The 48 Laws of Power | Book Notes

Whether you like it or not, we all play the game of power. If you live in a society and interact with others, you play the game of power. You cannot opt out. It’s better to know the rules of the game than to be manipulated and crushed by others. Those who berate power games and claim to be nonplayers are often the least innocent.

You can choose not to utilize these laws of power, but you must not be so naive as to ignore them. For instance, I don’t practice the majority of the laws, but I strive to have a deep understanding of them to recognize when I’m being exploited.

As Niccolo Machiavelli said, “Any man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruin among the great number who are not good. Hence a prince who wants to keep his authority must learn how not to be good, and use that knowledge, or refrain from using it, as necessity requires.” In other words, understand the playbook so you aren’t taken advantage of.

Still, each of us desires power whether we admit it or not. We want to wield influence, feel that we matter, and exercise control in our lives. There’s nothing wrong with that. Stop feeling guilty about your “dark” desires. Instead, learn the game of power to live life on your own terms.

This book is a “handbook on the arts of indirection” based on the writings of those who have studied and mastered the game of power. From these writings that collectively span over 3,000 years of history, Robert Greene has distilled the underlying themes into 48 laws.

These laws will shake your understanding of the world and evoke visceral feelings of indignation and disgust. You will fight back and disagree with the author. Good. You learn most when books challenge you. No one said you have to agree with everything. Take what is helpful and throw away what is not.

Each law is backed by historical examples, which I will mostly omit in this summary. Observances of these laws increase your power while transgressions of the law decrease your power. Some laws may not be directly relevant to your situation, but by gaining an understanding of the entire subject, you put yourself in a better position.

A Three-Sentence Summary

1. Serving as the basis of our judgments, appearances and reputation matter just as much, if not more, than reality. 
2. Master yourself and your emotions so you can make plans and adapt as the situation requires. 
3. Understand others’ individual natures as well as human psychology and behavior to gain influence and protect yourself.

A Detailed Summary

I will outline how each law contributed to my three-sentence summary. The numbers in parentheses refer to the number of the law.

Serving as the basis of our judgments, appearances and reputation matter just as much, if not more, than reality. 

• Gain power by appearing competent (7, 11, 30, 41) and dignified (26, 34, 36)
• Reputation is everything (5, 25, 40)
• Attract attention (6), but don’t needlessly offend others in the process (38)

Master yourself and your emotions so you can make plans and adapt as the situation requires. 

• Plan (29, 42), but be adaptable (18, 20, 24, 48)
• Feign weakness (21, 22) at times, but when you strike, strike hard (15, 35) 

Understand others’ individual natures as well as human psychology and behavior to gain influence and protect yourself.

• Get others to lower their guard and emotionally react (8, 12, 17, 39, 44) while you rationally direct (23, 28, 31, 47)
• Gather information about others (14, 19, 33), while being selective with the information you give about yourself (3, 4)
• Actions, symbols, and emotions are more powerful than words (9, 27, 32, 37, 43)
• Beware of envy (1, 2, 46)
• Motivate people through self-interest (13)
• Scarcity makes things desirable (16)
• You are who you surround yourself with (10)
• People are resistant to change (45)

The laws are listed below for your convenience:

1. Never outshine the master
2. Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies
3. Conceal your intentions
4. Always say less than necessary
5. So much depends on reputation–guard it with your life
6. Court attention at all costs
7. Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit
8. Make other people come to you–use bait if necessary
9. Win through your actions, never through argument
10. Infection: avoid the unhappy and unlucky
11. Learn to keep people dependent on you
12. Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim
13. When asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never to their mercy or gratitude
14. Pose as a friend, work as a spy
15. Crush your enemy totally
16. Use absence to increase respect and honor
17. Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability
18. Do not build fortresses to protect yourself–isolation is dangerous
19. Know who you’re dealing with–do not offend the wrong person
20. Do not commit to anyone
21. Play a sucker to catch a sucker–seem dumber than your mark
22. Use the surrender tactic: transform weakness into power
23. Concentrate your forces
24. Play the perfect courtier
25. Recreate yourself
26. Keep your hands clean
27. Play on people’s need to believe to create a cultlike following
28. Enter action with boldness
29. Plan all the way to the end
30. Make your accomplishments seem effortless
31. Control the options: get others to play with the cards you deal
32. Play to people’s fantasies
33. Discover each man’s thumbscrew
34. Be royal in your own fashion: act like a king to be treated like one
35. Master the art of timing
36. Disdain things you cannot have: ignoring them is the best revenge
37. Create compelling spectacles
38. Think as you like but behave like others
39. Stir up waters to catch fish
40. Despise the free lunch
41. Avoid stepping into a great man’s shoes
42. Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter
43. Work on the hearts and minds of others
44. Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect
45. Preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once
46. Never appear too perfect
47. Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory, learn when to stop
48. Assume formlessness

