April 13, 1970. The Apollo 13 crew is in trouble.
Three days into their mission, an oxygen tank explodes, crippling the spacecraft. Systems fail. Oxygen dwindles. Home is 200,000 miles away.
To survive, they must adjust their trajectory—by hand. No computers. No precise calculations. Just three astronauts, floating in the void, relying on instinct and the few tools they have left.
Then, in the chaos, Commander Jim Lovell sees it: a single fixed point through a small triangular window. Earth, glowing in the distance.
“If we can keep the Earth in the window,” Lovell says, “we’ll stay on course.”
So, they fire the engine, adjusting their position. No instruments. No guarantees. Just one unshakable principle guiding them home.
In The 5 Types of Wealth, Sahil Bloom calls this a Life Razor: a rule that cuts through complexity, bringing clarity when everything else is uncertain.
The Apollo 13 crew had theirs. In the chaos of life, we need our own.
Marc Randolph, co-founder of Netflix, had his.
Marc Randolph’s Tuesday Dinner Rule
Before Netflix was a household name, Marc Randolph was drowning in work. Leading a startup. Pulled in a hundred directions. Growth consuming every hour.
But early on, he made one rule:
“I will never miss a Tuesday dinner.”
Every Tuesday, 5:00 PM sharp, he walked out the door. If you had something to say, you caught him in the parking lot. If a crisis hit, it had to wrap up by five. No excuses.
At first, it was just a personal commitment. Then, the ripple effect began:
- His wife knew she came first, not work.
- His children grew up with a father who showed up.
- His employees respected his priorities and set their own.
Randolph’s Tuesday dinner rule was never about a meal. It was about clarity, a Life Razor, a single, unwavering principle that removed hesitation from his decisions.
Philosophers have long used mental shortcuts—razors—to simplify thinking.
- Occam’s Razor: The simplest solution is often the best.
- Hanlon’s Razor: Never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence.
A Life Razor is different. It’s not just logic—it’s identity. A filter for decisions. A rule that defines what truly matters.
When life gets overwhelming, your Life Razor cuts through the noise. You don’t have to think. You already know what to do.
How to Define Your Life Razor
A strong Life Razor must meet three essential criteria:
- Identity-Defining. It should reflect the person you aspire to be.
- Ripple-Creating. It should positively shape other areas of your life.
- Controllable. You must have full control over it. No outside factors required.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- “I never miss a recital.” (Entrepreneur, 36)
- “I always tuck my kids into bed.” (Stay-at-home mother, 35)
- “I do one good deed each day and never tell anyone about it.” (Retiree, 65)
Your Life Razor is not a goal. It’s not a productivity hack. It’s a decision-making tool, a way to stay anchored in what matters most.
Ask yourself:
“I am the type of person who…”
Write it down. Keep it visible. If it doesn’t feel strong enough, refine it.
Because when chaos comes—and it will—you don’t want to hesitate. You want certainty.
Making Your Life Razor Stick
Life is overwhelming. There will always be more demands, more distractions, more chances to drift off course. Without a guiding principle, every decision feels like starting from scratch.
A Life Razor removes that burden. Instead of overthinking or reacting to pressure, you act with clarity because the rule is already set.
Find yours. Your Earth in the window. Write it down. Let it shape your choices. Test it in the moments that matter.
Because if you identify your Life Razor and keep it top of mind, it won’t just change your decisions.
It will change you.
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