--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The secret of breaking rules in a way…" description: "\"The secret of breaking rules in a way that works is understanding what the rules are in the first place.\" — Rick Wakeman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/rick-wakeman-12343_breaking-rules_the-secret-of-breaking-rules-in-a-way-th_2086151.jpg" --- # The secret of breaking rules in a way that works is… ![“The secret of breaking rules in a way that works is understanding what the rules are in the first place.” quote by Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/rick-wakeman-12343_breaking-rules_the-secret-of-breaking-rules-in-a-way-th_2086151.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/rick-wakeman-12343_breaking-rules_the-secret-of-breaking-rules-in-a-way-th_2086151.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/rick-wakeman-12343_breaking-rules_the-secret-of-breaking-rules-in-a-way-th_2086151.jpg) > “The secret of breaking rules in a way that works is understanding what the rules are in the first place.” [Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding the purpose and limits of rules allows one to bend them effectively without causing chaos. **In simple terms:** Know rules to break them wisely. Key Takeaway Study rules before challenging them. Themes rules creativity strategy Mood strategic inquisitive Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - business - law - education - design Key Concepts systems thinking innovation Questions to Reflect On - What rules serve you? - When is breaking a rule justified? A Different Perspective Breaking rules can be unethical if misused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breaking rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-rules/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule/) [Rules Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-way-1679362/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Secret Breaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret-breaking-4099345/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Understanding Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding-rules-4099344/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Works Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/works-understanding-4099346/) ## Related quotes > [I always say that it's about breaking the rules. But the secret of breaking rules in a way that works is understanding what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/i-always-say-that-it-s-about-breaking-the-rules-but-the-secret-of/) [Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/) > [I got into NFL that way - watching it without really understanding the rules and then the more I watched it the more I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-barton/i-got-into-nfl-that-way-watching-it-without-really-understanding-the/) [Joey Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-barton/) > [“So, why are so many people lacking in an understanding of the rules? No one has ever taught them!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-j-daly-jr/so-why-are-so-many-people-lacking-in-an-understanding-of-the-rules-no/) [John J. Daly Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-j-daly-jr/) > [“How can we tell whether the rules which we "guess" at are really right if we cannot analyze the game very well? There are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/how-can-we-tell-whether-the-rules-which-we-guess-at-are-really-right/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [I follow my own not the crowd …my life ma rules my way :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zan/i-follow-my-own-not-the-crowd-my-life-ma-rules-my-way/) [Zan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zan/) > [You need to change analog-business rules to meet Web-deliverable rules - not the other way around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-getty/you-need-to-change-analog-business-rules-to-meet-web-deliverable/) [Mark Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-getty/) > [We're breaking all of the rules, even our own rules, and how do we do that? By leaving plenty of room for X quantities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/we-re-breaking-all-of-the-rules-even-our-own-rules-and-how-do-we-do/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Once you have your basics down, you can start breaking the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-colicchio/once-you-have-your-basics-down-you-can-start-breaking-the-rules/) [Tom Colicchio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-colicchio/) > [“If never a rule broken is never any fun had.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aurora/if-never-a-rule-broken-is-never-any-fun-had/) [Aurora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aurora/) > [“Life is a game with breaking the rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/life-is-a-game-with-breaking-the-rules/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [Sometimes breaking the rules is extending the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/sometimes-breaking-the-rules-is-extending-the-rules/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“Bend the rules only if you have learned them; break the rules only if you have mastered them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/bend-the-rules-only-if-you-have-learned-them-break-the-rules-only-if/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [Art is all about doing what you shouldn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobuyoshi-araki/art-is-all-about-doing-what-you-shouldn-t/) [Nobuyoshi Araki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobuyoshi-araki/) > [I want to remind people of a different kind of glamour, a different look, and breaking the rules of fashion. I wanna break the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dita-von-teese/i-want-to-remind-people-of-a-different-kind-of-glamour-a-different/) [Dita Von Teese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dita-von-teese/) > [“A man's life is about keeping rules, breaking them, and making new ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogwo-david-emenike/a-man-s-life-is-about-keeping-rules-breaking-them-and-making-new-ones/) [Ogwo David Emenike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogwo-david-emenike/) ## More by Rick Wakeman > [Even the two times that I left, I never really felt like I left the band. It's very bizarre. It's like there's sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/even-the-two-times-that-i-left-i-never-really-felt-like-i-left-the/) [Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/) > [Actually, I only left twice. I left then, and then rejoined literally two years later for Going For The One.