The Laws

Law 1: never outshine the master

Everyone has insecurities, so when you go out in the world and show your talents, you will stir up resentment and envy. You can’t live life worrying about the feelings of everyone, but you must consider the feelings of those with power over you.

“When it comes to power, outshining the master is perhaps the worst mistake of all.” It’s a common misconception that displaying your wits and charm will win your master’s affection. Masters, and people in general, want to feel superior to others around them.

Sometimes, you can outshine the master by simply being yourself. If you cannot avoid displaying your natural talents, find a master who is not so insecure. Otherwise, mute your abilities when in their presence. 

Just because you are liked by your master doesn’t mean you can do anything you can want. Don’t let your good standing go to your head and forget the ability of your master to turn your standing upside-down. 

Use this law to your advantage by flattering and praising your master. If you’re more intelligent than your master, act naive and in need of their expertise. If you’re more humorous, find ways to make them seem like the creator of amusement. If you’re more creative, subtly suggest that your ideas are just an echo of their ideas.

“He must appear as the sun around which everyone revolves, radiating power and brilliance, the center of attention… By letting others outshine you, you remain in control, instead of being a victim of their insecurity… If you can make your master shine even more in the eyes of others, then you are a godsend and you will be instantly promoted.”

Reversal: if your master is falling from power, do not worry about outshining them. But if your master is even more weak, just let nature take its course as outshining such a weak superior may seem cruel.

Law 2: never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies

Friends are rarely the people most able to help you professionally. Instead, rely on the skilled and competent. It’s hard to keep professional distance with friends in a working situation. You may also discover things better kept hidden, as friends often conceal true feelings to preserve the relationship. Don’t mix work with friendship.

The act of hiring a friend unbalances everything. People want to feel that they have deserved their spot but your favor negates that. On the other hand, when you team up with an enemy and let go of past quarrels, they will do a lot as they have far more to prove.

“The key to power is the ability to judge who is best able to further your interest in all situations.” Keep friends for friendship, but work with the skilled. 

Don’t be distressed if you have enemies. It’s better to know where your opponents lie than not knowing who is out to get you. Enemies also keep you focused and alert.

Reversal: if friends understand the dangers of working together professionally, they can be employed effectively. In those cases, always keep an eye out for emotional disturbances like envy.

Law 3: conceal your intentions

No general has walked up to a fortress and announced their intention to attack. No lover tells their date of the plan to seduce them. No job prospect says the reason they want to work there is for the money. 

First, concealing your intentions gives you more authority. If you become so predictable that no one respects or fears you, it’s hard for you to gain power.

Second, concealing your intentions protects you. If you can be read like a book, you make it easy for others to manipulate you. When you always say what is truly on your mind, you offend others with your blunt honesty. Even if it is out of the goodness of your heart, such criticism will cause bitterness.

There are two ways to hide your intentions: using objects of decoy and throwing up a smokescreen.

Using objects of decoy: disguise your intentions not by closing up, which raises suspicion, but by openly talking about your fake desires and goals. When you seem sincere in what you’re saying, people mistake it for honesty.

Throwing up a smokescreen: it’s a misconception that deceivers use extravagant gestures and elaborate lies. Instead, they use the most boring fronts that draw no suspicion. There are many bland smokescreens, but some common ones are maintaining an unreadable facial expression (poker face), doing a noble gesture, establishing a false pattern, and blending in with the group.

When you use these two tactics, concealing your intentions is relatively easy as it is our first instinct to trust appearances. We could not live life constantly doubting what we see and hear. Always imagining appearances disguised something else would exhaust and terrify us. 

Reversal: if you have a reputation for deception, instead of further concealing your intentions, appear to be repentant and you will be admired. On another note, a colorful smokescreen is sometimes better than a bland one.

