Law number 1, never outshine the master. Nicolas Fouquet made the mistake of appearing larger than his king, Louis XIV, and spent his remaining days incarcerated. Avoid victories over superiors, it will cost you more than it is worth. Law number 2, never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies. Michael III of the Byzantine Empire was saved from death by Basilius, who Michael in turn favored with gifts and prestige. Basilius, lusting for more power, murdered Michael out of greed. Instead of showing gratitude, he was insatiable. Trust from a distance. People are selfish and pursue their own interests. Former opponents make more loyal and stronger friends. Law number 3. Conceal your intentions. The Marquis de Savigne wanted to seduce a young countess. Instead of being indirect and subtle, he exposed his true feelings for her and she lost all interest. He blurted out that he loved her. Add a sense of unexplicable mystery to your character. Law number four, always say less than necessary. Law number five, so much depends on reputation guarded with your life. During the Second World War, Erwin Rommel was known for his superior skill in cunning and deceptive strategy. All of the opposition were demoralized and doubting their chances of success facing him. Your reputation precedes you, build and protect it carefully. Law number six, court attention at all cost. Pablo Picasso would not allow himself to fade into the background. He would rather paint something out of the ordinary and ugly than be forgotten. All publicity is good publicity. Don't let yourself become one of many. Law number seven, get others to do the work for you. Thomas Edison wasn't much of a scientist, but a businessman. He would capitalize on Nikola Tesla's genius and garner all the credit. Hire talents capable of doing what you can't. Law number 8. Make other people come to you. Use bait if necessary. When I have laid bait for deer, I don't shoot at the first doe that comes to sniff, but wait until the whole herd has gathered round. Otto von Bismarck. Force your opponent to react to your moves. Law number 9. Win through your actions, not through arguments. Mucinus needed strong ships. Without guarding his tongue, his engineer argued that a different type than the one Mucinus preferred would be much better for conquest. Despite being right, the engineer was sentenced to death. Don't argue with authorities. Agree and suggest an alternative. Then demonstrate. Law number 10. Infection. Avoid the unhappy and unlucky. Lola Montes brought down the king of Bavaria and his whole kingdom by seducing him. Her lust for destruction and chaos was insatiable. Countless lives perished because of her nature. Cut off the fire starters. Try to help them instead and you will burn alongside them. Law number 11. Learn to keep people dependent on you. Otto von Bismarck led the king's hand in uniting a mighty Prussia. None other than Bismarck was able to do so. He proved himself to be an indispensable asset and had his strong position secured. Be the only one who can do what you do or see yourself replaced in fear sooner or later. Law number 12. Use selective honesty to disarm your victim. Count Victor Lustig was going to double Al Capone's $50,000. Instead of running with the money, he gave it all back to Capone, who thought he was being played by a con artist. Capone gave Lustig the $5,000 simply to help the honest man. Tell the truth to gain your opponent's trust. Be honest when expected to be dishonest, to throw your opponent off guard. Law number four, always say less than necessary. Due to his unpredictability, Louis XIV would have his courtiers tremble in fear when delivering bad news. He would say, I shall see. Have them leave the room and either take action or decide to do nothing about the issue, but always with an intimidating silence. Only speak when you have something meaningful to say. Actions speak louder than words. Law number thirteen, asking for help appealed to people's self-interest. In 433 BC, the Athenians found themselves in a favorable position. The Corserans and the Corinthians were preparing for war. Both parties wanted to secure the help of the Athenians. The Corinthians chose to remind them of an existing debt. The Corserans, on the other hand, spoke only of mutual interests, the combined force of their navy directed at Sparta. The Athenians allied with the Corserans. In sales of any kind. Pragmatic arguments will always trump emotional appeals. The past does not matter. Don't count on loyalty. Aim for win-win deals. Law number 14 poses a friend, work is a spy. Charles-Maurice de Teleron-Peregord, French politician and mastermind behind Napoleon Bonaparte's defeat, would hold himself back in conversation and get others to talk endlessly of themselves to the point of betraying their own thoughts, intent and strategy. An interrogation disguised as a friendly chat, so subtle that the victim did not notice. Learn to judge a person's character by what they reveal of themselves, so that you can recognize a threat before it arises. Test people's honesty before you consider trusting them. Law number 15. Crush your enemy totally. A priest asked