It’s hard to believe that “too much information” could ever be a problem someone might encounter. Yet, the challenge that many people face these days when it comes to improving themselves, is that they don’t know where to begin. They also don’t know who to listen to. And they certainly have a hard time understanding what rules to follow.
In his book, 12 Rules For Life Dr. Peterson journeys broadly, discussing discipline, freedom, adventure, and responsibility, distilling the world’s wisdom into 12 practical and profound rules for life. 12 Rules for Life shatters the modern commonplaces of science, faith and human nature, while transforming and ennobling the mind and spirit of its readers.
This Friday I wanted to focus on just 4 of my favourite rules and illustrate how you can apply them to your daily life as an athlete. Enjoy!
. . .
The Rules of Today | 4 Rep Friday
12 Rules For Life
An Antidote to Chaos
By Dr. Jordan B. Peterson
🏋️ Rep #1 – Compare You to You
Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not who someone else is today.
Action: Yes, some people are better than you today, but you have no clue how they got there. The best question you can ask yourself each day is this: What can I do today that will make me better than I was yesterday?
–
🏋️ Rep #2 – Get Yourself In Order 1st
Set your house in perfect order before you criticise the world.
Action: It’s so tempting to pass the blame onto others. We do this because it’s easy and it only requires us to judge what we see (not what is hidden). In the moments following a failure, before you go criticizing anyone else, first ask yourself what role you may have played in this error. Fix it first.
–
🏋️ Rep #3 – Find The Right Friends
Make friends with people who want the best for you.
Action: When things aren’t going your way, it can be tempting to gravitate towards negatively comforting people. They will tell you it’s not your fault, just like nothing is their fault. These people are toxic and you should avoid them if possible. Instead, aim towards finding the people who will challenge you and push you to take ownership.
–
🏋️ Rep #4 – Listen Carefully
Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don’t
Action: When you treat every conversation as a chance to be heard, you aren’t actually listening. There is a huge difference and it matters if you want to actually improve. In your conversations, today, aim to learn something new. How? By asking questions and genuinely wanting to hear the answer.
. . .
This is honestly one of the best books I have read in the past couple of years. I cannot recommend it enough. Whether you are an athlete struggling to make ground in your performance, a coach troubled with unruly athletes, a parent unsure of how to push their child, or just simply someone who wants to take more responsibility over their own success — there is something in this book that you can apply today as a means of making yourself a better person than you were yesterday.
The book itself is quite extensive and Peterson does a great job elaborating on each of the rules through stories and personal experience. But the 12 rules stand alone as great lessons to be applied right now. Here is the full list:
Rule 1 Stand up straight with your shoulders back
Rule 2 Treat yourself like you would someone you are responsible for helping
Rule 3 Make friends with people who want the best for you
Rule 4 Compare yourself with who you were yesterday, not with who someone else is today
Rule 5 Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them
Rule 6 Set your house in perfect order before you criticise the world
Rule 7 Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient)
Rule 8 Tell the truth – or, at least, don’t lie
Rule 9 Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don’t
Rule 10 Be precise in your speech
Rule 11 Do not bother children when they are skate-boarding
Rule 12 Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street
LEARN MORE:
Get the book: CLICK HERE
Great Interview/Book Summary: VIDEO
Author’s Website:jordanbpeterson.com
. . .
SUMMARY
🏋️ Rep #1 – Compare With Yourself
Action: What can you do today to be better than you were yesterday?
🏋️ Rep #2 – Fix Yourself First
Action: Think about how your actions play a part in the group.
🏋️ Rep #3 – Get Better Friends
Action: Find people who actually want what’s best for you.
🏋️ Rep #4 – Curious Listening
Action: Aim to learn something from every conversation.
Thanks for stopping by the Daily Athlete Gym 💪🧠
See you next time!
If you find this post helpful, useful, insightful, or in any way practical, please 👍 like and share it wherever you found it. You’d be helping me out big time and it gives more people a chance to read it as well. Thanks.
– Derek
P.S. – Are you looking for a simplified way to enhance goal focus, build lasting habits, cultivate more passion for your sport & life, and ensure that you never miss an opportunity again. Check out The Daily Athlete Journal.
