Rules of Life, The

Richard Templar is the author of the international bestselling Rules books. Over 2 million people around the world have enjoyed and now play by Richard Templar's Rules. The complete list of titles is as follows: Rules of Life, Rules of Work, Rules of Management, Rules of Wealth, Rules of Parenting, Rules of Love and the latest bestseller, The Rules to Break. All of these titles will be refreshed and re-launched in 2015.

• Rules for you 1.   Keep it under your hat 2.   You’ll get older but not necessarily wiser 3.   Accept what is done is done 4.   Accept yourself 5.   Know what counts and what doesn’t 6.   Dedicate your life to something 7.   Be flexible in your thinking 8.   Take an interest in the outside world 9.   Be on the side of the angels, not the beasts 10. Only dead fish swim with the stream 11. Be the last to raise your voice 12. Be your own adviser 13. No fear, no surprise, no hesitation, no doubt 14. I wish I’d done that – and I will 15. It’s OK to give up 16. Count to ten – or recite ‘Baa baa black sheep’ 17. Change what you can change, let go of the rest 18. Aim to be the very best at everything you do – not second best 19. Don’t expect to be perfect 20. Don’t be afraid to dream 21. If you’re going to jump off a bridge, make sure you know how deep the water is 22. Don’t dwell on the past 23. Don’t live in the future 24. Get on with life – it’s whooshing past 25. Be consistent 26. Dress like today is important 27. Have a belief system 28. Leave a little space for yourself each day 29. Have a plan 30. Have a sense of humour 31. Choose how you make your bed 32. Life can be a bit like advertising 33. Get used to stepping outside your comfort zone 34. Learn to ask questions 35. Have dignity 36. It’s OK to feel big emotions 37. Keep the faith 38. You’ll never understand everything 39. Know where true happiness comes from 40. Life is a pizza 41. Always have someone – or something – that is pleased to see you 42. Know when to let go – when to walk away 43. Retaliation leads to escalation 44. Look after yourself 45. Maintain good manners in all things 46. Prune your stuff frequently 47. Remember to touch base 48. Draw the lines around yourself 49. Shop for quality, not price 50. It’s OK to worry, or to know how not to 51. Stay young 52. Throwing money at a problem doesn’t always work 53. Think for yourself 54. You are not in charge 55. Have something in your life that takes you out of yourself 56. Only the good feel guilty 57. If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all   Partnership Rules 58. Accept the differences, embrace what you have in common 59. Allow your partner the space to be themselves 60. Be nice 61. You want to do what? 62. Be the first to say sorry 63. Go that extra step in trying to please them 64. Know when to listen and when to act 65. Have a passion for your life together 66. Make sure your love making is making love 67. Keep talking 68. Respect privacy 69. Check you both have the same shared goals 70. Treat your partner better than your best friend 71. Contentment is a high aim 72. You don’t both have to have the same rules   Family and friends Rules 73. If you are going to be a friend, be a good friend 74. Never be too busy for loved ones 75. Let your kids mess up for themselves – they don’t need any help from you 76. Have a little respect and forgiveness for your parents 77. Give your kids a break 78. Never lend money unless you are prepared to write it off 79. Keep schtum 80. There are no bad children 81. Be up around people you love 82. Give your kids responsibilities 83. Your children need to fall out with you to leave home 84. Your kids will have friends you don’t like 85. Your role as a child 86. Your role as a parent   Social Rules 87. We’re all closer than you think 88. It doesn’t hurt to forgive 89. It doesn’t hurt to be helpful 90. What’s in it for them? 91. Hang out with positive people 92. Be generous with your time and information 93. Get involved 94. Keep the moral high ground 95. Just because you have, doesn’t mean they have to 96. Do compare yourself with other people 97. Have a plan for your career 98. Look at the long-term ramifications of what you do for a living 99. Be good at your job 100. Be aware of the damage you are doing 101. Be for the glory, not the degradation 102. Be part of the solution, not the problem 103. Check what history would say about you 104. Not everything can be green 105. Put something back 106. Find a new Rule every day – or occasionally at least