Scott Adams' Rules

A tribute to the legend who brought us Dilbert.

The Rules

The User Interface to Reality

Levers to get a handle on life

Accept the Frame
There could be a subjective reality, and you can manipulate it.
System vs Goals
Systems work better.
Talent Stack
Intelligently add talents for exponential performance.
Affirmations
Write down and visualize your goals. Feels like it works.
Mating Instincts
Basis of most impulses. Behaviors make more sense with this lens.
Freedom
Worth a lot of trade-offs.
Fear
A motivator. Use if someone is in danger, but otherwise avoid it.
Curiosity
Important and overlooked. Tease what's coming to shape what people do.
Novelty
Triggers memory and attention.
Contrast
Moves people from where they are to where you want them.
Repetition
The more you repeat, the more the wiring gets solidified.
Simplicity
Our brains are simple machines. Anything complicated gets flushed out.
Fake Because
Gets people moving without using logic.
Pacing-Leading
Match someone until they are comfortable. Then you can lead them.
Aspiration
The high-ground manuever. Challenge others to be better.
Association
Associate only with positive things.
Pattern Recognition
Humans are pattern recognition machines, and we're not good at it.
Visualization
The most powerful part of the brain with the biggest influence. Focus on this.