Law 4: always say less than necessary

Most people are open books because it’s enjoyable to talk about one’s plans and intentions, and it’s hard to control what one reveals. But when you say less, you appear profound and powerful by keeping others attentive and guessing at your brief comments. 

The less you say, the less likely you are to say something foolish. “Once the words are out, you cannot take them back.” People often fill in uncomfortable silences with all sorts of comments, inadvertently revealing valuable information about themselves.

Reversal: “silence can arouse suspicion and even insecurity” so it is sometimes better to talk more. The more you blabber, the less suspicious you seem–a good smokescreen.

Law 5: so much depends on reputation–guard it with your life

Appearances are the measure of almost all our judgments, as truly understanding everything we interact with would take far too much time and energy. How you are measured is based on your appearance, i.e., your reputation. 

Reputation distracts others from deeply probing into your character and gives you control over how you’re perceived. “Reputation has a power like magic: With one stroke of its wand, it can double your strength.”

To establish a reputation, make yourself known for one outstanding quality. Then, subtly make your reputation known to as many people as possible. Protect your reputation, anticipating all attacks on it. Once it is solid, do not get defensive at attacks from enemies, which would only reveal insecurity. 

If you are doing the attacking, attack those with a greater reputation than you. “He has much more to lose in such a battle, and your own thus-far-small reputation gives him a small target when he tries to return your fire.” Be careful though, as “If you do not break your enemy's reputation cleverly, you will inadvertently ruin your own.”

If you have tainted your reputation, associate with those who have reputations you would like to have. For example, the rich industrialists of America’s Gilded Age softened their harsh reputations by associating with artists and collecting their art.

Reversal: by not caring what others think of you, you may gain a reputation for arrogance or confidence, which can be beneficial. But even then, you are being judged by your reputation.

Law 6: court attention at all costs

Since everything is judged by its appearance, “what is unseen counts for nothing.” 

To attract attention, surround your name with the sensational. Attach your name and reputation to a quality that sets you apart from other people. This quality can be a style of a dress or a character trait. 

Do not worry about being controversial, as “notoriety of any sort will bring you power… Once people’s eyes are on you, you have a special legitimacy.” If you are unable to draw attention, an effective tactic is attacking the most visible and powerful person you can find. 

Another effective trick is introducing a sense of mystery around your name. “In a world growing increasingly banal and familiar, what seems enigmatic instantly draws attention… we secretly crave enigmas, people or things that cannot be instantly interpreted, seized, and consumed.”

You don’t need grand acts to create an air of mystery. Simply keeping silent, creating inconsistencies in your demeanor, and acting odd in subtle ways is enough. Mystery heightens your presence and makes you seem profound.

Once you are in the spotlight, you must continually adapt your methods of attracting attention or the public will grow weary and move on.

Reversal: don’t let your aura of mystery be transformed into a reputation for deceit. The mystery must be unthreatening. Do not appear greedy for attention and recognize when it’s not in your interest to be at the center of attention, like in the presence of a master.

Law 7: get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit

This is what businesses do: hire people with the skills needed and put the business’s name on top of their work. 

There are two parts to this law. First, the credit for the work is just as important as the work itself. Appearance and reputation are enhanced by such credit, so you must be vigilant and secure the credit for yourself. Second, take advantage of other people’s work. Time and energy are limited, and you will burn out trying to do everything yourself.

Besides your contemporaries’ work, use the vast amount of work already done in the past. Stand on the shoulders of giants and learn from the wisdom, skill, and experience of the thousands of past generations. Others’ creativity becomes your own, and you seem to be a genius. As Bismarck said, “Fools say that they learn by experience. I prefer to profit by others’ experience.”

Reversal: if your position is not established, do not take credit for others’ work. Others will be unafraid to call you out for deception. Know when sharing the credit serves your purpose, like when having a master.

Law 8: make other people come to you–use bait if necessary

Aggressive action is not always effective action. When you react to events, you give your opponent the control. Instead, keep control on your side by staying back and getting others to react to your moves. When they take action, they’re under the illusion that they’re in charge, making it far easier to manipulate them.

Learn to master your emotions and avoid the bait, while you bait others to get them to react. When others come to you, you get the home-field advantage. For instance, when others are on your territory for negotiations, they’re subconsciously placed on the defensive while you feel comfortable.

