The Before Rules - Part Two: How to Skip Hard Work And Leap Over Smart Work And Transcend Directly to Achievement
Part Two - Think Less, Do Less, Exceed More — From Hindsight To Tactical Foresight
Important Things First: Have you ever felt like you're working hard but not progressing? What if the key to your success is doing the right things strategically and tactically instead of just doing more?
What If? Ask yourself if you could create an automatic system that achieves success effortlessly, bypassing hard and smart work entirely. Would you?
What If? What if you could design this system so effectively that it operates invisibly, automatically propelling you toward your goals without draining your willpower?
What If? What if you could create tactics that function, seemingly without intervention, and exhibit spontaneity across a highly diverse range - such as mouse traps, laughter, rain gutters, fire sprinkler systems, or car airbags?
What If? What if thinking less and doing less could help you achieve more?
What If? What if the most powerful predictors of success are the tactics you select before you even begin?
What If? What if the secret to this is applying a few simple tactics?
Is This A Cheat Code? No! It's a code -- without the cheating part.
But, There Is A Secret: Actually, two secrets. Read on...
Questions Before Answers: To understand the Before Rules, consider these questions:
Who: Who can benefit from using Before Rules to achieve their goals?
What: What if the most powerful predictors of success are the tactics you select before you even begin?
When: When is the best time to implement these tactics for maximum impact?
Where: Where can you apply Before Rules in your everyday life?
Why: Why is focusing on the 'how' and 'when' more important after understanding the 'why'?
How: How can mastering just a few three-word phrases transform your life?
The Ropes To Skip And The Ropes To Know: In Part Two of this essay, we will continue beyond the tipping points (transactional) and fulcrums (transformational) elements discussed in Part One and explore the transcendent level (the Before Rules).
Before Rules... Rules
Before we continue, let's review a few definitions, rules if you will:
What Is The Difference Between A Strategy (Thinking About Doing It) And A Tactic (Doing It)? A strategy is your overall plan. It's the 'what' and 'why.' A tactic is the specific action or the 'how.' You need both parts to be successful. For example, if your strategy is to get fit (you have a what and a why), your tactics might include going to the gym three times a week, meal prepping, and removing sugary snacks (how).
What Is The Difference Between A Law (External Control) And A Rule (Internal Guide)? Laws are created externally by others to control us and are fixed and constant (Speed Limit—60 MPH). You create rules to guide yourself (a tactic such as "Decision Before Choice" to overcome temptations).
So, Just What Are The Before Rules?
The Before Rules are a robust system that creates behavioral change. They are specific, highly focused tactics aligned with your strategies and optimized to achieve your desired outcomes.
Only Three Words? Each Before Rule consists of just three words, such as 'Here Before There.' 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.
These rules simplify complex strategies into actionable tactics, quickly aligning your actions with your goals. Before Rules are not about willpower but 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 as a system for automatically achieving your desired goals.
What? There's A System To Make 'Things' Automatic? Imagine a system so effective that it works invisibly, seemingly effortlessly, and automatically propels you to your goals and beyond them.
The Before Rules involve doing the 'right things.' Here's a simple example.
Right Map, Wrong Location: Assume you have an important meeting on Main Street in Kansas City. Since you had never been there before, you printed a map. You arrive downtown and find the Main Street you need, but all the cross streets don't match. You show your map to a passerby and ask how to find your meeting place.
They smile and reply, "Oh, that's the right map, but you're in Kansas City, Missouri. The Main Street you want is in Kansas City, Kansas — just across the river."
Right... In this essay, I'll explore how Before Rules can help you achieve your goals with less effort by focusing on the right map at the right time for the right location.
I'll also provide a few examples to get you started. And, when you subscribe, you can access an in-depth plan.
Next, let's examine why you want to invest in the Before Rules.
Think Less, Do Less, Achieve More — From Hindsight To The Present To Foresight
Foresight—Unleashing the Power Of The Before Rules: In Part One, I discussed both Transactional actions—hindsight (Tipping Points)—and Transformational actions—the Present (Fulcrums).
Next, let's discuss the third level - Transcendent.
Transcendent — Foresight (Before Rules): Transcendent changes happen when a specific condition occurs. At first, the Before Rules may seem overly simple, but that's the strength of a transcendent system. A well-designed transcendent system is invisible and will automatically engage when needed.
What Are Everyday Examples Of The Before Rules? Eight Transcendental Examples: Here are a few illustrations of self-activating transcendental tactics:
Self-Driving Cars: These cars transform travel by eliminating manual driving. The destination is automatically navigated based on pre-programmed conditions.
Smart Home Automation (Amazon Alexa, Google Home): Automated devices predict your needs and tasks.
Subscription Services (Amazon Subscribe & Save): Automatically deliver products regularly, anticipating consumer needs and reshaping shopping habits.
