At some point most of us take stock of our life, and maybe draw up a life list to get us where we want to go. I’ve written a few myself! Here is such a list from one of the greatest writers in history – Leo Tolstoy.

Here is a list from the great Russian writerritten when he was just 18 years old. Apparently these 10 rules were only an excerpt from a longer list. I’m glad no one has found what I was writing as a teenager – it might be embarrassing!

The source for these rules is supposedly ‘1847’, from Tolstoy’s Diaries Volume 1: 1847-1894, edited by R. F. Christian. I haven’t looked it up yet, though I have read that Tolstoy was a man who constantly wrote lists. Perhaps he was keen on self-improvement.

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
― Leo Tolstoy

If you know any more about Tolstoy’s behavour list/s do let me know.