Reversal: in certain situations, it’s better to let them know openly you are forcing their hand. If done correctly, you generate respect and deference. In other situations when time is against you, strike quickly. “Instead of making others come to you, you go to them, force the issue, take the lead.” The principle is the same: force them to respond on your terms.

Law 9: win through your actions, never through argument

When you gain a victory through argument, you can never be sure how it impacts your opponents. Outwardly, they may agree politely. Inwardly, they may seethe with resentment. 

You may have unintentionally offended them, as “words have that insidious ability to be interpreted according to the other person’s mood and insecurities.” Even if you manage to change their mind, they’ll likely revert back to their old ways of thinking out of sheer habit.

We are skeptical of eloquent rhetoric, but no one can argue with demonstrated proof. There are no offensive words or possibilities of misinterpretation. And if it doesn’t even matter whether they agree with you, or if time and experience will convince them of your words, don’t even bother with a demonstration. 

Reversal: verbal argument is useful as a distraction to cover up deception. The more emotional you are, the less likely you seem to be lying.

Law 10: infection: avoid the unhappy and unlucky

Some of the misfortunate have been brought down by circumstances beyond their control, but many bring misfortune upon themselves by their destructive behavior. When you try to change such people, their patterns end up infecting you. 

Protect yourself from infectors by “judging people on the effects they have on the world and not on the reasons they give for their problems. Infectors can be recognized by the misfortune they draw on themselves, their turbulent past, their long line of broken relationships, their unstable careers, and the very force of their character.”

Don’t ruin your reputation from guilt by association, and don’t waste valuable energy trying to change them. They will remain unchanged while you become unhinged.

On the flip side, associate with those who are happy and draw prosperity upon themselves. Spend time with people whose qualities you admire and would like to have. “Only create associations with positive affinities. Make this a rule of life and you will benefit more than from all the therapy in the world.”

Reversal: there is no reversal. “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.”

Law 11: learn to keep people dependent on you

One of the reasons we want power is to get others to do as we wish. “The best way to achieve this position is to create a relationship of dependence.” When you cause others great pain to do away with you, you have the upper hand.

It’s a misperception that power means independence. “The completely independent man would live in a cabin in the woods–he would have the freedom to come and go as he pleased, but he would have no power.”

To create dependence, possess a talent or skill that is hard to replace and sets you apart from the crowd. Or, create the appearance of having specialized knowledge and skills. Make it so you can always switch to another master while they cannot easily find another subject with your talent.

Reversal: by making others dependent on you, you are in some way dependent on them. To go above this would mean standing alone at the top, like how monopolists would do. Such independence has its price: isolation and others working together to topple you. It’s better to rely on mutual interdependence than face the pressure of doing everything alone.

Law 12: use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim

Deception relies on distraction, which gives you the time and space to do something your opponent won’t notice. One of the best distractions is an act of honesty or generosity as “One sincere and honest move will cover over dozens of dishonest ones.”

When others lower their guard, it gives you room to move. Giving before taking “makes it hard for the other person to notice the taking.” The giving can be in any form: a gift, a favor, a generous act, or an “honest” admission.

This giving is best done on your first encounter with someone, as first impressions are lasting impressions. Sometimes, one honest act is not enough, so you must build a reputation of honesty with a series of acts.

If people see through the calculated acts of kindness, their disappointment will become hatred. “Unless you can make the gesture seem sincere and heartfelt, do not play with fire.” 

Reversal: if you already have a reputation for deceit, selective honesty will seem suspicious. Instead, use selective dishonesty by performing dishonest acts of little importance. These insignificant acts serve to cover up the times when you really mean to deceive.

Law 13: when asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never to their mercy or gratitude

To get ahead, you will need to get help from those more powerful. “The shortest and best way… is to let people see clearly that it is in their interests to promote yours.”

Most people make the mistake of confusing their interests with the interests of others they need help from. People talk as if their needs mattered to others, who probably couldn’t care less.

“Self-interest is the lever that will move people.” Understand others’ desires and make them see how you can help them achieve those desires. “Master this art and there will be no limits to what you can accomplish.”

Reversal: some people will see appeals to their self-interest as vulgar. They prefer to be recognized for charity and mercy to feel superior. In this case, give them the opportunity to display their good heart. When they want to look noble, do not appeal to self-interest.

Law 14: pose as a friend, work as a spy

We want to have control of our futures. The problem is, our futures are intertwined with others, over whom we have no control. But if you understand others’ characters and can predict their moves, you gain a degree of control over the future.

