When my middle son was young he was very sports minded. I did not understand where that came from, since I was more interested in books and science. I guess that makes me a Geek. (But a lovable one my wife tells me)

Often as I drove him to his games we would talk about understanding the game of soccer. Together we came up with a set of rules which later in life he seemed to absorb as a marketing expert.

Here are 5 rules that you may also find useful.  Life is not really a game but you can have fun getting through it.

1. Know the rules.

    Each game has its own set of rules that you need to know.  We are not really given a rule book to handle life.

When we are at school everything is so structured for us that we begin believe that life is like that too. Many of us never learn that there is no structure to life unless you control it.

The only person you can control is yourself.  You are responsible for yourself and no one else. 

If you really know what you want, nothing will stop you, not fear, not your own limitations not anyone else's ideas of what can or can not do.  

Happiness and success come from understanding what you want.

We build our life day-by-day. We are only here today. Yesterday happened and will never return. Tomorrow we can only hope will happen.

If we want love and laughter in our lives then we must give love and laughter each and every day.

2  Keep your eye on the ball

    If you really know what you want, you will always bring your focus back to your goal. You may stray a little and even forget for a time, but when you realize it, you immediately bring your attention back to what you want to achieve. Your actions move you toward your goal.

3. Know where your team mates are.

    You can not do everything for yourself. You need others who will support you. And when it comes to going after your goal do not depend on those who do not support you.

4. Know when to pass the ball.

    Sometimes it is important to drop one goal to reach another or to spend more time focusing on the one thing that you need to accomplish sooner. Set priorities and do the important things first. 

    Know when to share in the glory of your successes.

5. Be prepared to make a goal.

    Once you are close to your goal, stay focused to get to where you want to go. You must be prepared to accept what you have achieved. You must allow yourself to be happy, to be successful. Do not forget to share your happiness with those who have supported you.

So with an understanding of a few rules that govern our lives, we can be better prepared for whatever life hands us.