Breaking The Rules: The Top 7 Rules You SHOULD Break (Infographic)

5 Perks of Breaking the Rules

Breaking certain rules can cause the skies to open and rain down benefits – but it can also cause your worst nightmares. Author, Lewis Upton, once said, “I’m a free soul, not a soul who will be contained by rules that were made by people who want to control others.” 

 

There comes a time when it becomes necessary to break a rule, simply to break control of others or a situation and to set yourself free to make your own rules. Here are some perks of breaking certain rules of society:

 

The “Work from 9 to 5” Rule. When you break this rule, you can get ahead quickly by garnering more time for yourself and working more efficiently. Many people today are realizing the perks that technology now affords by setting their own hours and taking time for themselves.

Always Meet Your Goals and Expectations. You may change your mind along the way – it’s as simple as that. You can become newly enthused about a project or goal if you let the old ones go.

What Other People Think is Important. Letting go of the fear of people judging you can be very freeing. What kept you down and from reaching new heights in your life plan is replaced with a new zest for life and enthusiasm to take advantage of every opportunity.

Mistakes Are a Bad Thing. You can get tons of benefits from making mistakes. It’s never fun to admit you’re wrong, but when you learn lessons from those mistakes, the benefits are many and you’ll likely never make that mistake again.

Your Parents Are Always Right. When you realize that your parents lived in another day and time when rules meant something different than they do today, you can justify breaking the “parents are always right rule.” The major perk you can get from breaking this rule is to free yourself to make your own decisions and plot your own life-path.

 

Although there are perks from breaking many of society’s antiquated rules, beware of breaking rules that were set in place to help us in life. Not working 9 until 5 every day doesn’t mean you don’t have to work hard to realize your goals and dreams.

 

In fact, you may work harder – spend long days and nights – in reaching the goals and dreams you have for yourself. But, setting your own hours can help you work on your own terms and not those set by others. You’ll do a much better job and finish projects much more efficiently.

5 Risks of Breaking the Rules

You’ve probably been punished for breaking a rule in the past. It may have been a rule your parents made to keep you safe and you learned a lesson from breaking it.

 

There are risks to every rule you choose to break and you may be the type who loves to break them. Adrenaline rushes from rule breaking become addictive to some people.

 

If you don’t agree with certain rules of society and plan to break them – either in business or your personal life, consider these five risks involved:

 

The risk of alienating people you need or want in your life. Think carefully about breaking a rule that can alienate you from the very people who could benefit you and whom you love. For example, if you go against your parents’ wishes, you may cause them angst. Weigh the benefits and then act accordingly.

 

Lose your job. Some rule-breaking may result in the loss of a job or position in a company. Insisting that you can work from home and get more done may alienate other coworkers who trudge to work each morning. You may also miss out on valuable one-on-one time with your boss or others important to your job.

 

Expressing your opinion. Standing up for your values can be a risk that gives you great satisfaction and can boost your self-esteem. It may also alienate you from a person – or group of people. Beware of the consequences of your words and then do the right thing.

 

Unqualified for the job you’re in. You may have gotten a position by promising that you’d be a fast learner and meet all expectations required of you. At some point, you may be overwhelmed by the amount of work or learning process that you didn’t expect. Know what you’re getting in to before leaping into a job you’re not qualified for.

 

Not taking yourself seriously. This rule needs to strike an equal balance. When you take yourself very seriously, you run the risk of others perceiving you as pompous and a “know it all.” But, if you don’t find the balance between being serious at times that require it and having fun at appropriate times, you may never be seen as the authority figure you want to be.

 

Breaking rules can have a negative impact on some areas in your life that you may not expect. Study the pros and cons of a rule before you decide to break it and then act in your best interest.

Empower Yourself by Breaking the Rules

Breaking the rules can empower you – really. Rules can severely limit your beliefs and purpose in life, keeping you back from expressing emotions and from trying new things.

 

Think about the negative things you tell yourself on a daily basis – “My parents/teachers said I couldn’t do that,” “I don’t have the brains to succeed,” “Nobody will want to dance with me.” Each of these negative thoughts are derived from a rule of society that needs to be broken.

 

If your parents/teachers said you couldn’t do something you’re passionate about, defy them. Break the rule and try. Unless you try, you may choose a path which will keep you unhappy the remainder of your life – or at least sad that you didn’t try.

 

When you stand like a statue in a group setting and let someone disrespect you or someone else without speaking up, you’re demeaning yourself – and that’s horrible for your self-esteem.

 

Speaking up and defending yourself or the belief or person can help you feel proud of yourself and have acted based on your own belief system – and bravery in the face of others who may want to put you down.

 

You may have been through one or several painful experiences in your past which has made an impact on your psyche and is still keeping you from moving forward with power and a purpose in life.

 

Dealing with the negatives that are defining you now is the only way to combat the experience and move on successfully with your life. That may mean breaking the rules that have held you back. The empowerment you gain from taking action will do wonders for your mindset.

 

At some point, you know you’re more than what your negative experiences have made you. You know through self-reflection that the blame isn’t all yours and that you can gain back your power with determination and knowledge.

 

Engaging in optimism in your life thoughts and trusting yourself to do the right thing are important in the empowering process. Find joy in breaking the rules which has kept you back, made you feel cynical about life and don’t compare yourself to others.

 

Be your own guide when it comes to empowering yourself. Don’t let others dictate what you should and shouldn’t be. Follow your own rules and guidelines for that, always being aware of the consequences and rewards of breaking a rule. Then, you can make an educated decision.