My Rules

---

What is this?

A growing collection of simple rules I intend to use to guide my work and my life. These reminders help me stay on track.

My rules are:

• Based on my personal experience.
• Simple enough to remember its meaning in 1 or 2 sentences.
• My own, not yours (but feel free to steal some, if you’d like :)

These are my rules on:

Last updated January 1st, 2024.

---

• Self-fund from profits. “Runways” add stress, uncertainty, and urgency.
• Choose strategies that leverage my strengths. Increase chances of success.
• ​Sell to my people​. I can leverage my authenticity in marketing.
• Portfolio over focus. Increase optionality and long-term value while reducing risk.
• Authenticity wins. If I’d be turned off by something, I shouldn’t expect my customers not to be.
• Don’t pigeonhole. There are lots of ways to be successful.

---

• Apply my rules. This list is designed to help me make decisions that serve me well.
• Decide fast. Most decisions don’t benefit from more time.
• Undo is an option. Most decisions can be corrected.
• Permanent decisions deserve more scrutiny. The few decisions that can’t be undone deserve more time and consideration before acting.
• Consider the alternative. Game it all the way out.
• ​Plan B ain’t so bad​. It might even be great.

---

• Niche down. Avoid solving for multiple use cases.
• Be essential. Harder to cancel is better than harder to sell & onboard.
• Done-for-you OR do-it-yourself. These are 2 very different types of solutions.
• Ship fast. Speed breeds simplicity. Use it to your advantage.
• You can’t validate until you ship. Nothing beats putting the product in their hands.
• Features aren’t finished when you ship. Observe useage of V1, improve then iterate.

---

• Say what I mean. Don’t bullshit.
• Be concise. Avoid “thinking out loud”. Process, edit, then deliver.
• Tell stories. Get others to buy in and invest in listening.
• Don’t criticize. It hurts them and it hurts me. So just don’t.

---

• People are self-centered. It’s our nature.
• They’re more insecure than they let on. Give them a break.
• ​Avoid negative people​. Spending time with positive people makes me more positive, happy, and successful.
• People mean well. Start with the assumption that they have good intentions.

---

• Acknowledge stress. Learn from it. Fix it.
• Step away. Taking a break helps to reset.
• Stress is unhealthy. Fixing stress makes me healthier.
• ​Poor health is stressful​. Fixing health reduces stress.
• ​Don’t put my stress on others​. Stressing out someone else compounds both of our stress levels.

---

• My best work happens early. Create in the morning.
• Don’t work after dinner. Rest & relaxation is required for productivity.
• One big thing per day. Get it done early.
• One thing at a time. Start and finish before starting the next thing.

---

• Exercise every day. Required. Like breathing.
• Prioritize sleep. Being tired is dangerous.
• Manage portion size. If you feel full, you are too much.
• Journal. Observe and reflect.

---

• Inspiration shouldn’t form my vision. My vision should be my own.
• 1-to-1 advice is better than groups. Clearer, more helpful, more thorough.
• Limit social media consumption. Be aware of its effect on me and proactively avoid addiction.
• ​Find inspiration from outside my bubble.​ Other industries and interests can be more useful influences on my work, and help me stand out.

---

• The best ideas come fast. If it’s not flowing, don’t force it.
• Try subtracting instead of adding. It often helps.
• ​Stake your position​. Don’t waffle or water down.
• Stick to the flame. Say what you’re here to say (and nothing more).
• Create more than I consume. Consuming reactions to my creations makes consuming more useful.
• Imposter syndrom is bullshit. Actually it’s healthy. But you need to get over it.