Richard Templar is the international bestselling author of The Rules series, known for turning everyday insights into simple, actionable principles. With his calm and clear style, Templar makes complex ideas about thinking and personal development easy to understand and apply. He translates his observations into guiding principles that help readers think smarter, wiser and happier.

Think for yourself

1 Avoid echo chambers

2 Dont be scared

3 Consider the motive

4 Beware self-interest

5 Keep hold of your heartstrings

6 Dont be gullible

Resilient thinking

7 Know who you are

8 Seek out support

9 Take control

10 Be flexible

11 Be self-aware

12 It is what it is

13 Dont get over-distracted

14 Like yourself

15 Be ready to cope

16 Better out than in

17 Cut yourself some slack

Healthy thinking

18 Think yourself happy

19 Focus on other people

20 Be in the present

21 Stress is optional

22 Normality isnt normal

23 Evaluate your emotions

24 Laugh at yourself

25 Keep learning

26 No one likes to be incompetent

27 Practice makes progress

28 Turn off the action replays

29 Sidestep bad habits

30 Appreciate semantics

31 Keep the bar steady

32 Look for the spin

Organised thinking

33 Believe in being organised

34 Learn to love a list

35 Think outside your head

36 Dont overload your RAM

37 Make deadlines your friend

38 Dont indulge in decision-making

39 Get creatively organised

Thinking creatively

40 Train your brain

41 Feed your mind

42 Get in the mood

43 Open up

44 There are no rules

45 Spot the box

46 Think like someone else

47 Make connections

48 Make mistakes

49 Forget about other people

Problem solving

50 Clear your emotions out of the way

51 Make sure theres really a problem

52 Check youre solving the right problem

53 Loosen up

54 Dont settle for your first answer

55 If its plausible, its worthwhile

56 Find a way in

57 Dont get bogged down

58 Try a new angle

59 Dont panic

60 Get help

Thinking together

61 Youre better together

62 Play to everyones strengths

63 Think like a hive

64 Leave your ego behind

65 Keep an eye on the quiet ones

66 Question groupthink

67 Conflict is OK

68 Think up a storm

69 Have stupid ideas

70 Keep in synch

Making decisions

71 Decide what youre deciding

72 Dont start at square two

73 Set yourself boundaries

74 Untangle the knots first

75 Go for Goldilocks

76 Vet your advisors

77 Be your own advisor

78 Dont jump to conclusions

79 Understand your emotions

80 Balance logic and emotion

81 Learn to compromise

82 Find option C

83 Assess the cost of a bad decision

84 Regret is a waste of energy

85 Be honest about procrastinating

Critical thinking

86 Read John Donne

87 Dont be played for a fool

88 Stand back and take in the view

89 Look for what comes next

90 Dont bother your pretty little head

91 Consider the odds

92 Facts are neutral

93 Dont trust statistics

94 Understand cause and effect

95 If you cant prove its true, that doesnt mean it isnt

96 Dont believe it just because everyone else does

97 Dont believe it just because you want to

98 Be devils advocate

99 Dont go into lockdown

100 Opinions arent facts

The Rules of Calm

1 Get a sense of perspective

2 Visualise the best-case scenario

3 Look back on yourself

4 Catch yourself catastrophising

5 Dont flap

6 Have a Plan B

7 Mind your vocab

8 Choose your friends carefully

9 Be your own friend

10 Stop fighting

Had Enough Yet. . . ?

Its not all about you

Get them emotionally involved

No one has to be like you