The Before Rules - List
The following is the current list of the Before Rules:
Before The Before: What Are The Before Rules?
What Are The Foundational Concepts?
(Please note this section of our site is more than 'under construction.' It is 'Under Improvement.')
So, Just What Are The Before Rules? The Before Rules are a simple, powerful, effective system that creates behavioral change. They are specific, highly focused tactics aligned with your strategies to achieve your desired outcomes.
Please note this section of our site is more than 'under construction.' It is 'Under Improvement.'
All That In Only Three Words? Each Before Rule consists of three words, such as 'Here Before There.' The Before Rules simplify complex strategies into actionable tactics. Here is how:
First Word - 'Here': Your current state. You start where you are.
Second Word - 'Before': Indicates action must be taken.
Third Word - 'There': Your desired outcome.
The Before Rules are not about willpower. They are about creating a system that benefits you.
A Few Functional Before Rule Examples: Here are a few Before Rules to help illustrate their purpose:
System Before Goal
Deposit Before Withdrawal
Important Before Urgent
Curiosity Before Judgment
Risk Before Reward
The Before Rules are designed to automatically achieve your desired outcomes.
What Is The Foundation Of The Before Rules? The Before Rules combine, blend, mesh, and synthesize practical, proven, everyday fundamental truths, evidence-based research, time-proven adages, mental models, cognitive behavioral therapy, and commonsense into effective, three-word tactics.
Illustrative Examples Of The Before Rules: I will provide at least one example for each Before Rule below. Some examples, research, studies, or authors are repeated because they encompass multiple Before Rules.
The Before Rules List
100% Before 99%: Explore more here 100% Before 99%.
Action Before Attraction
Action Before Execution
Action Before Motivation
Action Before Outcome:
Agency Before Outcome
Anticipated Before Unexpected
Ask Before Receive
Awareness Before Recognition
Be Before Act
Be Before Do
Before The Before
Believe Before Achieve
Cause Before Effect
Challenge Before Change
Chaos Before Order
Commitment Before Outcome
Complex Before Simple
Crawl Before Walk — One Small Step For Man: James Clear's book "Atomic Habits" and Stanford professor BJ Fogg Ph.D.'s book, "Tiny Habits," build on the principle that creating lasting habits begins with making meaningful, achievable changes. By implementing small adjustments to our routines and celebrating minor victories, we can generate momentum. Whether it's linking new habits to existing routines or simplifying behaviors to make them more manageable, these strategies demonstrate how small steps can lead to significant improvements in our lives.
Crisis Before Opportunity
Curiosity Before Judgment: Writer Walt Whitman is alleged to have said, "Be curious, not judgmental." The concept was recently popularized in the Apple TV series Ted Lasso. The character Ted Lasso, played by Jason Sudeikis, says: "Guys have underestimated me my entire life, and for years I never understood why–it used to really bother me. Then, one day, I was driving my little boy to school, and I saw a quote by Walt Whitman; it was painted on the wall, and it said, ‘Be curious, not judgmental.' I like that."
Curiosity Before Knowledge
Curiosity Before Thought
Cut Before Bleed
Decision Before Choice — So Many Choices, So Little Time: In his book, "The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less," Psychologist Barry Schwartz, Ph.D., presents the idea that an abundance of choices can lead to decision-making paralysis, increased anxiety, and dissatisfaction with the choices made. When faced with numerous options, people often experience regret over the options they didn't choose and feel overwhelmed by the pressure to make the perfect decision. What to do? Evaluate your choices, then decide. Once you have a decision, you no longer have to consider choices. Schwartz's research suggests that while having some choices can be beneficial, more is not always better. Simplifying choices and focusing on what is "good enough" rather than perfect can lead to greater happiness and satisfaction.