To understand their character, find a way to probe them for their secrets and hidden intentions. You may choose to use others to spy on your target, but you have little control over the people doing the work. It’s better to be the spy yourself.

During social gatherings and friendly encounters, observe people. Mute your personality and suppress yourself while showing an interest in others. They will take your interest for friendship, so you not only learn but also make allies.

Do not be so direct in your search for secrets and instead focus on friendly chatter. If people feel uncomfortable, they will intentionally avoid you.

There are two tactics that can help you discover those gems of information. The first tactic is falsely baring your heart to them and giving a fake confession. In turn, they give you a real confession. The second tactic is laying traps that make them reveal things about themselves. For example, to discern allegiances, Talleyrand (a powerful diplomat) told made-up stories like how a country was weakening and watched the others’ reactions.

Reversal: “as you spy on other people, you must be prepared for them to spy on you.” In this battle for information, a useful tactic is giving out false information. As Winston Churchill said, “Truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.”

Law 15: crush your enemy totally

If you have succeeded in defeating your enemy, you only make them more bitter and determined. Stopping halfway, whether out of mercy or hope of reconciliation, enables them to recover and pounce back with even greater hate.

“A viper crushed beneath your foot but left alive, will rear up and bite you with a double dose of venom… Ultimately the only peace and security you can hope for from your enemies is their disappearance.”

In gaining power, you will still up rivalries. Recognize that you cannot win over some people, with whom there is no possibility of peace. Banish them from your life. If they cannot be banished, understand that they are plotting against you, and do not fall for any friendliness they feign. If they rise up, crush them again.

Reversal: if you are absolutely certain that they have no chance of recovery, let them destroy themselves.

Law 16: use absence to increase respect and honor

When the supply of an item goes down, the price of it goes up. When a lover stays away, your love for them intensifies. When someone dies and will never be seen again, people instantly cherish them. But you don’t need to wait until you die. “At the right moment you must learn to withdraw yourself before they unconsciously push you away. It is a game of hide-and-seek.”

If you’re too available, you’re taken for granted and appreciated less. Walk away at the right time to increase the value of your presence.

At a certain point, the more someone is seen and heard from, the more their value deteriorates. Think about a friend or relative who overstays their welcome, or a lengthy family vacation that leaves you itching to get away from family.

You can also apply this concept of scarcity to other things, like your skills. Offer the world something rare and you will be coveted.

Reversal: this law only applies when a certain level of presence has been established. If you leave too early, you are simply forgotten. “Only what is seen, appreciated, and loved will be missed in its absence.” When you first enter into others’ minds, be everywhere and create a memorable and recognizable image. Once your persona has been entrenched, then consider introducing absence. 

Law 17: keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability

People are always trying to read your actions and take advantage of your predictability. When you throw in an unexplainable move, you intimidate them, as what is unpredictable is unsettling. “You sometimes need to strike without warning, to make others tremble when they least expect it.”

Scrambling your patterns not only generates fear and respect but gives you attention. Others keep you at the forefront of their mind as they take an interest and try to explain your moves.

Reversal: be careful when using unpredictability, as it is sometimes better to let people feel comfortable than disturbed. At times, opt for predictability to give others a false sense of security. Then, in one decisive move, you can do something so against the norm that it unsettles your opponent deeply. 

Law 18: do not build fortresses to protect yourself–isolation is dangerous

Since power is a human creation, it depends on social interaction. You must place yourself at the center of things, interact with others, and be aware of everything happening. 

When people feel threatened, they are tempted to close up and retreat to a kind of fortress. They rely on information and help from a smaller circle, lose perspective on the world, limit their adaptability, become an easy target, and grow paranoid. In moments of uncertainty, it is even more important to turn outwards, seek allies, and make your way into different social circles.

“You need to be permeable, able to float in and out of different circles and mix with different types.” In doing so, you’re protected from enemies who can’t isolate you from your allies. Better yet, by mingling with people, you improve your social skills which only helps to further your power. 

Reversal: “the only thing that constant human contact cannot facilitate is thought.” If you need extended time to think deeply, choose isolation as a last resort. Keep it in small doses, as your ideas may grow out of proportion, and it gets harder to break out of isolation the longer you’re in it.

