t have to jump in the deep end

80. “Stick with what you know”
Rule 80: Step out of your comfort zone

81. “People will judge you by what you own”
Rule 81: Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses

82. “Hide your mistakes”
Rule 82: Remember you could be wrong – someone has to be

83. “Live in the present”
Rule 83: Keep perspective

84. “Know what you want”
Rule 84: You don’t have to know what you want

85. “Guilt tells you where you’re going wrong”
Rule 85: Don’t do guilt

86. “Someone will make it better”
Rule 86: Pick yourself up (no one else will do it for you)

87. “Think through your problems”
Rule 87: Thinking hard doesn’t always help

88. “Narrow down your options”
Rule 88: Look at all the options

89. “Stick to a plan”
Rule 89: Life is unpredictable

90. “Trust no one”
Rule 90: Trust everyone

91. “Trust everyone”
Rule 91: Trust no one

92. “Sometimes you need a good moan”
Rule 92: There are people who moan, and people who just get on with it

93. “Don’t sacrifice yourself for a relationship”
Rule 93: It’s the compromises that make relationships worth having

94. “Feelings should be rational”
Rule 94: Feelings aren’t right or wrong – they just are

95. “Eat, drink and be merry…”
Rule 95: Stay alive

96. “I want doesn’t get”
Rule 96: Ask for what you want

97. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”
Rule 97: Look up

98. “Find yourself a safe job”
Rule 98: Follow your passion

99. “Protect your property”
Rule 99: People are more important than things

100. “You can’t change horses in midstream”
Rule 100: It’s never too late to start following the real Rules