When I was younger, I always seemed to gravitate towards breaking “the rules”.
I never consciously thought about the impacts my decisions may have or who they might affect. Instead, I just dove headfirst into the moment without a care in the world. I was young, wild, free (and probably more than a bit naive). Consequences were merely an afterthought, and no one was going to tell me any different. My mantra was simple – “Rules? I don’t need no stinking rules…”
As I grew older and began to add more and more experiences to my toolbox, I reflected on my rebellious youth. I seemingly had little care or concern for others around me as my primary focus in life seemed to be – well, me. And it wasn’t like I didn’t have positive role-models in my life to help steer me in the right direction. I had plenty. Instead, I just ignored the time-tested advice that I was afforded by my elders and took the path of least resistance. It seemed like a solid plan back then but looking back, the path was rocky and fraught with peril.
But as I got older (and a bit wiser), I began to take on significantly more responsibility in my life.
No longer was I protected by mommy and daddy, but instead out on my own making my own decisions and paying my own bills. With experience, my lens becomes clearer and I started to realize why “the rules” were important after all. What I came to understand quite quickly were that rules were simply principles put in place to help direct a particular job or task towards success. The rules did not guarantee the outcome but helped ensure order and accountability as a direct result. I was all over the road, and rules actually allowed for some structure in my all-too chaotic life.
So before you decide race down Kanan Dume Rd at 90 mph or feel the need to break out your new iPhone in the photo pit to shoot “Video” when you’ve been clearly instructed not to, stop. Take a few moments and ask yourself why those rules were put in place and consider the potential repercussions for breaking them. Sometimes breaking the rules seems harmless, but they’re typically in place for everyone’s well-being (not just your own). And if you don’t understand the rules, ask someone who does for clarity. If you feel the rules are poorly constructed, work with those around you to change them. Taking it upon yourself to break the rules puts everyone in harms way and that’s just not cool.