What is this Rules To Live By project?

What rules do you actually live by? How do you know? Where did those rules come from? When do you break them?

This book explores these questions and will offer the best advice on how to live that I can find. On this Substack I post draft rules each week and listen to your feedback, which I will revise into a book later this year.

Here are the first ten rules (plus intro) for your review:

  1. What is a good rule?

  2. Don’t Die

  3. Be self-aware (but how?)

  4. Be here now (but how?)

  5. Be amazed by everything

  6. Do it anyway

  7. Embrace your luck

  8. You are not your thoughts

  9. Don’t polish your dreams

  10. Harness your demons

  11. Have a hobby you love (but don’t do well)


This will be my tenth book. I’m known as a tech and business writer, but I’ve written 100s of fun essays on philosophy and life advice. I’ve been reading and thinking about the question of rules, and how we shape our lives, for decades. This project will take everything I’ve learned, distill it into a short book and give it to you.

This substack invites you into my writing process. You can influence how the project goes or just follow along.

Subscribing gives you first access to live events, bonuses and more. I hope all this earns a click below? Pretty please?

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Subscribe to Rules To Live By (Book Project)

Rules to live by. What rules do you have for your life? How did you choose them? When do you break them? This book explores these questions and useful answers.

People

Scott Berkun is the bestselling author of many books including Making Things Happen, The Myths of Innovation and How Design Makes The World. A former UX and project leader, he is a full time writer and speaker. http://www.scottberkun.com/