An article at Yahoo Finance, 7 New Rules For Getting Ahead, listed the following rules to keep in mind to stay ahead of the game in today’s world:

Rule 1. You don’t deserve a job.
Rule 2. You don’t know enough.
Rule 3. Less stuff equals more freedom.
Rule 4. Prepare for many turns.
Rule 5. Entrepreneurs have an advantage.
Rule 6. Don’t get addicted to your paycheck.
Rule 7. Loving what you do pays off.

Here my take on these:

Rule 1 – This hasn’t seemed to change.  The best and brightest overachievers always get hired first…who would want to hire the underachievers first?

Rule 2 – Keeping yourself educated is so important since technology is changing things every day.

Rule 3 – The more stuff you own, the more maintenance requirements you take on.  Although I’m not an avid minimalist, it is just common sense that you will bogged down less if you own less stuff.

Rule 4 – Hardly anyone stays in the same job for their whole working life anymore.  Sometimes that is by choice and sometimes it’s not.  Being prepared and staying qualified is essential for career survival.

Rule 5 - The article stated that entrepreneurs not only have the classic advantages of being their own boss, but even have the creative advantage of the entrepreneurial mindset when working for someone else.  I think this boils down to saying that creative thinking is appreciated no matter what your situation.

Rule 6 – This is the rule that trips me up.  It’s hard not to “settle” for a paycheck.  As the article suggests, living below your means will give you the flexibility to take chances to better your working life.

Rule 7 – Obviously, finding a job you enjoy can be the difference between night and day.  As I’ve heard a hundred times before, it’s not work if you enjoy it.  This is another rule that I break since I have settled into a position that isn’t my passion.  Based on the millions of job reviews you can find online, it seems that this rule is the hardest to follow for quite a few people like me.

What rules above do you follow?  Which ones do you disagree with?