A step-by-step guide to breaking all the rules and coming out on top.

Kurt Cobain’s grunge attitude towards clothing and music shaped the 90’s era and defined an entire generation.

He even once wore a pair of converse on a suit in what I believe to be an attempt to give the fashion world a middle finger.

It was his way of saying to the world that I don’t really give a fuck!

He earned it. He earned that right to break the rules. He earned it with his talent, success and relentlessness.

BREAKING NEWS: YOU ARE NOT KURT COBAIN.

That’s why, whenever you want to break the rules (whatever these were) you must first earn the right to do so.

I know a lot of people who dress like bums, but then defend their poor choices by using Steve Jobs as an example.

BREAKING NEWS: YOU ARE NOT STEVE JOBS.

You don’t have his intelligence, nor his brilliance in technology and marketing.

A lot of people claim that a college education is useless and defend their poor choices by using Bill Gates (a college drop out) as an example.

BREAKING NEWS: YOU ARE NOT BILL GATES.

Before you attempt to respond or even get offended, I advise you to read the biographies of these masterminds to better understand their brilliance and talents.

So unless you have this level of talent, this level of money, this level of success, please don’t use these role models as an argument to defend your poor choices in life.

Until you establish a certain level of “value”, you won’t be able to get aways with breaking the rules. You might get away with it in your head, but definitely not in the real world.

First, you must learn the rules.

Second, you master the rules.

Third, you break the rules.

Then, you make your own rules.

Pay your dues. 

You are entitled to nothing.