Law 19: know who you’re dealing with–do not offend the wrong person

“There are many different kinds of people in the world, and you can never assume that everyone will react to your strategies in the same way. Deceive or outmaneuver some people and they will spend the rest of their lives seeking revenge.” Let’s go over the five most dangerous opponents.

1. The arrogant and proud: any perceived offense to this person’s touchy pride can lead to a “vengeance of overwhelming violence.” If you sense you are dealing with an overactive pride, flee.
2. The hopelessly insecure: this person is similar to the arrogant and proud but harder to spot. If their ego is attacked, they will nibble away at you without you noticing. If you find that you have harmed such a person, disappear for a long time.
3. Mr. Suspicion: they see the worst in people and believe everyone is out to get them. Being unbalanced, they are easy to deceive. But be careful not to be the target of their suspicion.
4. The serpent with the long memory: if hurt or deceived, they will show no hurt outwardly but will inwardly plan their vengeance. When the time is right, they’ll take a cold and calculated revenge. Recognize them by their cunning and calculation in other areas of life. 
5. The plain, unassuming, and often unintelligent man: failing for the bait requires a certain degree of intelligence. This person will not take the bait because they do not recognize it. The danger with them is not that they’ll seek revenge but that they’ll waste your time and energy trying to deceive them.

“The ability to measure people and to know who you’re dealing with is the most important skill of all in gathering and conserving power.” Before dealing with someone, analyze them. Know their ins and outs to save time and prevent blunders.

Never rely on instincts when measuring your opponents, and never trust appearances. Gather information on them for however long it takes. The version that people give of themselves is entirely unreliable. The macho guy is often insecure and the sweetest of smiles can mask a cold-blooded heart. 

Regardless if they’re dangerous or not, don’t offend others needlessly. You never know how it can come back to bite you. “There is nothing to be gained by insulting a person unnecessarily.”

Reversal: there is none. “Learn to tell the lions from the lambs or pay the price.”

Law 20: do not commit to anyone

There are two parts to this law. First, do not commit, but be courted by all. Second, stay above the quarrels.

First, do not commit. By not committing to anyone, you seem more powerful by being ungraspable. More people desire you and try to get you to commit. As they do you favors and give you gifts, maintain your inner detachment and do not feel obligated to anyone.

Encourage their attention and interest. Occasionally bend to their attention to stimulate them with the possibility of having you, but do not commit. Those who rush to support a side gain little respect for their help is easily obtained, while those who wait are seen as desirable. As each side competes for your attention, you are immediately held in high regard.

Second, stay above the quarrels. Most people operate in a pool of emotions, getting caught up in the latest conflict. They will draw you in, asking you to take sides or be the arbitrator. Do not allow pity and compassion to let their problems suck away your energy. 

Standing completely aside can infuriate others so you must seem interested and even appear to take their side. Give them gifts and listen with sympathy, but maintain your inner peace by staying disengaged. 

Refusing to commit gives you autonomy and options. You can position yourself to benefit when either side starts to lose, play the sides against each other to weaken them both, pledge support to one side so the other will have to buy you with a higher bid, or act as a mediator while really serving yourself. 

When a conflict breaks out and you are tempted to side with the stronger side, don’t. It is hard to tell who will win in the long run, and even if you choose correctly, you may be forgotten by the victors for your easily acquired help wasn’t valued.

There are also cases when you should drop all appearances of appearing supportive and boldly declare your independence. It’s a move best done to gain respect, with an example being George Washington declaring American independence to create respect for the fledgling nation.

You have limited time and energy, and every moment spent on the affairs of others subtracts from your strength. “Learn to control yourself, to restrain your natural tendency to take sides and join the fight.” By staying above the fray, you will be respected, not condemned.

Reversal: both parts of the law can be taken too far. “The game proposed here is delicate and difficult.” If you play too many people against each other, they’ll notice. If you keep your suitors waiting for too long, they’ll grow uninterested and distrustful. You may need to take sides to prove you are capable of attachment. Even then, maintain your inner independence and preserve the option to jump ship if your side starts to collapse.

Law 21: play a sucker to catch a sucker–seem dumber than your mark

Intelligence is key to a person’s ego. It’s difficult for us to accept that someone else is more intelligent, so we downplay it with excuses. “He only has book knowledge, whereas I have real knowledge.” “She may know her field better than I do, but outside that field, she’s not so smart.” “If I was as privileged as her, I’d be at least as intelligent.”