Deposit Before Withdrawal
Diagnosis Before Treatment
Difficult Before Easy
Do Before Have
Dont Bleed Before You Are Cut
Don't Bleed Before You're Cut
Earn Before Spend
Effective Before Efficient
End Before Begin
End Before Beginning
Ending Before Beginning
Execution Before Outcome
Expected Before Unexpected — Contingency Planning: Horses or Zebra? You might've heard of the old medical proverb: "When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." This means that, since horses are more common than zebra (especially outside of Africa), it would make more sense for someone to expect horses rather than zebra when they hear hoofbeats. In this same way, Expected Before Unexpected tells us that we should plan for the most plausible outcome rather than any crazy outliers.
Contingency Planning, Ph.D.: Alia Crum, Ph.D., an Associate Professor of Psychology at Stanford, has discussed the concept of mindset optimization and contingency planning. Expected Before Unexpected falls into the realm of both, suggesting that we plan for the most likely outcome rather than wasting precious processing on trying to plan for every possible outcome.
Dr. Crum provided an illustrative example using hurricanes. She explained that while NOAA forecasts predict the number of hurricanes each year, the exact timing and location of these storms and whether a hurricane will occur at all remains uncertain. Despite this unpredictability, there is an expectation that hurricanes may happen. This mindset emphasizes the importance of being prepared and proactive in planning to minimize disruptions and enhance resilience.
How Can I Use Expected Before Unexpected?
Managing Anxiety and Stress: The Before Rule Expected Before Unexpected can be used as a means of helping you focus on what's important and likely. As Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, so eloquently put it, "You only get a limited number of f*cks to give." You can't care about everything everywhere all the time; it's simply not possible. For this reason, it's important to focus your energy on planning for the outcomes that are the most likely to happen and plan for those outcomes rather than the outliers.
Disaster Preparedness: If you live in Southern Florida, it's not only likely but probable that you will experience a hurricane at some point. However, it's much less likely that you'll experience a volcanic eruption, or an earthquake large enough to bring down buildings. Therefore, it makes more sense to prepare for the expected outcome (hurricanes) than it does to prepare for unexpected outcomes (volcanoes and earthquakes).
Financial Planning: Is it possible that you might win the lottery one day and have enough to retire? Sure. Is it likely? No. Expected Before Unexpected would suggest that you prepare for the expected (not winning the lottery) and then plan accordingly. If you aren't going to win the lottery, how much do you need to put away in savings each month to ensure you have enough to retire on?
Examples of Using Expected Before Unexpected
Anxious Traveler: If you get anxiety while flying as so many of us do, it might be helpful to think about those more probable "expected" issues (flight delays, lost luggage, and long TSA lines) and have contingency plans for those instead of focusing on less-likely "unexpected" issues (like terrorist attacks or plane crashes). One can only worry about so many things at once, so if you're going to worry at all, you may as well worry and then prepare yourself for lost luggage by packing all of your necessities in your carry-on bag.
Despondent Quitter: Did you know that it takes an average of 30 tries for someone to quit smoking before they actually quit for good? If you're trying to quit smoking (or any vice, really), it might be helpful to apply Expected Before Unexpected -- that is, to expect that you might fail at least a few times before you quit for good. If you're expecting to be able to quit forever the first time, you might be unnecessarily hard on yourself for not being able to do that, even when studies show that it can take many, many attempts to quit. And if you are able to quit forever on the first try, congratulations because that's an amazing achievement! You should also know that it's the unexpected outcome.
Exposure Before Immunity
Fail Before Succeed
Fail Before Success
Failure Before Opportunity
Failure Before Succeed
Fear Before Courage
Fire Before Ready
Floor Before Ceiling
Focus Before Flow — Where Attention Goes, Energy Flows: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the father of flow, explains focus promotes flow by creating an environment where distractions are minimized, allowing for deep concentration on a task. CARCAR is a tool to enhance your concentration. As a result, your attention is optimized and you enter the flow state.
