From a very young age you’ve been inundated with other people’s rules – parents, teachers, friends – helpful principles, friendly advice and little pointers to help you get on in life. So, how do you free yourself from these false or unhelpful beliefs that have somehow become ingrained in the deepest recesses of your mind?

In this brand new book, international bestselling author Richard Templar exposes the most common imposter rules, and offers a refreshing perspective and a new way of thinking.

Above all, Templar helps you master the ability to truly think for yourself, and follow a path that you’ve chosen, rather than blindly following someone else’s.

Contents:

1. Success is a good job earning lots of money

Rule 1: Success is what you say it is

2. Some people are just born lucky

Rule 2: Don’t envy other people

3. You need the right qualifications

Rule 3: Exams aren’t the be all and end all

4. Your parents are always right

Rule 4: Don’t expect your parents to be perfect

5. Your parents are responsible for how you turn out

Rule 5: Give your parents a break

6. The world is against you

Rule 6: You’re responsible for your own life

7. We all have an absolute right to be respected

Rule 7: There’s a balance between the right to respect, and tolerance

8. You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family

Rule 8: Your siblings should be your best friends for life

9. Teacher knows best

Rule 9: Getting on at school is not the same as getting on in life

10. Have something to say for yourself

Rule 10: If you find it hard to talk, try listening

11. Some people are just difficult

Rule 11: No one chooses to be difficult without a reason

12. You can’t be cheerful if you’re in pain

Rule 12: Pain doesn’t have to make you miserable

13. Good work speaks for itself

Rule 13: No one at work will know how good you are unless you tell them

14. Do what it takes to get what you want

Rule 14: Don’t emotionally blackmail people

15. A place for everything, and everything in its place

Rule 15: It’s not morally superior to be tidy

16. It matters what other people think

Rule 16: Don’t live for other people’s approval

17. Give as good as you get

Rule 17: You get what you give

18. Stick with your own kind

Rule 18: Your friends don’t all need to be like you

19. The best things in life are free

Rule 19: Everything worth having hurts

20. You can change people

Rule 20: Don’t try to change people

21. It’s where you’re going that matters, not where you came from

Rule 21: Be proud of your roots

22. Friends are for life

Rule 22: Friends come and go

23. Mistakes are a bad thing

Rule 23: Mistakes can be good

24. Be a friend to everybody

Rule 24: You don’t have to like everyone

25. …and everybody will be your friend

Rule 25: …and not everyone will like you

26. If you don’t like it, tough

Rule 26: Remember you have a choice

27. You need to get your chores over with

Rule 27: Life’s all about the little things

28. Stay true to your dreams

Rule 28: Priorities change over the years

29. People have a right to know

Rule 29: Know how to keep a secret

30. Face your fears

Rule 30: Replace the bad thoughts

31. Respect the elderly

Rule 31: Respect everyone

32. Look after number one

Rule 32: Helping other people makes you feel good about yourself

33. If you’re in the firing line, keep your head down

Rule 33: They can’t walk all over you unless you’re lying down

34. Just ignore the bullies

Rule 34: Don’t let ‘em bully you

35. Think on your feet

Rule 35: Be in control

36. What you do is more important than why you do it

Rule 36: Be honest with yourself

37. You can judge a book by its cover

Rule 37: Everyone has a backstory

38. ”What about me?”

Rule 38: It’s not all about you

39. Just once won’t hurt

Rule 39: Don’t let bad habits get a foot in the door

40. Be spontaneous

Rule 40: Listen to the voices in your head

41. Take one step at a time

Rule 41: If you want big things to change, you have to make big changes

42. The best people will be there for you for life

Rule 42: People come and go, and it’s OK

43. Enjoy yourself while you’re young

Rule 43: Your body is for life

44. Borrowing is OK so long as you can pay it back

Rule 44: Don’t get into debt

45. Be generous

Rule 45: Never lend money unless you’re prepared to write it off

46. Believe you’re the best

Rule 46: Know your real worth

47. Don’t allow people to make you feel bad

Rule 47: The only thing you can control is you

48. Some people just get to you

Rule 48: No one can make you feel anything

49. You can’t help how you feel

Rule 49: You feel what you think

50. You don’t need words to show you appreciate someone

Rule 50: Tell people how important they are

51. The Internet makes you anonymous

Rule 51: The Rules don’t stop online

52. Always seek to improve yourself

Rule 52: Accept your shortcomings

53. Strive for perfection

Rule 53: Perfection can be a handicap

54. You are the product of your genes

Rule 54: You are the sum of your experiences (so make them good)

55. Tomorrow is another day

Rule 55: How you spend your day is how you spend your life

56. Always get off on the right foot from the start

Rule 56: Bide your time to make a good impression

57. Confident people know where they’re going

Rule 57: Everyone else is as lost as you

58. Stand out from the crowd

Rule 58: There’s a fine line between being ubercool and being a total prat

59. Appearances matter

Rule 59: Be happy with the way you look

60. It’s just a drop in the ocean

Rule 60: The insignificant is important

61. The job comes first

Rule 61: Don’t mistake your career for your life

62. Get it all out in the open

Rule 62: Avoid conflict

63. If you know you’re in the right, don’t back down

Rule 63: Don’t be afraid of compromise

64. Give as good as you get

Rule 64: Keep the moral high ground

65. It’s good to let your feelings out

Rule 65: Don’t trample on other people’s emotions

66. No one is perfect

Rule 66: Be on the side of the angels, not the beasts

67. Meet your deadlines

Rule 67: Keep ahead of deadlines

68. Give good advice

Rule 68: Don’t give advice

69. Let people know when you’re right

Rule 69: Never say ‘I told you so’

70. Stick to what you’re good at

Rule 70: Stretch yourself

71. You’ve a right to be treated fairly

Rule 71: Stop expecting life to be fair

72. The more you learn about a subject, the more of an expert you become

Rule 72: The more you know, the more you don’t

73. If you’re going to do something, do it properly

Rule 73: You don’t have to jump in the deep end

74. Stick with what you know

Rule 74: Step out of your comfort zone

75. People will judge you by what you own

Rule 75: Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses

76. Hide your mistakes

Rule 76: Remember you could be wrong – someone has to be

77. Live in the present

Rule 77: Keep perspective

78. Know what you want

Rule 78: You don’t have to know what you want

79. Guilt tells you where you’re going wrong

Rule 79: Don’t do guilt

80. Someone will make it better

Rule 80: Pick yourself up (no one else will do it for you)

81. Think through your problems

Rule 81: Thinking hard doesn’t always help

82. Narrow down your options

Rule 82: Look at all the options

83. Trust no one

Rule 83: Trust everyone

84. Trust everyone

Rule 84: Trust no one

85. Sometimes you need a good moan

Rule 85: There are people who moan, and people who just get on with it

86. Don’t sacrifice yourself for a relationship

Rule 86: It’s the compromises that make relationships worth having

87. Feelings should be rational

Rule 87: Feelings aren’t right or wrong. They just are.

88. Eat, drink and be merry…

Rule 88: Stay alive

89. I want doesn’t get

Rule 89: Ask for what you want

90. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it

Rule 90: Look up

91. Find yourself a safe job

Rule 91: Follow your passion

92. Protect your property

Rule 92: People are more important than things

93. You can’t change horses in midstream

Rule 93: It’s never too late to start following the real Rules