Life's a mess, and Jordan Peterson knows it. But instead of handing you a mop, he's tossing you a… rulebook! Yep, that’s new. In "12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos," this Canadian professor turned author, Jordan Peterson, is dishing out some tough love for your existential crisis with 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos!
Heard of Quora? Our book is a Quora post gone viral. It got viral because, well, that’s the power of ideas that strike at the heart of human existence. With that one post, Peterson realized he was onto something important. What if having a meaningful life is more important than just being happy? What if our shared beliefs are what keep society from falling apart? And what if the solution to our big problems isn't in grand ideas, but in each person taking responsibility for their own life?
His 12 rules offer some much needed practical guidance for addressing these fundamental life questions and challenges of existence. Prepare to be challenged, inspired, and perhaps even transformed as we confront the chaos! Let's begin with rule #1.
Summary
Great rules, right? Getting your act together and making the most of life, what more do you want! Yeah, it's not always gonna be easy, but if you stand up straight, tell the truth, and keep pushing yourself to be better, you'll be amazed at what you can achieve. So, grab that pen of light and start writing your own story. What awesome things are you gonna do with your life?
Stand Up Straight with Your Shoulders Back
You share brain chemistry with a lobster. Yeah, you heard that right - lobsters. Those tasty sea creatures are about to teach us a thing or two about life. Imagine that!Did you know that when a lobster loses a fight, its brain basically melts and regrows to fit its new, loser status? Hang in there, because we're about to connect some dots that'll blow your mind. See, lobsters have been duking it out on the ocean floor for 350 million...
Treat Yourself Like Someone You Are Responsible For Helping
Imagine if you were responsible for a mini-you. Would you let mini-you subsist on coffee and anxiety? Would you allow mini-you to pull all-nighters and then beat themselves up for being tired? Of course not! You'd be all like, "Mini-me, eat your veggies, get some sleep, and chase those dreams!" But wait a second! Didn’t you skip gym? Oops.Welcome to the paradox of human behavior, folks! We're masters at caring for others but somehow forget to extend the same courtesy...
Make Friends with People Who Want the Best For You
To explain rule #3, Peterson takes you all the way to his hometown, Fairview, Alberta - a frigid frontier where cats lose ear tips to frostbite and house parties are a grim necessity. And while we’re here, let’s meet his teenage friend, Chris.These guys? They're stuck. Chris is smart but angry, driving a beat-up truck that's practically a metaphor for his nihilism. When they visit Edmonton, instead of embracing new possibilities, Chris bee-lines for familiar vices- scoring pot and drinking...
Compare Yourself To What You Were Yesterday!
If you’re human, you’ve at least once had that feeling where you look at your super successful friend and think, "Man, I suck!" Agreed, it is normal. But, you gotta stop that. It's not helping anyone, especially not you.See, the world's a big place, and there's always gonna be someone cooler, richer, or better-looking than you. Why kill yourself over out-doing everyone? Instead, try rule #4: Look in the mirror. But not just to check your hair. Peterson wants you...
Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them.
Rule #5! Rule #5 is tricky. Peterson’s saying don’t let your kids turn into little terrors that drive you nuts. And if you’re not a parent, this might not seem too complicated. But, for all the parents out there who know their parenting WILL have consequences, this is for you! Some parents think their kids are perfect little angels who can do no wrong. Yea, sorry to burst your bubble: they're not. Kids can be real nightmares sometimes, and if...
Set Your House in Perfect Order Before You Criticize the World
A little dark, but have you ever wondered what goes on in the head of a mass shooter? Let’s put it like this: they think everything's so rotten that it all needs to be destroyed. Yikes! Unfortunately, this kind of thinking isn't just found in psychos. We all do it sometimes. Life's tough, stuff goes wrong, and we start thinking, "Man, this world sucks!" We get mad at God, fate etc. We always look for someone to blame. Always! It’s...
Pursue what is meaningful, not what is expedient
Life's tough. We all know that. It’s not always fun and games. In fact, it’s MOSTLY not fun and games. We face suffering and disappointments, and it gets tempting to steal a moment of guilty pleasure. But our rule #7 to an anti-chaotic life is to remember that what's easy isn't always what's best for us in the long run. Instead of just going for quick fixes or easy wins, we should aim for stuff that really matters. You know,...
Tell the Truth—Or, At Least, Don't Lie
Hitler once said people fall for big lies easier than small ones because people can't even imagine anyone being that dishonest. It's how dictators like Stalin and Mao got away with murder – literally. They built whole systems on lies, and millions died. Tiny little lies, yeah that’s acceptable. Big lie, can’t even imagine that! But know what no one realizes? Every huge lie starts with a tiny one. It's like a disease that spreads. You tell a little fib,...
Listen To People Like They Might Know Something You Don't
Your entire worldview could be shattered by a single conversation. That's the power - and the danger - of truly listening to others. When you assume the person you're listening to might know something you don't, you open yourself up to new discoveries!There’s this experiment proposed by psychotherapist Carl Rogers: Next time you're in a heated argument, try to repeat back exactly what the other person is saying, to their satisfaction, before you respond. It sounds easy, but it's super...
Be Precise In Your Speech
Have you seen your laptop recently? Like, really seen it. It's not just a box with a screen. It's connected to this massive web of stuff - power grids, internet cables, factories, even social contracts. When everything's humming along, you don't notice these things. But when things go wrong? That's when you begin poking around trying to find what exactly is malfunctioning. Now, obviously, rule #10 isn't just about gadgets. It's about people, relationships, your whole world. See, things can...
Do Not Bother Children When They Are Skateboarding
Peterson has another parenting rule. And this one is for all the overprotective boy moms. Stop coddling them!! Let kids take risks and face challenges. It's how they grow up and become strong, capable adults. When we see kids doing dangerous things like skateboarding down handrails, our first thought might be to stop them. But hold on! These kids are actually doing something important. They're testing their limits, building skills, and learning to be brave. Sure, they might get hurt....
Pet A Cat When You Encounter One On The Street
So, what's the deal with cats? Cats represent those small, positive moments in life that can provide brief respite from our troubles. Imagine you're having a terrible day, and you spot Ginger, the friendly Siamese from across the street. She trots over, and for a few moments, your worries fade as you pet her. It's a simple pleasure, but a powerful one.That’s the lesson rule #12 wants you to learn. Start noticing and appreciating small joys in life. Maybe it's...
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About the Author
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson is an author, psychologist, online educator, and Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto. The Jordan B Peterson podcast frequently tops the charts in the Education category. He has written three books, Maps of Meaning, an academic work, presenting a new scientifically-grounded theory of religious and political belief, and the bestselling 12 Rules for Life, and Beyond Order, which have sold more than seven million copies.
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