Follow Before Lead
Forewarned Before Forearmed
Give Before Get
Give Before Receive
Give Before Take
Goal Before System
Goals Before Systems
Good Before Lucky
Gratitude Before Happiness
Guns Before Butter
Hard Before Easy
Here Before There
Identity Before Agency:
Identity Before Outcome: Identity employs deeply intrinsic values and beliefs and they are exhibited via personal agency, and this ultimately leads to your desired outcome. Indentity incorporates operant conditioning. Pinnacle of accessible, step-by-step habit-building. To adopt new habits, reshape how you see yourself first. James Clear's book "Atomic Habits" is the gold standard for learning about this concept.
If Before Then
Important Before Unimportant
Important Before Urgent — Prioritization Of Events: There are many examples of this, but I will refer to the Eisenhower Method. By concentrating on what is important instead of what is merely urgent, you can ensure that both your immediate and long-term actions align with your commitments. Evaluate tasks based on their importance before responding to their urgency. This proactive approach allows you to prioritize effectively, focusing on what truly matters and preventing urgent but less important tasks from derailing your progress. .
Impossible Before Impossible
Impossible Before Possible
In Before Out
Input Before Output
Internal Before External
Knowledge Before Wisdom
Learn Before Lead
Lesson Before Test
Lightning Before Thunder
Listen Before Speak
Live Before Die
Look Before Leap
Lost Before Found
Mastery Before Artistry
Meaning Before Medal
Meaning Before Medals
Measure Before Cut
Motivation Before Action
Necessity Before Invention
Needs Before Wants
No Before Yes
None Before One
Now Before Later
Now Before Then
Obstacle Before Opportunity — Integrating WOOP (Wish, Obstacle, Opportunity, Plan): WOOP, developed by psychologist Gabriele Oettingen stands for Wish, Obstacle, Opportunity, and Plan. This strategy helps you achieve your goals by identifying a meaningful wish, recognizing internal obstacles, spotting opportunities to overcome them, and creating a concrete plan. By integrating WOOP with the Before Rules, each three-word strategy guides your actions and proactively addresses challenges, enhancing your motivation and success.
Outcome Before Improvement
Pain Before Gain
Pain Before Pleasure
Perspiration Before Inspiration
Plant Before Harvest
Practice Before Perfect
Prevention Before Cure
Prevention Before Treatment
Problem Before Opportunity
Problems Before Opportunities
Process Before Outcome
Process Before Perfect
Process Before Process
Progress Before Outcome
Progress Before Perfection
Purpose Before Everything
Push Before Pull
Quality Before Quantity
Quantity Before Quality
Question Before Answer
Questions Before Answers
Rain Before River
Recognition Before Response
Record Before Forget
Record Before Reward
Repetition Before Mastery — Growth Mindset: Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, Ph.D., teaches that a Growth Mindset allows individuals to develop their abilities through dedication, hard work, and consistency. This approach emphasizes continuous improvement and resilience. By fostering a growth mindset, the Before Rules encourage you to embrace challenges, persist through setbacks, and consistently strive for personal and professional development.
Risk Before Reward
Rule Before Exception
Rule Before Exceptions
Rule Before Habit
Rule Before Outcome
Rule Before Result
Rules Before Exception
Rules Before Exceptions
Rules Before Habits
Rules Before Outcomes
Rules Before Results
Rules Before Rules
Sacrifice Before Success
Save Before Spend
Scars Before Stars
Seek Before Find
Simple Before Complex
Slow Before Fast
Sow Before Reap
Start Before Finish
Story Before Lesson
Strategy Before Tactic — What Is The Difference Between A Strategy (Thinking About Doing It) And A Tactic (Doing It)? A strategy is your overall plan, encompassing the 'what' and 'why' of your goals. Conversely, a tactic refers to the specific actions or the 'how' of achieving those goals. Both elements are essential for success. For instance, if your strategy is to get fit (which includes your 'what' and 'why'), your tactics might consist of going to the gym three times a week, meal prepping, and cutting out sugary snacks (referring to the 'how'). Researchers, including Ayelet Fishbach, Ph.D., https://amzn.to/4iFPQ47 a professor at the University of Chicago, emphasize that making good choices under pressure can be challenging. However, by developing specific tactics, we can better prepare ourselves to navigate those situations.
