Hey friends 👋

I heard this the other day and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it:

“People who are constantly stressed don’t have enough rules in their life. They have too many decisions to make every day, which costs them a tremendous amount of energy.” — Friedemann Findeisen, The Tracking Journal

It immediately reminded me of something I underlined in Escape from Freedom by Erich Fromm.

Fromm argues that as modern humans gained more freedom, we also lost the clear-cut roles, norms, and identities that used to shape our lives.

And without anything to replace that structure, we often end up anxious, paralyzed by choice, or drawn to extremes that promise clarity — even if it’s destructive.

So here’s the paradox:

We crave freedom, but without self-imposed structure, we drown in it.

Which brings me back to rules.

Not the kind that fence you in. The kind that keep you moving.

The kind that act like rail guards when you’re fogged up with doubt or resistance.

Rules like:

• “If presented with two equally great options, pick one at random and commit fully.”
• “If I feel myself spiraling, write a single sentence about what I do want.”
• “If I catch myself overthinking cold showers while in the shower… crank that knob to ice mode. No more thinking.”

And I’m starting to believe that true freedom — the kind Fromm talks about, the kind that’s earned — doesn’t come from escaping rules. It comes from choosing better ones.

Rules that reflect who you actually want to become.

Rules that automate the parts of life that don’t need daily deliberation.

Rules that make space for your full creative force to show up.

So, let me ask:

What are your rules?

What defaults or “personal policies” have made life smoother, sharper, or more you?

Hit reply and tell me one.

–Harrison

P.S. One of my favourites from the book: “We do not escape from freedom by choosing rules. We escape from it by refusing to choose.”

Food for thought.