A True Rule about life -- from an engineer.

My father often talks about “True Rules.” For example, when I started working after college, he said, “It’s one of the True Rules – if you’re willing to take the blame, people will give you responsibility.” And in my experience that rule has certainly turned out to be true. I love True Rules, and I recently started writing them down whenever I heard them. These aren’t general rules for living, like “Enjoy every day.” They’re more specific and concrete. So I've started the True Rules series -- on video!

This True Rule is from Saul, a friend of mine from the days when we both worked at the Federal Communications Commission (my last job as a lawyer).

If you can't see the video, Saul says, "This True Rule comes from my days as an engineer, where we learned that if something wasn't working one way, you turn it around. So my True Rule is: if it's not working one way, you have to turn it around." Obviously this is as useful on a metaphorical level as on a device level.

Note: one of my happiness-project insights is that novelty and challenge bring happiness. Also frustration and annoyance. Notice that I managed to give the video clip a title for the first time! Ah, so satisfying.

*
Terrific new site launched today, by the inimitable Jonathan Fields! Career Renegade is definitely worth your attention. The much-anticipated book is coming out soon, but the site gives lots of preview material. I'm off to read the intriguingly titled Fire Fly Manifesto right now.

*
Interested in starting your own Happiness Project? If you’d like to take a look at my personal Resolutions Chart, for inspiration, just email me at grubin, then the “at” sign, then gretchenrubin dot com. No need to write anything more than “Resolutions Chart” in the subject line.

Comments

[mike walzman]

What a great idea! I don't know you, but I'm very excited for you... there's no doubt in my mind this journey you are taking will open up doors you never imagined.

Much Love!

mike

[Yield to Pedestrian: All the Cool, All the Time]

Thanks Gretchen - and congratulations on conquering the video title :)

I explored the career renegade site, and while I love the idea, I wonder if this whole movement isn't overselling the idea of alternate careers to people. I think what a lot of people want to experience is a second career (like your friend in the video who was an engineer and then went onto do FCC work).

I have had a lot of fun interviewing people I know who have offline jobs with the aim of educating people who are thinking about starting a second (offline) career. I have to say, it has brought me a lot of happiness to get to know people even better that I thought I already knew well. A great happiness project put together with a great resource for others thinking about changing careers in the physical world.

[Mark W.]

I'm looking forward to more 'True Rules' in the future. I really liked your father's true rule because it immediately rang true to me the moment I read it.

[Melissa]

I really like the sound of "True Rule". We all have experienced the rules that no one every follows or that don't really apply in all situations. As for this rule, I try to turn things around when they aren't making sense or when I feel like I'm up against a wall. Sometimes we're just looking at a situation from the wrong perspective