do you still think friendship is about trust and loyalty wake up to reality friendship is a farce in the game of power people are not friends they are tools temporary resources they are used until they become useless and then discarded without a second thought makaveli already knew that relationships are not built on affection but on what can be extracted from them friendship is just a facade that serves the interests of those who know how to manipulate the weak cling to illusory bonds believing that loyalty is eternal the strong know that the only loyalty that matters is loyalty to oneself when someone no longer serves a purpose when their value has faded there is no room for sentimentality you cut them off without remorse without looking back the question is clear will you keep deluding yourself with this idea of true friendship or will you finally understand that in the end people are just disposable pieces in your game the fatal mistake of the weak is thinking that loyalty is a virtue the truth is that loyalty is a tool and a tool is discarded when it is no longer useful ladies and gentlemen let me begin with an uncomfortable truth true friendship is rare rare but not impossible what we call friendship most of the time is a strategic exchange a game of interests what you offer what others want and nothing more today we're going to talk about this friendship is a game use it while it's advantageous and discard it without hesitation when it no longer serves you because in the game of power those who mix emotion with strategy end up being swallowed by their own naivity but think about it why do we feel so uncomfortable admitting this is it because we subconsciously recognize that many of our connections are superficial and what if I told you that this superficiality is precisely what makes them so useful friendship as we know it is a social construct it serves both to protect and to manipulate since the dawn of humanity alliances have been formed not out of love or affection but out of necessity for survival entire tribes thrived or perished depending on strategic bonds and today it's no different we just assign prettier names to what is at its core still a transaction i myself have experienced moments when I realized that my friendships were based on convenience and interest when the truth hit I had to cut ties and it wasn't easy but as Nietz said that's part of the game make no mistake we are all playing the same game a few years ago I worked with someone I considered a close friend he helped me solve problems and I gave him advice he valued but when my business started to prosper something changed he began asking for favors that went beyond what was reasonable until I realized that the relationship had become unbalanced i cut ties and he didn't understand to him our friendship was emotional to me it was strategic who was right both depending on the perspective that experience taught me something crucial the difference between those who see relationships as investments and those who see them as obligations those who understand the game know that friendships are implicit contracts if you don't deliver value the contract is broken simple as that nitsa wasn't joking when he said "Every man is a means to my end." He understood the game like few others people approach you because you have something they want status money power even the feeling of belonging but here's the truth when the value you offer disappears the friendship dies it's a cold reality but an undeniable one and Mchaveli he warned about what truly matters what you can offer remember if you think your friendship is more than that you're playing at being naive think of Alexander the Great and Hephastian history romanticizes their friendship as something heroic but in practice Alexander knew Hephian was loyal because they shared the same goals when Hefistian died Alexander collapsed emotionally not because he lost a friend but because of the strategic void that loss created even the greatest leaders suffer when they lose key pieces on the board but Nze takes it further he invites us to question is the idea of selfless friendship actually an illusion designed to keep people trapped in unrealistic expectations or is it just another form of social control now think for a moment have you ever had to choose between a friend's loyalty and your own success what did you do did you do what was right for you or did you feel trapped by the idea of friendship i remember an entrepreneur I once met he had a longtime business partner someone with whom he had shared dreams and plans from the very beginning but as the business grew the partner started sabotaging important decisions driven by jealousy and fear of losing his position the entrepreneur faced a dilemma keep the partnership out of gratitude or move forward alone he chose the second option today he's one of the most influential names in the market the partner he was left behind resentful that's the difference between those who play to win and those who play not to lose but here's the real question are you willing to pay the price of truth or do you prefer to live under the illusion that your friendships are pure selfless and eternal let's stop and think for a second how many times have you seen those friends disappear the moment you were no longer useful how many loyalties dissolved when interests diverged there is no greater truth than this friendship is a contract a contract that exists only as long as it remains beneficial companies form strategic partnerships and break them when they're no longer profitable politicians make alliances until election day and on social media don't be fooled followers are not friends their outlets for validation or influence friendship in the 21st century is not pure it's a constant negotiation look at the story of Napoleon Bonapart he built empires with allies who admired him until the day they began to fear him when Napoleon lost political control those same allies abandoned him friendship loyalty all an illusion what remains is pragmatism but let's go deeper what happens when you try to resist this logic when you insist on maintaining friendships that no longer have strategic value you become vulnerable your energy is drained your opportunities are wasted and in the end you find yourself surrounded by people who only take never giving anything in return now pay attention using people is not a sign of cruelty it's a sign of intelligence a true leader understands that everyone around them has a role and they use them accordingly one friend to expand their network another to validate their ideas yet another to strengthen their public image every interaction is an exchange make no mistake true power doesn't come from manipulation but from maximizing the value of those around you while it remains mutually beneficial imagine a film director he needs a talented screenwriter a charismatic actor and a visionary producer each of these professionals contributes to the film's success but none of them are there out of pure friendship they're there because they see personal benefit in the project this is the perfect balance everyone wins but no one is deceived about their intentions but here's the catch to maximize the value of a friendship you need to understand what the other person desires money recognition emotional security when you know what drives someone you can offer exactly what they need and in return get what you need it's a carefully choreographed dance where both sides win here's the trick when you hold on to a friendship beyond its usefulness you become vulnerable a true master of power doesn't hesitate to cut ties when they are no longer beneficial this isn't cruelty it's strategy you cut without guilt because your survival your success depends on it loyalty it's negotiable success however is non-negotiable and when a friend becomes more of a burden than a benefit it's time to let go think of Henry Ford he surrounded himself with brilliant collaborators but he also knew when it was time to replace them when someone stopped contributing to his vision he dismissed them without remorse was it cruel maybe but it was this clarity that led him to revolutionize the automotive industry now here's the final lesson knowing when to cut ties isn't just about avoiding the weight of a toxic friendship it's about making room for new connections new opportunities every friendship you hold on to beyond its utility is a door that remains closed to something better look at Steve Jobs he made and discarded strategic alliances throughout his career without hesitation jobs didn't care about friendship when the vision for his company was at stake he knew that to build an empire he had to surround himself with the right people and walk away from obstacles if he had been concerned with friendship he wouldn't have revolutionized the tech industry and what about Julius Caesar he used political allies to consolidate his power and discarded them when they became expendable these leaders understood that there is no room for sentimentality in the game of power friends allies partners they are all pieces on the board and the board demands sacrifices but what did these great leaders have in common one thing clarity they knew exactly what they wanted and did not allow themselves to be distracted by emotions they understood that the world rewards those who play the game of power with mastery not those who get stuck in illusions of loyalty and friendship in the end what really matters is not friendship but your personal power those who cling too much to emotional relationships risk losing control over their own destiny until then remember in the game of power friendship is just another move on the board play wisely those who confuse friendship with emotion do not survive in the end friendship is just another strategy and in the game of power the only true loyalty is to yourself until next time remember loyalty is negotiable but your success is not now it's your turn have you noticed that some friendships are actually transactions have you ever had to cut ties for a greater strategy i want to know your opinion do you believe that friendship can truly be selfless or does it always come with a price leave your comment below and share your perspective let's discuss this game and figure out who is really