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/actually-i-only-left-twice-i-left-then-and-then-rejoined-literally/) [Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/) > [My mother had never had a day's illness in her life and never thought to have checks. Then, at 78, she discovered she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/my-mother-had-never-had-a-day-s-illness-in-her-life-and-never-thought/) [Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/) > [I read numerous books - loads in fact - and, as I always do when recording a historical project, immersed myself into the subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/i-read-numerous-books-loads-in-fact-and-as-i-always-do-when-recording/) [Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/) > [My faith is very private to me. 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I've also never slept very much due…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/i-ve-got-an-overactive-brain-i-enjoy-work-i-enjoy-life-and-i-m-not/) [Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/) > [I cut out bread, I don't eat after 6 P.M., and I go on walks, and it's had a great effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/i-cut-out-bread-i-don-t-eat-after-6-p-m-and-i-go-on-walks-and-it-s/) [Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/) > [When I die, I'll probably climb out of the coffin and play the organ at my own funeral!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/when-i-die-i-ll-probably-climb-out-of-the-coffin-and-play-the-organ/) [Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/) > [I always say that it's about breaking the rules. 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You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/it-is-impossible-to-be-a-maverick-or-a-true-original-if-you-re-too/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [I am not breaking my rules,' I snapped, hating that I'd ended up on the advice-recieving end of things, jumping from Dear Remy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-am-not-breaking-my-rules-i-snapped-hating-that-i-d-ended-up-on-the/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Creativity comes by breaking the rules, by saying that you're in love with the anarchist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/creativity-comes-by-breaking-the-rules-by-saying-that-you-re-in-love/) [Anita Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-roddick/) > [In effect we are, bending and breaking the rules of the language. And if someone were to ask why we do it, the answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crystal/in-effect-we-are-bending-and-breaking-the-rules-of-the-language-and/) [David Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crystal/) > [“The greatest crimes in the world are not committed by people breaking the rules, but by people following the rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-crimes-in-the-world-are-not-committed-by-people-breaking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe in breaking rules. You can succeed even without breaking rules. But only if you look beyond preset notions, you can get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devi-sri-prasad/i-believe-in-breaking-rules-you-can-succeed-even-without-breaking/) [Devi Sri Prasad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devi-sri-prasad/) > [Sometimes breaking the rules is extending the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/sometimes-breaking-the-rules-is-extending-the-rules/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“I had artistic classical training, and when you learn the classics for so many years, you might gain audacity, power and confidence to subvert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuno-roque/i-had-artistic-classical-training-and-when-you-learn-the-classics-for/) [Nuno Roque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuno-roque/) > [The trading rules I live by are: 1. Cut losses. 2. Ride winners. 3. Keep bets small. 4. Follow the rules without question. 5.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-seykota/the-trading-rules-i-live-by-are-1-cut-losses-2-ride-winners-3-keep/) [Ed Seykota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-seykota/) > [“Life is a game with breaking the rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/life-is-a-game-with-breaking-the-rules/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [Cats are autocrats of naked self-interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/cats-are-autocrats-of-naked-self-interest/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) [Browse all 126 Breaking rules quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-rules/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The secret of breaking rules in a way that works is understanding what the rules are in the first place.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rick Wakeman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/the-secret-of-breaking-rules-in-a-way-that-works-is-understanding/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breaking rules" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/the-secret-of-breaking-rules-in-a-way-that-works-is-understanding/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/rick-wakeman-12343_breaking-rules_the-secret-of-breaking-rules-in-a-way-th_2086151.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/rick-wakeman-12343_breaking-rules_the-secret-of-breaking-rules-in-a-way-th_2086151.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b7/rick-wakeman-12343_breaking-rules_the-secret-of-breaking-rules-in-a-way-th_2086151.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The secret of breaking rules in a way that works is understanding what the rules are in the first place.” — Rick Wakeman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rick Wakeman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The secret of breaking rules in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/the-secret-of-breaking-rules-in-a-way-that-works-is-understanding/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/the-secret-of-breaking-rules-in-a-way-that-works-is-understanding/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```