Find Your Happiness (Collection)

Richard Templar is an astute observer of human behavior and understands what makes the difference between those of us who effortlessly glide towards success and those of us who struggle against the tide. He has distilled these observations into his Rules titles. More than 1 million people around the world have enjoyed and now play by Richard Templar's Rules.

Rules of Life, Expanded Version

 

Introduction     viii

Part I Rules for You     1

1  Keep It Under Your Hat     4

2  You’ll Get Older But Not Necessarily Wiser     6

3  Accept What Is Done Is Done     8

4  Accept Yourself     10

5  Know What Counts and What Doesn’t     12

6  Dedicate Your Life to Something     14

7  Be Flexible in Your Thinking     16

8  Take an Interest in the Outside World     18

9  Be on the Side of the Angels, Not the Beasts     20

10  Only Dead Fish Swim with the Stream     22

11  Be the Last to Raise Your Voice     24

12  Be Your Own Adviser     26

13  No Fear, No Surprise, No Hesitation, No Doubt     28

14  I Wish I’d Done That--and I Will     30

15  It’s OK to Give Up     32

16  Count to Ten--or Recite “Baa Baa Black Sheep”     34

17  Change What You Can Change; Let Go of the Rest     36

18  Aim to Be the Very Best at Everything You Do--Not Second Best     38

19  Don’t Expect to Be Perfect     40

20  Don’t Be Afraid to Dream     42

21  If You’re Going to Jump Off a Bridge, Make Sure You Know How Deep the Water Is     44

22  Don’t Dwell on the Past     46

23  Don’t Live in the Future     48

24  Get on With Life--It’s Whooshing Past     50

25  Be Consistent     52

26  Dress Like Today Is Important     54

27  Have a Belief System     56

28  Leave a Little Space for Yourself Each Day     58

29  Have a Plan     60

30  Have a Sense of Humor     62

31  Choose How You Make Your Bed     64

32  Life Can Be a Bit Like Advertising     66

33  Get Used to Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone     68

34  Learn to Ask Questions     70

35  Have Dignity     72

36  It’s OK to Feel Big Emotions     74

37  Keep the Faith     76

38  You’ll Never Understand Everything     78

39  Know Where True Happiness Comes From     80

40  Life Is a Pizza     82

41  Know When to Let Go--When to Walk Away     84

42  Retaliation Leads to Escalation     86

43  Look After Yourself     88

44  Maintain Good Manners in All Things     90

45  Prune Your Stuff Frequently     92

46  Remember to Touch Base     94

47  Draw the Lines Around Yourself     96

48  Shop for Quality, Not Price     98

49  It’s OK to Worry, or to Know How Not To     100

50  Stay Young     102

51  Throwing Money at a Problem Doesn’t Always Work     104

52  Think for Yourself     106

53  You Are Not in Charge     108

54  Have Something in Your Life That Takes You

Out of Yourself     110

55  Only the Good Feel Guilty     112

56  If You Can’t Say Anything Nice, Don’t Say

Anything at All     114

 

Part II Partnership Rules     117

57  Accept the Differences, Embrace What You Have in Common     120

58  Allow Your Partner the Space to Be Themselves     122

59  Be Nice     124

60  You Want to Do What?     126

61  Be the First to Say Sorry     128

62  Go That Extra Step in Trying to Please Them     130

63  Always Have Someone--or Something--That Is Pleased to See You     132

64  Know When to Listen and When to Act     134

65  Have a Passion for Your Life Together     136

66  Make Sure Your Love Making Is Making Love     138

67  Keep Talking     140

68  Respect Privacy     142

69  Check You Both Have the Same Shared Goals     144

70  Treat Your Partner Better Than Your Best Friend     146

71  Contentment Is a High Aim     148

72  You Don’t Both Have to Have the Same Rules     150

 

Part III Family and Friends Rules     153

73  If You Are Going to Be a Friend, Be a Good Friend     156

74  Never Be Too Busy for Loved Ones     158

75  Let Your Kids Mess Up for Themselves--They Don’t Need Any Help from You     160

76  Have a Little Respect and Forgiveness for Your Parents     162

77  Give Your Kids a Break     164

78  Never Lend Money Unless You Are Prepared to Write It Off     166

79  Keep Quiet     168

80  There Are No Bad Children     170

81  Be Up Around People You Love     172

82  Give Your Kids Responsibilities     174

83  Your Children Need to Fall Out with You to Leave Home     176

84  Your Kids Will Have Friends You Don’t Like     178

85  Your Role as a Child     180

86  Your Role as a Parent     182

 

Part IV Social Rules     185

87  We’re All Closer Than You Think     188

88  It Doesn’t Hurt to Forgive     190

89  It Doesn’t Hurt to Be Helpful     192

90  What’s in It for Them?     194

91  Hang Out with Positive People     196

92  Be Generous with Your Time and Information     198

93  Get Involved     200

94  Keep the Moral High Ground     202

95  Just Because You Have, Doesn't Mean They Have Too     204

96  Do Compare Yourself with Other People     206

97  Have a Plan for Your Career     208

98  Look at the Long-Term Ramifications of What You Do for a Living     210

99  Be Good at Your Job     212

100  Be Aware of the Damage You Are Doing     214

101  Be for the Glory, Not the Degradation     216

102  Be Part of the Solution, Not the Problem     218

103  Check What History Would Say About You     220

104  Not Everything Can Be Green     222

105  Put Something Back     224

106  Find a New Rule Every Day--or Occasionally at Least     226

 