the dying Spanish statesman and general Ramon Maria Narvaez, Does your excellency forgive all your enemies? I do not have to forgive my enemies, answered Narvaez. I have had them all shot. The last resort, when words are no longer heard and the enemy cannot possibly be reasoned with, the chances for peace at their lowest, the only option is total destruction. Merely wound the enemy, he will recover and show no mercy in turn. Law number 16. Use absence to increase respect and honor. A man said to a dervish, why do I not see you more often? The dervish replied, Because the words, Why have you not been to see me? are sweeter to my ear than the words, Why have you come again? Molayami quoted in Idris Shaw's Caravan of Dreams, 1968. Give people time to miss you by robbing them of your presence. It's when we lose something that we discover how valuable it had been to us. On your return, you will be appreciated all the more. Law number 17. Cultivate an air of unpredictability. Once Pablo Picasso had become a recognized artist, others would assume that whatever action he took must have been calculated. The art dealer Paul Rosenberg was confused when one day Picasso told him they would no longer work together. Rosenberg couldn't find out why and offered him a much better deal. The unpredictable is terrifying. When you don't know what to expect, you cannot prepare properly. You can't devise a clever plan because you're in the dark. Put others in such a position when negotiating. Law number 18. Isolation is dangerous. The more you are isolated, the easier it is to deceive you. You lose touch with reality. When someone is urging you to cut friends and family out of your life, realize that they want to control and influence you all by themselves. Whether they do this consciously or unconsciously, it is malicious. Be careful in cutting yourself off from others for too long. Introverted or not, you may cause yourself great harm psychologically by pushing others away from you. Law number 19. Do not offend the wrong person. Muhammad, the Shah of Khwarazm and Inalchik, had beheaded Genghis Khan's messengers, who had come in peace with great gifts and offerings. The Khan declared war, seized the enemy's capital, and had Inalchik killed, quote, by having molten silver poured into his eyes and ears. Later, Genghis Khan seized Samarkand, bringing his brutal conquest of Muhammad's vast empire to an end. What would have become of Adolf Hitler had he been given the chance of becoming an artist? Perhaps history would be very different. Avoid insulting others. You do not know who you are dealing with. Even though we live in a time where everyone is offended and the level of political correctness borders on absolute madness. Law number 20. Do not commit to anyone. Alcibiades, Greek soldier and statesman, found himself courted by the Athenians and the Spartans because he had influence on the Persians and honored by the Persians because he had influence over the Greek city-states. Instead of committing to one side, he played all of them in his favor. Committing to someone is like handing yourself over to them. It means more obligations and less control. Law number 21. Play a soccer. to catch a sucker. Socrates said, the only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing. He didn't actually believe of himself that he did not know anything. It was his way of disarming people. Sometimes you have to play dumb so that the other lets his guard down. Being openly smart is foolish. Being openly foolish is smart. Law number 22. Surrender tactic. Transform weakness into power. The Melians were prompted to surrender. but declined the Athenians offer. Despite their alliance, the Spartans did not come to the rescue. Melos was conquered and their population slaughtered and sold into slavery. To quote Cardinal de Rez, Weak people never give way when they ought to. Avoid weakness, but when you find yourself in a weak spot, choose to fight another day. You will lose the current battle, but the war is not over. Law number 23. Concentrate your forces. The greater an empire's territories, the more vulnerability. Great lands need strong borders, else they may be overrun by another barbarian tribe as seen with the collapse of Rome. Your armies are strongest when forged together. Divide them, and they may not be able to protect the empire from an invasion. Dedicate your complete focus to one front, using every resource at your disposal. and all of your energy to master your craft through total immersion. Law number 24. Play the perfect courtier. One cannot spell courtiership without Charles-Maurice de Teleron-Périgord, the man who brought down Napoleon Bonaparte, master of the battlefield, with extreme subtlety. You are a courtier, or courtier, whether you like it or not. You must play the game of power, so you might as well choose to be good at it. The perfect courtier obeys his masters but shines in his own light. He is not powerless, doesn't trust but appears trustful. Doesn't talk much but finds the right words and the right timing when he does. Everyone likes him. He is charming, witty and helpful. He appears to be neutral, a paragon of honesty and fairness. He