Surge Protectors: These are instantly activated to protect electronics during power surges without your awareness or manual intervention.
Emergency Lighting Systems: Automatically illuminate power outages, ensuring safety without the need for user activation.
Motion-Detection Security Lights: These lights trigger upon detecting movement, providing security without constant monitoring.
City Streetlights: Automatically turn on and off based on daylight conditions, efficiently managing energy use.
Home Furnace Systems: Automatically regulate temperature based on pre-set conditions, ensuring comfort without ongoing adjustments.
These systems are always 'ready' but not used until required. When needed, they activate without intervention.
Weakest vs. Strategic: A crucial contrast between tipping points and fulcrums is they target the weakest points or those with the most leverage to create change. The Before Rules focus on locating and establishing strategic points that ensure your actions are strategic and timely.
More Power, Less Will: A primary benefit of Before Rules is that they decrease your need for willpower. When you analyze, automate, and organize your actions, you avoid the constant need to decide. A bonus is you preserve your mental energy for more demanding challenges.
And A Surprising Byproduct: An interesting note is that Before Rules reduces, and sometimes eliminates, your need for willpower.
The Myth Of More — Why Hard Work Isn't Always The Answer: We've all heard the mantra: "Work hard, and you'll succeed." But what if, in retrospect, that's only a fraction of the story?
The Myth Of More — Why Smart Work Isn't Always The Answer: Smart work often requires continual monitoring.
The Before Rules go beyond hard work, smart work, and willpower. They incorporate structured, strategic tactics; the Before Rules are simply better!
Easiest Victory: Implementing your specific Before Rules will help you to create the easiest path possible.
How Many Before Rules Are There? About 100, encompassing most situations you will encounter. If you can't find what you need in there, you can always craft a custom one yourself.
100? How Many Before Rules Do I Need To Use At One Time? Let's put 100 into perspective. You only use what you need -- usually three, sometimes four Before Rules.
100? That Is Still Seems Like A Lot Of Rules: Imagine walking into a 7-11 store offering over 2,500 products or a grocery store providing approximately 30,000 items. You enter the store with the specific goal of buying toothpaste and a loaf of bread. In this situation, it's manageable because you can focus solely on what you need and ignore the rest.
Selective Attention: I use the psychological principle of Selective Attention to focus on what is essential and ignore the rest.
Miller's Law: Additionally, I only suggest implementing three, sometimes four, Before Rules at a time. I incorporate evidence-based studies on why phone numbers contain seven digits. Learn more about Miller's Law (7 +/- 2) here.
3 Goals, 3 Rules, 3 Minutes: I use a simple and effective model called 3 Goals, 3 Rules, 3 Minutes, combining everything above into a simple system. Subscribe to learn more.
The Before Rules — Discover What Works and Push Forward: The Before Rules are proactive steps you establish to trigger under specific conditions you select. Properly implemented Before Rules automatically function without requiring constant management.
Another Before Rule Example — Decision Before Choice: Once you have decided to eat a healthier diet, you must set boundaries for the types of foods you will avoid. For example, if you've decided to cut out sweets like donuts, pies, cakes, and pastries, stick to your decision even when faced with unexpected temptations like office cake on a colleague's birthday. Using a Before Rule commitment in advance, such as Decision Before Choice, is like having a loving grandparent guiding and advising you.
Why Is Easy — How Is Hard: Imagine attending a seminar where a motivational speaker emphasizes the importance of finding your "why"—your purpose or motivation.
The speaker discusses Viktor E. Frankl's memoir Man's Search for Meaning and explores why Frankl survived multiple WWII concentration camps when so many others didn't. Frankl not only survived but also prospered after the experiences.
In the end, the speaker proudly quotes Frankl: "Those who have a 'why' to live can bear with almost any 'how.'"
Here's The Real Secret — Your Why Is The Beginning, Not The End: Your why is your starting point. Next, it needs direction, and a plan; practical, proven, and strategic tactics are essential to accomplishing your goals.
Here's The Real Secret #2 — Each Before Rule Contains A Secret Within: While all the Before Rules are fixed in structure but flexible in application. When you implement a Before Rule, it adapts, molds, and adjusts according to your needs.
The 'How' and 'When' Matter More Than You Think — That's The Reason For Before Rules: Your success hinges not just on knowing your 'Why,' but also on mastering the 'How' and 'When' - that is, how you execute your plans and when you take action.
Instead Of The Weakest Link, Identify The Strategic Link: Instead of relying on brute force or constant effort, like tipping points and fulcrums, Before Rules helps you pinpoint the exact location, precise moment, and strategic tactic that will produce the most significant results.
How?
Deconstruct—Divide and Conquer: By breaking down complex challenges into their basic components (i.e. Deposit Before Withdrawal), you can analyze each detail and determine where to focus your efforts.