Additionally, Phil Stutz MD and Barry Michels (MSW) provide many strategies and tactics in their best-selling book "The Tools: Transform Your Problems into Courage, Confidence, and Creativity." They introduce five practical techniques designed to help individuals overcome personal obstacles, unlock their potential, and achieve their goals: Get Unstuck - Master the things you are avoiding, and live in forward motion. Control Anger - Free yourself from out-of-control rage and never-ending grudges. Express Yourself - Learn the secret of true confidence and find your authentic voice. Combat Anxiety - Stop obsessive worrying and negative thinking. Find Discipline - Activate willpower and make the most of every minute.
Structure Before Freedom
Structure Before Goal
Structure Before Outcome — Beyond White Lines: Imagine driving on a highway marked with white lines. While these lines are simply painted, they serve a purpose that goes beyond their appearance. They provide essential guidance that keeps us safe without requiring constant conscious thought. In the same way, the Before Rules operate as your own "white lines." These rules consist of structured routines and systems that you create to align your actions with your desired outcomes.
Structure Before Process
Structure Before System
Sweat Before Equity
System Before Goal:
System Before Outcome: "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Dr. Stephen R. Covey is a powerful book presenting seven principles for personal and professional effectiveness. Covey emphasizes the importance of developing habits that foster proactive behavior, goal-setting, prioritization, collaboration, and continuous improvement to achieve success and fulfillment. The seven habits are: Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind, Put First Things First, Think Win-Win, Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood, Synergize, and Sharpen the Saw.
Test Before Lesson
That Before This
The Before Laws
The Before Rule
The Before Rules
Thoughts Before Things: "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill is a timeless book outlining 13 principles of success based on Hill's interviews with over 500 successful individuals, including Andrew Carnegie and Thomas Edison. The book emphasizes the importance of a positive mindset, desire, persistence, and a clear plan to achieve personal and financial success.
Thoughts Before Words: Doctor Wayne Dyer is well-known for his lectures and books, such as "Change Your Thoughts—Change Your Life." This is one of his best-selling books offering a modern interpretation of the ancient Chinese text, the Tao Te Ching. Dyer provides insights and practical applications of its teachings, encouraging readers to transform their thought patterns to achieve a more fulfilling and harmonious life. Your inner dialogue affects your outward accomplishments.
Through Before To
Visualize Before Realize
We Before Me - Reflective Duality — How Do I Integrate My Present And Future Self? Each Before Rule is purposefully designed and intentionally crafted to first highlight the distinction between your present self and your desired future self. Second, each rule is more than just a bridge; it creates a two-way connection and a bond. This perspective prioritizes collective well-being and long-term goals instead of immediate personal gratification or short-term distractions. Each Before Rule encourages your present and future selves to make mutually beneficial decisions.
There are many excellent books detailing the concept of your future self. Here are two of my favorites: "Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today" by UCLA professor Hal Hershfield, Ph.D. This book explores how our decisions today shape our future selves. It provides practical strategies to strengthen our connection with our future selves, helping us make better long-term decisions and avoid common pitfalls like procrastination and impulsivity. The second book is, "Be Your Future Self Now: The Science of Intentional Transformation," by Benjamin P. Hardy Ph.D. This book emphasizes the importance of envisioning and embodying your future self to drive your current actions and decisions. Dr. Hardy outlines seven threats to your future self, seven truths about your future self, and seven steps to transform your life by aligning with your future self.
When Before Then
Why Before How
Your Thoughts May Vary: Thought Improvement welcomes your constructive comments and invites you to share your perspectives and experiences. Together, we can all refine our understanding and application of these concepts.
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