Test Your Rules

The first time I learned about Rick Rubin was during a behind the scenes feature on the making of Jay Z’s 99 Problems music video. The bearded white guy in the giant fur coat was intriguing to me. Most notably because Jay Z seemed to be so fond of him and he seemingly didn’t speak. 

Later in life, I was able to spend some time with him now and again and he exceeded every expectation of this lore. The man is a transcendent thinker. Period. 

His wisdom has become only more mainstream (for good reason). 

The co-founder of Def Jam Records has a resume that speaks for itself. But, the image below on his Instagram struck me a few days ago. It struck a cord because of an obsession with systems-level thinking. 

One thing we know about systems that improve over time is that they constantly utilize negative feedback and experimentation to iterate. This iterative process isn’t just a process of improvement, it’s an insurance policy against a future demise. 

Rigid structures break and one’s ability to adapt is likely correlated with their ability to endure the challenges of life. 

Great values, processes, and structures are great. However, it’s best to have a means to test and challenge them.

After all, it’s better to break your rules before life breaks you.