Did you know that you can pretty much do whatever the hell you want with your life? Seriously. There are no rules. Feel the freedom.
It may sound trite, but you can be whoever you want to be.
You can wear whatever clothes you want. You can walk around grumbling to yourself like a crazy person or make weird art. You can strive to be like your heroes or try to be completely unique. You can choose to take a secure traditional path or throw caution to the wind and live a wild carefree life full of risk and danger.
It’s your life. Do with it as you please.
But this is where it gets confusing, because, if there are no rules, then how do you explain the tales of famous rule breakers who drove progress, innovated in the art world, or disrupted an industry.
How could they break the rules if there aren’t any?
This is because people confuse norms for rules. There is a difference and when we conflate the two, we limit ourselves.
Rules are formal, written, and usually enforceable.
Norms are informal, often unspoken social agreements to act, do, or be a certain way.
A rule has authority and consequences are imposed on the noncompliant. A norm, however, is more of a suggestion. Choose to ignore it and probably, no big deal.
Whenever we encounter a situation in life where it is unclear whether we are dealing with a rule or a norm, what if we just decide to assume it’s a norm.
Would we die? Would the encounter create a time paradox, the results of which could cause a chain reaction that would unravel the very fabric of the space-time continuum and destroy the entire universe!
I propose — wherever it won’t get you into legal trouble — replace the word “rule” with the word “norm”.
Rules are stifling.
Take music for example. Break one of the 5 Basic rules of chord progressions, or the Rules of Song Structure and your music will surely suck, right? You’re breaking rules for god’s sake!
Maybe. But if you follow the rules it would deprive the world of the next Paranoid Android or Bohemian Rhapsody—two songs written with complete disregard to the aforementioned rules.
Consider how this reframe can impact your life.
No more rules. Quit your job and move to Costa Rica.
No more rules. Wear whatever clothes you like.
No more rules. Quit social media because you know it makes you sad.
No more rules. Have kids later in life or don’t have kids at all.
No more rules. Be who you want. Do what you want. Live your life however you want!
Damn, it’s corny but isn’t it freeing?
There are no rules in life. (Useful Not True)
It’s mostly just a bunch of norms.
Reframe the way you look at it and do whatever the hell makes you happy, short of crime and violence.