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We all live our lives according to millions of rules. Have you ever wondered who made up all these rules that make us follow like fools?

Kawee Meksongruek, technological controller at Thai Asia Pacific Brewery, believes that all rules are there to be challenged, and "thinking out of the box" is essential in everything he does.

Kawee learnt to think out of the box from composing music, which he began to study at high school. His father taught him to read music and the basic rhythms. However, his favourite music is jazz, and he has worked towards an understanding of this musical form and basic improvisation theory. His fascination for jazz is obvious when he explains that it is the only form of music in which the same notes can be played night after night, but differently every time.

Kawee also enjoys composing songs for people near to him, like his wife and his colleagues, on special occasions. It is his gift from his heart.

"Playing music in your own style makes you feel proud, because you don't have to worry about the original version, you just create your own. To compose a song for somebody makes him feel precious, because it is only for him," he says.

However, composing Jazz songs is not easy. Creativity and inspiration are crucial because there are no rules, just musical principles. So, on top of a basic understanding, creativity lies at the heart of it.

Kawee's way of thinking can be adapted to his work, because he believes that working in a technical area means he does not have to follow the rules all the time. For Kawee, rules are there to be challenged. Studying the rules clearly leads him to understand when they should be followed and when they should be ignored. Consequently, he is able to work more effectively.

"I am not a follower of rules. I believe that in some conditions, overruling the rules achieves better results," he says.

From his view point, employees who wear uniforms will not necessarily work better than those who do not. Likewise, he does not believe that employees who surf the Internet while at work will fail to do a thorough job. He allows his subordinates to wear what they like and to use computers at work as they wish. But there is a condition: that they carry full responsibility for performing their jobs. Consequently, they are happy and perform their work very well.

Study carefully the rules that dictate how you live and work. If you challenge them, you may also find success.