always has a genuine smile on his face and we don't doubt his intentions for one second. Although he is a great talent, we do not feel threatened by him. We seek him as an ally. This way, the perfect courtier holds more power than the king himself, without the dangers of that position. As we target the highest authorities, he's in the shadows observing the current state of the chessboard. Pieces may fall and be sacrificed on both ends, but he is winning regardless. Learn the art of courtiership. Law number 25. Recreate yourself. Others will call you what they think you are, or what they think they see in you. It's all superficial. Every now and again you'll receive a genuine compliment. But your parents, friends, society, even your government, expects you to be someone or something else. It's important that you choose to be whatever you want to be, and that you feel free to change whenever you like. You have the freedom to dismiss the opinions of others. Even to put on a good show like Gaius Julius Caesar. The world is your stage. It's up to you what role you want to play. Think of life like a book. And you're writing it. You're the main character. So act like it. Law number 26. Keep your hands clean. As written in Niccolo Machiavelli's letter to the prince, Cesare Borgia was using Ramiro d'Orco as a tool to take gruesome action against all of his enemies. In the end he used him as a scapegoat, put the full blame on the orco and threw lavish banquets for the common folk, presenting not only his clean slate but positive change. It is the ultimate act of betrayal, to have someone's back only to find out they've been using you this whole time. Avoid falling into the trap of being someone's cat's paw or scapegoat. Law number 27. Play on people's need to believe. There are two different types of people in the world. Those who want to know and those who want to believe. Friedrich Nietzsche. We strive to find meaning in a world full of formless chaos. Hence most of us resort to the comfort of believing in unproven divine entities. Your quest for answers and your need to belong is used against you. Whether for your recruitment as a mindless disciple or your loyal customership for a particular brand, On your own behalf. Law number 28. Interaction with boldness. If you're confident enough to play the role of Monsieur Lustig, one of the greatest con artists in history, selling the Eiffel Tower to greedy scrap metal business owners looking to make a fortune overnight for millions of dollars, not once but twice, one thing is crystal clear. You're not playing around. You don't hesitate and your moves have a high rate of success. Be that in seduction. Strategy or power games. There's that one split second before a box fight where Mike Tyson's opponent will flinch and break eye contact. He already knows he's beaten. There's that scene where Marco Polo and Kublai Khan stare down a wolf. It's hesitation versus boldness. In order to be fearless, you need courage. Be bold. Law number 29. Plan all the way to the end. Excerpt from the book. The gods on Mount Olympus, looking down on human actions from the clouds, they see in advance the endings of all great dreams that lead to disaster and tragedy. And they laugh at our inability to see beyond the moment and at how we delude ourselves. Before you take action, consider the possible outcomes and consequences, calculate the risk, then execute if it's worth doing. However. As time goes on, things reform and it would be foolish to stick to a plan that ignores change. Law number 30. Make your accomplishments seem effortless. Harry Houdini made his stunt performances look like they were a walk in the park, a piece of cake, as easy as stealing a child's lollipop. No one saw just how much work, preparation and practice went into every piece of the puzzle. That illusion, we call magic. make it look like it was improvised made up on the spot and it will seem genuine boast how much work went into something and its natural allure the magic is gone Law number 31. Get others to play with the cards you deal. Ivan the Terrible let Russia choose between him as their Tsar or total destruction from its enemies, the Boyars. He made them see that they could only possibly be protected by him. It wasn't really a choice and the Russians probably had other options that they were unaware of. They begged him to come back to the capital and lead them. This was what he wanted all along. People like to think they have a choice. Present them options that will work for you either way. This is the norm in elections and anything of real importance. Just like Houdini's performance, it is an illusion. Law number 32. People's need to believe and people's fantasies. There isn't a big difference. Il Brigadino was an alchemist. People believed he could turn objects like wood into gold. Ironically, the only gold he ever made was given to him by the people who wanted him to multiply it. And others started to learn and practice alchemy. Stop clicking on how to make a million dollars overnight type clickbait. Stop buying 6 minute ab workout programs and stop going to the 7 steps on how to pull hot chicks within hours event and get real. