You got into business because you’re a free spirit.

An independent thinker. An iconoclast. Maybe even a bit of a rebel.

Rigid rules? No thank you.

Other people telling you what to do? Suck a lemon.

And yet, I know puh-lenty of brilliant entrepreneurs who have gotten sucked into spirals of sadness, because they started believing in boner-killing rules about how “business should be done.”

Rules like these (… sound familiar?):

You MUST give people a free e-book as a “thank you” for getting on your mailing list, or nobody will give a rat’s ass about anything you do!

You MUST have at least 1,000 people on your mailing list before you can even THINK about releasing a product! Otherwise, don’t even bother!

You MUST set strict boundaries with your ideal customers! They’ll walk all over you, if you don’t!

Wahh. Wahh. Wahhhhh.

Rules like those make me feel like Eva from The Crossfire Series, when she suspects that Gideon might be cheating on her with his sultry ex-fiance. In other words: MISERABLE AND CRAZY!

How about throwing those rules out the window … shaking things up a bit … and trying something a bit … taboo?

Here are 5 “business taboos” that I’d LOVE to see more people try:

(Ooh! I feel naughty just thinking about them!)

: Taboo Number 1: Take A Break From “Promotion.”

Instead of a long, drawn-out promotional campaign that bores everyone (including you) to tears, make your next offering a total “surprise.”

(I call it “Pulling a Beyonce” … ‘cause it’s what she did for her latest album launch!)

: Taboo Number 2: Drop off of social media. Completely.

Just focus on creating content for the fans you’ve already got, instead of trying to woo more, more, more. (My girl Alex has been Facebook-free since 2007. And she recently declared a Twitter-hiatus, to boot. Her business? Doing just fine.)

: Taboo Number 3: Stop trying to make money for a hot minute.

The friend who keeps texting and texting (“Brunch? Dinner? Drinks? Walk around the park? Shoulder massage?”) and won’t ever leave you alone … is a real drag.

Give your audience a chance to miss you. Build some space + tension between new “announcements” and “offerings,” instead of cranking like a money-crazed machine.

When you DO swing back with a big announcement, they’ll know it’s something worth paying attention to!

: Taboo Number 4: Stop trying to “leverage” everything.

What if (gasp!) you decided to give something valuable your audience … a workbook, a free class, a resource kit, a powerful idea … just because it’s helpful? End of story?

Not, “And THEN I’ll leverage that free gift into an e-course … then a workshop series… then a conference … then a $50,000 contract with a Fortune 100 company … then an Emmy, an Oscar, a Tony … and a presidential nomination! ME for 2016!”

Calm down and just … give, without any expectations. The thought gives me shivers.

It’s practically erotic! 😉

: Taboo Number 5: Actually ENJOY your work.

I know. Crrrrrazy town. But guess what? Getting OBSESSED with your work (and really, truly enjoying it) is the key to effortless, almost-superhuman productivity. Take it from me. 😉