Corollary to Rule #4: They're called "Tramp Stamps" for a reason.

Just sayin'.

Rule #4: Take Extreme Care of Whom You Marry

The importance of choosing a spouse cannot be overemphasized.  It is likely the most important decision a man makes.  Marrying the wrong person will fill your life with chaos, pain, and financial drudgery.  Not only can she take your children, but she will likely take a good chunk of your financial world with her as well. Therefore . . . .

Rule #4:  Take extreme care of whom you marry.

This rule encompasses learning about women's psychology.  They are different from men (despite certain groups who claim otherwise).  The world, as I write this, is tilted in favor of women.  The role of father and husband is the butt of jokes on television, and in much of our culture. Even the Church is failing men.

The absolute best advice I've seen on this issue is this:

Before you decide to propose to your girlfriend, pop a Red Pill, look her straight in the eye and say this:

“Marriage is a commitment that I take seriously, and I expect my wife to take it seriously too. I am the spiritual leader and protector of this home, and I am willing to give my life for it. I expect a wife to submit to my leadership even when she disagrees with my decision, because I and I alone will be held accountable by God Almighty for the successes and failures of this household. As a wife, I will need your unending support, your sound advice, physical and emotional companionship, and your steadfast commitment; but I will never need your leadership. In return, I offer provisions, love, faithfulness and eternal commitment to you and our future children.”

If she balks, you know what type of woman she is.  

Further reading can be found at the following NSFW sites:
Dalrock
Roissy (totally NSFW)
University of Man
House of Eratosthenes

Rule #3: Learn What Money Is, What it Isn't, and What it Does.

I'm not sure if this rule is the third most important rule, but given the importance of money in our lives, I figured I should say something about it.  As Zig Ziglar says, "Money isn't everything, but it's reasonably close to oxygen."

Learn what money is, what it isn't, and what it does.

 

Money is a tool that acts as a neutral medium of exchange.  It also is a personality amplifier. 

Money is not the root of all evil, nor is the Bible correct when it says the love of money is the root of all evil.

Money makes you more of what you are.  If you're a giving person, money makes you a bigger giver.  If you're a miser, you become a bigger miser.  If you're foolish, money makes you more foolish.  If you're wise, money makes you wiser.

The exchange of money allows two people with very little in common to exchange the fruits of their labor.  A farmer can buy a new suit from a well-fed tailor.  That is the magic of money.

The curse of money is that it affects your emotional state.  It can change relationships.  "The borrower is slave to the lender."  Christmas feels different when your brother owes you a few thousand dollars.

Money, being a tool, means that people can use it as they wish.  Just as a firearm in the hands of a criminal can be used for evil, the same weapon in the hands of a mother defending her children can be used for good.  Free will (and thus sin) is the root of all evil.  Free will is also the root of all good.  Money can be used for both.  It can be used to bribe police to ignore crimes, or it can be used to set up endowments for the arts.

Remember that blaming your problems on money (your lack of, or someone else's abundance of) runs afoul Rule #2.

Rule #2: The Problem With Your Life is You.

Yep, you heard that right.

The problem with your life is you.

It's not the rich man's fault you made bad decisions and paid $67,000 for a college degree in Aramaic Studies.
It's not the government's fault you can't find a job (although they want you to believe they can fix your life).
It's not the pro athlete's fault he makes $3 million a year and you're making minimum wage.
It's not your girlfriend's fault you stuck with her despite her continual cheating. 

It's your fault.

It's your fault you thought Aramaic Studies was something worth going into debt for.
It's your fault you aren't out offering to mow lawns and babysit and clean houses.
It's your fault you decided to stick with a job making minimum wage instead of bettering yourself and asking for a raise, or moving on to a higher-paying job.
It's your fault you fell for her rationalizations and excuses.

This is a big rule, because it means that YOU are responsible for YOUR LIFE.  Scary thought, I know.  And you'll find a majority of people don't believe this particular rule. Doesn't matter, it still holds true.

Rule 1 and Rule 2 are closely linked, but while Rule 1 focuses on the external, Rule 2 emphasizes the importance of personal action to better yourself.  Waiting for someone else to fix your life is a long wait.  There are people who have been waiting generations for someone else to fix their lives, and if their children's children don't come to learn this rule, those children will still be waiting when the sun goes nova.  Most politicians want you to believe that everything wrong with your life is someone else's fault, and they'll help you make it right.  Just vote them into power, and they'll take care of all the heavy lifting.  Marketers want you to believe that you can purchase that "thing" that's missing from your life to make it right. Just buy their newest gadget, and you too can have that rock-star lifestyle. 

Here's the truth: If you want your life changed, it is up to you to make it happen.   You have control of your life, so you are the one who gets to do all the hard work to make your life better. 

Rule 1: Never Expect Life to be Fair

I've decided to try and condense Workshop's Rules of Life so I can point my sons to them in the future and say "See why that didn't work?  You violated Rule 1."  The biggest problem I've had is ordering them.  But, this is probably the best and most important Rule, so deciding it was #1 was easy.

Never expect life to be fair.

There's always going to be someone smarter/faster/stronger/richer/etc. than you.  That's okay, because there are going to be times when you are smarter/faster/stronger/richer/etc. than someone else.

But if you expect life to be fair, you'll fall prey to the people who say they can make it fair.  Which they can only do by being decidedly UNFAIR to someone else.  If you accept the proposition that Life Should Be Fair, what you're really admitting is "Life should be fair to me and unfair to someone else."  Don't do that, because there are a lot more "someone elses" who will love to make life unfair for you.

That's not to say you shouldn't treat people fairly.  You should, and it is a great insight to another's character when you watch him act fair or unfair to others. There is room for the Golden Rule ("Treat others as you would have them treat you in their place."), and most ethical dilemmas can be solved quickly by applying that rule.  . Good business and common sense dictate that you should deal fairly with people, because that is the best way to keep customers and friends returning.  You can change the unlevel playing field with your preparations and skills and a good soil pulverizer.

But sometimes a driver is distracted and causes a traffic accident that makes you late for work, and you get in trouble for being late.  Not much you can do about it.  A coworker might steal your great idea.  That tells you what type of person he is, so avoid interacting with him in the future, because he's a backstabber.  A politician might promise to cure your financial ailments by taxing "the rich" more.  Which is a straight-out promise that the politician will treat the rich man less fairly than he says he'll treat you.  Don't worry, because the moment your vote doesn't matter, he'll sell you out to another group of people.