Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.
The real wisdom here lies in recognizing that constraint breeds creativity rather than stifles it. Most people hear "break the rules" and imagine rebellion for its own sake, but the Dalai Lama is describing something altogether more disciplined—mastery as a prerequisite for meaningful change. A jazz musician who learns classical technique first doesn't abandon those foundations; she uses them as a springboard to invent something nobody's heard before. Without that initial rigor, rule-breaking becomes mere noise.
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive — to breathe, to...”
Marcus Aurelius“Drive your business. Let not your business drive you.”
Benjamin Franklin“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
Seneca“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
Benjamin Franklin