 

Rules of Work, Expanded Edition

 

Foreword   viii

Introduction   x

Part I Walk Your Talk   1

 1  Get Your Work Noticed   4

 2  Never Stand Still   6

 3  Volunteer Carefully   8

 4  Carve Out a Niche for Yourself   10

 5  Under Promise and Over Deliver   12

 6  Learn to Ask Why   14

 7  Be 100 Percent Committed   16

 8  Learn from Others’ Mistakes   18

 9  Enjoy What You Are Doing   20

10 Develop the Right Attitude   22

11 Be Passionate But Don’t Kill Yourself   24

12 Manage Your Energy   26

13 Never Let Anyone Know How Hard You Work   28

14 Keep Your Home Life at Home   30

Part II Know That You’re Being Judged at All Times   33

15 Cultivate a Smile   36

16 No Limp Fish–Develop the Perfect Handshake   38

17 Exude Confidence and Energy   40

18 Develop a Style That Gets You Noticed   42

19 Pay Attention to Personal Grooming   44

20 Be Attractive   46

21 Be Cool   48

22 Speak Well   50

23 Write Well   52

Part III Have a Plan   55

24 Know What You Want Long Term   58

25 Know What You Want Short term   60

26 Study the Promotion System   62

27 Develop a Game Plan   64

28 Set Objectives   66

29 Know Your Role   68

30 Know Yourself–Strengths and Weaknesses   70

31 Identify Key Times and Events   72

32 Anticipate Threats   74

33 Look for Opportunities   76

34 Make Learning a Lifelong Mission   78

Part IV If You Can’t Say Anything Nice–Shut Up   81

35 Don’t Gossip   84

36 Don’t Bitch    86

37 Stand Up for Others  88

38 Compliment People Sincerely   90

39 Be Cheerful and Positive   92

40 Ask Questions   94

41 Use “Please” and “Thank You”   96

42 Don’t Swear   98

43 Be a Good Listener   100

44 Only Speak Sense   102

Part V Look After Yourself   105

45 Know the Ethics of Your Industry   108

46 Know the Legalities of Your Industry   110

47 Set Personal Standards   112

48 Never Lie   114

49 Never Cover Up for Anyone Else   116

50 Keep Records   118

51 Know the Difference Between the Truth and The Whole Truth   120

52 Cultivate Your Support/Contacts/ Friends   122

53 Date with Caution   124

54 Understand Others’ Motives   126

55 Assume Everyone Else Is Playing by Different Rules   128

56 Keep the Faith   130

57 Put Things in Perspective   132

Part VI Blend In   135

58 Know the Corporate Culture   138

59 Speak the Language   140

60 Dress Up or Dress Down Accordingly   142

61 Be Adaptable in Your Dealings with Different People   144

62 Make Your Boss Look Good   146

63 Know Where to Hang Out, and When   148

64 Understand Social Protocols   150

65 Know the Rules about Authority   152

66 Know the Rules about the Office Hierarchy   154

67 Never Disapprove of Others   156

68 Understand the Herd Mentality   158

Part VII Act One Step Ahead   161

69 Dress One Step Ahead   164

70 Talk One Step Ahead   166

71 Act One Step Ahead   168

72 Think One Step Ahead   170

73 Address Corporate Issues and Problems   172

74 Make Your Company Better for Having You There   174

75 Talk of “We” Rather Than “I”   176

76 Walk the Walk   178

77 Spend More Time with Senior Staff   180

78 Get People to Assume You Have Already Made the Step   182

79 Prepare for the Step After Next   184

Part VIII Cultivate Diplomacy   187

80 Ask Questions in Times of Conflict   190

81 Don’t Take Sides   192

82 Know When to Keep Your Opinions to Yourself   194

83 Be Conciliatory   196

84 Never Lose Your Temper   198

85 Never Get Personal   200

86 Know How to Handle Other People’s Anger   202

87 Stand Your Ground   204

88 Be Objective About the Situation   206

Part IX Know the System--and Milk It   209

89 Know All the Unspoken Rules of Office Life   212

90 Know What to Call Everyone   214

91 Know When to Stay Late and When to Go Early   216

92 Know the Theft or Perks Rule   218

93 Identify the People Who Count   220

94 Be on the Right Side of the People Who Count    222

95 Be Well Up on New Management Techniques    224

96 Know the Undercurrents and Hidden Agendas   226

97 Know the Favorites and Cultivate Them   228

98 Know the Mission Statement--and Understand It   230

Part X Handle the Opposition   233

99 Identify the Opposition   236

100 Study Them Closely   238

101 Don’t Back-Stab   240

102 Know the Psychology of Promotion   242

103 Don’t Give Too Much Away   244

104 Keep Your Ear to the Ground   246

105 Make the Opposition Seem Irreplaceable   248

106 Don’t Damn the Opposition with Faint Praise   250

107 Capitalize on the Career-Enhancing Moments   252

108 Cultivate the Friendship and Approval of Your Colleagues   254

Postscript: Know When to Break the Rules   256