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Law number 33 Discover each man's thumbscrew Cardinal Richelieu would find out the weaknesses of everyone around him, then worked on it by being useful to them until they were of no use to him. One by one he worked his way up to the king, who at the time was a mere child. Know the weak spots of your opponents, the crack in their defense, and you will know what to work with when you need it. In reverse, do not betray your own weaknesses. law number thirty four be royal in your own fashion act like a king christopher columbus did not accept his low standing in the world he was born he re-created his family tree married into nobility and peddled with kings now unless he was mad people thought there must be valid reasons behind his bold requests he must be legitimate ask for less receive less What you tolerate is what you end up with. Do not think lowly of yourself. You're a king in your own right. You're a queen in your own right. Princes and princesses are no good today. Law number 35. Master the art of timing. Joseph Fouché was switching sides whenever he sensed danger. His biography is riddled with nigh-impossible escapes from death. He did not deem it necessary to be loyal to disloyal men. Say what you want of his attitude. But he certainly knew when to act and when to lay low. With time comes change. It is important to not only know how to adapt, but at what exact moment for maximum effect. Too fast and you're a traitor. Too late and you're imitating the others. In any case, learn to use time to your advantage. Law number 36. Disdain things you cannot have. King Henry VIII of England ignored his wife Catherine of Aragon. for denying him a son. With Thomas Cromwell on his side, he devised a clever plan to marry Anne Boleyn. When you ignore someone, they cannot argue with you, they cannot influence you, you are out of reach, and they can't do anything about it. If there is something you cannot and will never have, it is best to push it aside with discontent. Law 37 Create Compelling Spectacles Dr. Weisleder healed his patients with the mere energy of moonlight, Why was this obvious scam so successful? Well, people didn't have the internet back then, but they also believed it was too spectacular to be fraud. The grandiosity, the associated status, rich and famous personalities were waiting in line to be healed and healed again. Using symbols as powerful as the moon and the very absence of explanation, let people fill in the logical gaps all by themselves. If everyone believes it, it must be true. Mark Twain wrote, Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. Law 38 Think as you like, but behave like others. 478 BC The fearless and experienced warrior, Pausinias, and his Greek troops captured part of the Persian Empire. Being the overseer of these lands, went to his head, and he began acting rather strangely, even for Pausinias. He spoke ill of his own people, feeling and showing superiority breeds hate. His god complex and constant need to stand out had him killed in the end. You want to fit in, whether you share common beliefs or not. Being better or different in any way just causes trouble through other people's envy and disdain. They'll ostracize you from the group and slander your reputation. How much money do you make? About 70% of whatever they make. Law 39 Stir up waters to catch fish This is the good old lay a trap with bait and wait Monkey see monkey do The spider web Mice desire cheese so much, they won't even see the obvious construction around it. When you know your enemies and their weaknesses, you know what they react to, and you use this knowledge against them. Create a false alarm. They'll make a run to save what they hold so dearly and weaken themselves by exposing their flank. That's where you hit them. That's certainly where they will hit you if you fall for it. Keep yourself from being reactive. All that rage, blinding emotions, fear, desire. It makes you predictable and it makes you weak. Don't be impulsive. Law 40. Despise the free lunch. Louis XIV had an eagle eye for the strategic power of money. He would gift paintings of great value to people who didn't like him very much, until then. This way, he got nobility, the keys to power, on his side. At the same time, he increased operational costs for the aristocrats who wanted him gone. It's ingenious. He took money from his enemies and gave it to his new friends. Two birds with one stone. This is one of my favorite laws because it states that cheap misers miss out on opportunities. It pays to be generous and it pays not to accept free gifts. What is the return of investment on paying for someone's coffee? You sit down at Starbucks with an influential, connected and experienced entrepreneur. You get to talk to him for 10 minutes, ask his advice, learn from his mistakes. I don't care if the coffee costs $50, I'm paying because there is a lot of upside. law forty one avoid stepping into a great man's shoes alexander the great's father had set the standard of achievement very high alexander wasn't going to be content in his father's shadow he wasn't going to rest on his father's and