It’s critical to never insult a person’s intellect. Even better, subtly reassure them that they are more intelligent than you are, or that you are even a bit of a fool, and you make them feel secure.

Seeming dumber than your mark works well when dealing with an arrogant opponent who will eagerly believe your foolishness, or when you’re trying to climb the hierarchy. If you seem dull, others vying for the same spot won’t regard you as a real threat, and those in power won’t feel challenged if you’re promoted.

Along with intelligence, you can downplay other qualities like taste and sophistication. Others will keep you around because you make them feel better about themselves, and the longer you’re around them, the more opportunities you have.

Reversal: when climbing the ladder, it helps to subtly let your master know you are smarter than the rest. But never seem so brilliant that it becomes threatening. Even if people find out your true prowess, they’ll admire you for your humility. Another situation to show your intelligence is when covering up deception. If you seem to have expertise, no one will doubt your words.

Law 22: use the surrender tactic: transform weakness into power

Any short-lived glory gained from fighting is far outweighed by the consequences of getting injured or completely destroyed. We often get in trouble by overreacting to the moves of our rivals which “has an endless rebound effect, for the enemy overreacts as well.” Instead, resist the urge to fight back and bend outwardly, while staying firm inwardly.

You’ll lull them into thinking they have defeated you, and they’ll no longer treat you as a danger. Use this time and space to observe your opponent and plot moves. “Eventually you will emerge victorious, for while he considers you weak and inferior, and takes no precautions against you, you are using the time to catch up and surpass him.” Had you resisted outwardly, you would have suffered greatly.

If you find yourself temporarily weakened, surrender and bide your time.

Reversal: if you are willing to suffer greatly for the chance of glory, you may try martyrdom. But be warned, “For every famous martyr there are thousands more who have inspired neither a religion nor a rebellion.”

Law 23: concentrate your forces

The world is so distracted that the ability to have total concentration will get you far ahead. Concentrate your forces on the enemy’s weakest spot. Concentrate your efforts on the real person who pulls the strings. “Concentrate on a single goal, a single task, and beat it into submission… You cannot hit two targets with one arrow.”

As a corollary, more power is gained by fixing yourself to a single source. By serving one master instead of multiple, you save energy, gain freedom, and may even make your master dependent on you.

Reversal: there are times when dispersion is better, like when you want to blend in and be less of a target. Tying yourself to a single source of power can also be detrimental: when they fall, you fall. Prepare for when your master falls by keeping other masters in mind.

Law 24: play the perfect courtier

Throughout history, court society has emerged around those in power, most often the rulers. The people of the court, courtiers, vied to be the king’s favorite while navigating a complex web of allies and enemies.

Courtiers had to win their master’s favor but had to do it so subtly that they didn’t raise suspicions. While displaying outward charm and grace, they schemed to outwit others before others outwitted them.

The royal court has disappeared, “but courts and courtiers still exist because power still exists… There is much to be learned, then, from great courtiers past and present.” Here are the rules of court politics.

• Avoid ostentation: stay modest. The more you talk about yourself and your achievements, the more envious others get. The more envious they get, the more likely they’ll backstab you.
• Practice nonchalance: never seem to be working too hard. People prefer not to see hard work, another form of showiness that may invoke jealousy. Make things look effortless and they will regard you as a genius.
• Be frugal with flattery: too much direct flattery can raise suspicions. Instead, learn to flatter others subtly.
• Arrange to be noticed: you cannot garner attention too blatantly, but you must be noticed to have any chance of rising. “It is often initially a matter of being seen, in the literal sense,” so give thought to creating a subtly distinctive physical appearance.
• Alter your style and language according to the person you are dealing with: acting the same way to everyone will inevitably offend. The inability to adapt to another culture is “the height of barbarism.”
• Never be the bearer of bad news: be sure the bearing of bad news falls on others. “Bring only good news and your approach will gladden your master.”
• Never affect friendliness and intimacy with your master: don’t act as if you are on the best of terms with your master, for that is your master’s choice. If they choose to deal with you as a friend, be friendly but watchful.
• Never criticize those above you directly: when criticism is necessary and saying nothing would pose other risks, make the criticism subtle and polite. 
• Be frugal in asking those above you for favors: it doesn’t feel good to reject someone’s request, so don’t put your master in that position, and never ask for favors on someone else’s behalf. It is always better to earn your favors.
• Never joke about appearances or taste: a sense of humor is important but never joke about sensitive topics like appearance or taste.
• Do not be the court cynic: similar to how you should avoid being the bearer of bad news, do not get yourself associated with negativity and gloom by overly criticizing others. Express admiration for others’ work instead.
• Be self-observant: other people can tell you what they observe about you, but they may not be the most trustworthy. Scrutinize yourself and you will avoid blunders.
• Master your emotions: be the master of your face. “Call it lying if you like; but if you prefer to not play the game and to always be honest and upfront, do not complain when others call you obnoxious and arrogant.”
• Fit the spirit of the times: keep up with the times, even if the times annoy you. Do not stick out like a sore thumb.
• Be a source of pleasure: this is obvious, “but what is obvious is often ignored or underappreciated.” We leave what is unpleasant and go towards what is pleasant. If you cannot be pleasant, at least mask your unpleasant qualities.