Small Steps, Big Feats: This approach allows you to address each aspect systematically and efficiently to accomplish your desired outcomes.
Let's Put It All Together: Here is an example of everyday life: working out. Let's examine tactics you can implement to achieve your desired outcomes:
The Before Rules—Phase 1. Create A Cost-Effective Fitness Improvement System
You want an easier, cheaper way to work out. Consider your situation.
Spending $40 on gym membership is too much.
The distance from home to the gym is too far and inconvenient.
During the hours you can go, the gym is too crowded.
You want to exercise daily without going to the gym or increasing your expenses. So, instead of buying a gym membership, you create a designated home workout area and schedule daily workout sessions using a fitness app.
Representative Before Rules Applied:
Ending Before Beginning: This aligns with Stephen Covey's mantra of "begin with the end in mind." By envisioning your fitness goals first, you can design a structured plan that leads you there.
System Before Goal: Focus on building a consistent workout system. By prioritizing the creation of a home workout routine, the results will naturally follow.
Obstacle Before Opportunity: This integrates Carol Dweck's growth mindset by anticipating challenges and preparing strategies to overcome them, turning obstacles into opportunities for improvement.
Simple Is As Simple Does: It looks simple because it is simple. Investing in yourself to think, plan, act, and execute makes your plan a reality.
The Before Rules — Phase 2: Update Before Rules
People often think they're finished once they've achieved their goal. However, continuing progress requires continuous improvement.
How? Update Required Before Rules: This is where you review, replace, select, and implement additional Before Rules. Let's apply these two Before Rules:
Deposits Before Withdrawals: This concept reminds you to invest effort (deposits) before expecting healthful results (withdrawals). Implement a rule to ensure consistent, proactive effort in workouts and healthy habits rather than expecting instant results or resorting to quick fixes.
Rules Before Exceptions: This rule anticipates problems, excuses, and surprises. In our fitness example, you create and honor a consistent workout schedule. The rule details establish achievable discipline and consistency metrics to keep you focused.
A Bigger Rule
One More Rule — Not All Before Rules Are Created Equal: Just like US paper money, which may seem similar at first glance but holds different values upon closer inspection, Before Rules also vary in their value and effectiveness.
Structure Before Freedom: The Before Rule "Structure Before Freedom" emphasizes establishing a solid framework before seeking flexibility. Setting up a structured environment creates a stable foundation that allows for greater freedom and creativity within defined boundaries well into the future.
The Before Rules Are Transcendental Building Blocks: I know, I know, it sounds 'new-agey,' but it's just practical - and with a significant dose of common sense.
How Does The Concept Of DIKW Compare To Transactional Tipping Points, Transformational Fulcrums, And Transcendent Before Rules? Let's use the Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom (DIKW) model to understand the transactional, transformational, and transcendent processes.
Data: Imagine data as scattered puzzle pieces—these are your transactional tipping points. They're the raw facts and small efforts you gather. On their own, they don't make much sense.
Information: When you start to organize these pieces, they become information. This is the transformational stage, like using a lever (fulcrum) to lift something heavy. You begin to see patterns and connections. You're working smarter because you're assembling the pieces into a meaningful picture.
Knowledge + Wisdom: At the transcendent stage, you attain and combine knowledge and wisdom. Here, you gain a comprehensive view, a profound understanding, and the ability to anticipate proactively. You don’t just see the complete picture; you do more - you understand it, and then you create it. This is where the Before Rules come into play. They guide your actions ahead of time, making wise decisions inevitable.
The Why Behind The Why — Connecting Thoughts: Before Rules present a comprehensive, strategic, and tactical framework that leverages the strengths of both tipping points and fulcrums and overcoming their limitations. This approach emphasizes proactive, well-planned, consistent, and optimized tactics so you can achieve your desired outcomes.
Transcendence is life's most powerful multiplier. Understand it, and your growth becomes limitless.
Meanwhile, success isn't about pushing harder at tipping points or leveraging fulcrums; it's about setting Before Rules that make success much more achievable.
Consistent Improvement — The Hidden Bonus: When you apply the Before Rules, you are effortlessly embracing the strategy of 'Consistent Improvement.' Unlike goals with a specific endpoint, well-structured Before Rules are not finite; they are endless.
Well-structured Before Rules are systems that continue to evolve and improve. More on this in an upcoming essay. Learn more when you subscribe.
Thoughtercize: Take these strategies and tactics and incorporate them into your daily life. Review the Before Rules and determine which you can use now. Focus on tactics to amplify your efforts. This approach will create the structure you need to succeed and, paradoxically, give you the freedom to achieve more with less effort.
Start with a simple Before Rule, such as Deposit Before Withdrawal, Important Before Urgent, or Commitment Before Outcome.
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.
Click here for our Disclaimers, Disclosures, Disavowals, And Declarations (aka - I told you so).