Rules are descriptions of how to act in specific situations so as to implement the principle and quality described in your life plan. Rules are the solutions for the problem of how to act in certain situations worked out ahead of time.
To make rules, simple describe each principle in higher detail. The more specifically you plan out an action, the more likely you will do it, and the more likely you will be successful.
Make a bullet list of significant situations where the quality in question would be demonstrated. In each bullet, describe the ideal behavior in concise detail. Write each bullet in terms of behavior that would demonstrate having the quality, whether that means what you will do or what you will not do.
As an example, you might enumerate the following rules for the principle “I tell the truth”:
- I will not say something I do not agree with in order to please others.
- When someone asks me what I think about something, I will tell them what I really think.
- When someone says something that I believe is false, I will ask them why they believe what they do, compare why I believe what I do, and share my own belief and reasons if I continue to regard them as more correct.
- Etc.
You’ll want to keep your rules short and snappy. You will call these rules to mind throughout your day to guide your behavior to align with the qualities you seek. Make them as specific and short as you can: “When someone cuts me off in traffic, I smile and wave.”
Consult your rules often throughout each day. When one applies, do what the rule says. When you face situations where you don’t have a rule, immediately write yourself a note to revisit this during your next planning session to think more about it and perhaps create a new or better rule.