later on his own laurels When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer. Now, imagine if Alexander the Great had had a son, who wanted to be a conqueror, that he would pale in comparison is an understatement. Not a soul would have attributed his success to him, for he'd achieve everything on the shoulders of his father. Don't make it your life's task to be better at being someone else. Instead, go your own way, unapologetically. Be your best self. Law 42 Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter. When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. Cut the snake at the head. What is an army without its generals, without leadership? Whole empires have been secured off of conscientious leaders with iron willpower and vision. Take them away, and much like Alexander's empire after his death, they break apart and crumble, turning on each other, defecting and deserting. Often the glue that sticks everything together consists of a few key people at the top in any kind of organization, any kind of social group or hierarchy. Do with this information what you will. Law 43 Work on the Heart and Mind of Others October of 1793 the French Revolution declared the end of the monarchy. Marie Antoinette knelt at a guillotine for she never cared about the people's opinion of her as their queen. She fought herself above the common folk. Pampered and disgustingly narcissistic, she paid the price, never learning from her mistakes. You should influence people. and win friends as Dale Carnegie suggests. It is more than beneficial to be recognized for your kindness and helpful demeanor. Be agreeable or face the consequences of being indifferent. Be humble or be humbled. Law 44. Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect. Elcibiades charmed the Athenians, got accused of profaning sacred statues and fled. Then charmed the Spartans, impregnated the king's wife and fled. Then charmed the Persians. and helped Athens win their war against Sparta. They welcomed him back with open arms. Wherever Alcibiades went, whoever he had to deal with, he would leave behind his own values and appear to share the values of his victims. No one could resist a man who not only concored with them, but also admired their ways of living, seeming to be one of their own. You like people who like you, who are like you. Match people's energy, speak their language, eat their food, find common grounds, and even envious people will drop their preconceived notions about you. Law 45. Preach change, but never reform quickly. Change is imperative, but human beings love the comfort familiarity provides. The unknown, disorder, and chaos are very disruptive and undesirable to us, even when it is for the better. Hence, we need small, incremental changes that build over a long period of time, allowing everyone to adjust at a comfortable pace. You are moving things in the right direction, while avoiding stirring up too much anxiety and dissent. Change things gradually, one step at a time, dragging the voluntary rest of us with you. Law 46 Never Appear Too Perfect It takes great talent and skill to conceal one's talent and skill. La Rochefoucauld. If you have been paying attention, you will have noticed that a lot of these power plays revolve around the master and the student or slave, domination and submission, superiority or authority and inferiority, ego, pride, arrogance and envy, jealousy, hatred. It's a very vicious and ultimately destructive cycle. Everyone wants to be the king. No one wants to be the pawn. Me? I don't want to be a pawn, but I don't want to be the king either. I don't want to envy nor be envied. I want to be the faceless man behind the throne. I don't want to be on the chessboard. I don't want to be a visible target. But I still want to win at the game of power, no matter what side loses. law forty seven in victory learn when to stop in seventeen fifty one madame de pompadour found herself unable to satisfy louis fifteenth's lust to hold on to her privileged position she arranged younger prettier women to keep the king happy this was a loss for she had to swallow her pride and share louis with others they however could not compete with her charm talents taste and flawless sense for fashion her reign as mistress had lasted an unprecedented twenty years don't push too far or you risk losing it all know when to take a loss and move on Law 48. Assume Formlessness. The Spartans, the most powerful infantry the world had ever seen at the time, lost the war with Athens, for they were outnumbered and unwilling to change their views. They did not adapt to circumstance. They did not build walls. They did not want to conquer new lands, nor engage in trade, for gold gave rise to corruption. Meanwhile, Athens was thriving through constant reform. Spartans fell behind. and collapsed. Don't fight change. When you catch yourself in the futile attempt to resist a new order, remind yourself that you not only missed the opportunity to predict it, but to adapt to it in time. You have to be anti-fragile. As Bruce Lee said, and this is the closing statement, you must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Be water, my friend.