Reversal: if you are caught in your maneuvers, you will transform from an elegant courtier to a distasteful rogue. “Apply the utmost attention to covering your tracks.”

Law 25: recreate yourself

Do not blindly accept the role that society has placed you in. If you do, you limit yourself to the confines of that role. Choose to play many roles and forge a new identity, one with no boundaries assigned to it by a resentful world. “Working on yourself like clay should be one of your greatest and most pleasurable life tasks.” 

Keep in mind Shakespeare’s analogy, “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” as you read through these steps in recreating yourself:

1. Have self-consciousness: be aware of your appearances and emotions. Learn self-control and adopt the “plasticity of an actor, who can mold his or her face to the emotion required.”
2. Be memorable: draw attention and stand out with a unique image. Keep the audience engaged with timing and suspense in the story of your life. 
3. Add flair: when the time comes for important entrances and exits, plan them carefully. Examples include first impressions at work, farewell speeches, and weddings.
4. Maintain adaptability: “learn to play many roles, to be whatever the moment requires.”

Reversal: do not be too dramatic in recreating yourself. 

Law 26: keep your hands clean

You must appear civilized and mannerly, never tainted by mistakes or unpleasant deeds. But, mistakes and unpleasant deeds are inevitable. There are two ways to maintain your spotless appearance: use others as scapegoats and get others to do your bidding.

First, use others as scapegoats. “It is an extremely human response to not look inward after a mistake or crime, but rather to look outward and to affix blame and guilt on a convenient object.” When things go wrong, point the blame towards someone else. Because we naturally look outwards, we readily accept the scapegoat’s guilt.

Be careful not to create a martyr by using too weak of a victim or dealing too cruel a punishment. “It is important that you remain the victim, the poor leader betrayed by the incompetence of those around you.” 

Second, get others to do your bidding. “Let someone else be the executioner, or the bearer of bad news, while you bring only joy and glad tidings.” You will save your reputation, time, and effort. Search out the overly aggressive as “they are often more than willing to get into a fight, and you can choose just the right fight for your purposes.”

If you take on all the dirty work, two things happen: others perceive you as incompetent as you are working so hard to do everything, and people see your use of power as abusive. Instead, bait people into doing the work for you. As they accomplish seemingly innocent tasks, they inadvertently further your cause.

An easy way to utilize this is to plant false information in someone, who will then spread it to your target. Other ways include finding a third party with whom you share a common enemy and letting them do the heavy fighting.

Sometimes, offering yourself to do others’ biddings will help you gain power. When you make your assistance subtle rather than weighty, you will be compensated generously.

Reversal: if your deception is spotted, you will be blamed for events you have had nothing to do with. For significant actions then, practice caution when using scapegoats or getting others to do the work for you. Sometimes, it’s better to be direct about your involvement, like asking for forgiveness for a mistake or being upfront with your unpleasant deeds.

Law 27: play on people’s need to believe to create a cultlike following

Creating a cultlike following opens up all sorts of opportunities. You may think it nearly impossible to create such a following, but “As humans, we have a desperate need to believe in something, anything.”

“Look at history: The chronicles of the new trends and cults that have made a mass following for themselves could fill a library. After a few centuries, a few decades, a few years, a few months, they generally look ridiculous, but at the time they seem so attractive.”

While organized religion has decreased, other causes have risen to take its place like get-rich-quick schemes and new technological trends. Look at areas like politics, where followers blindly stick with the leader. We have only changed the name of magical elixirs and modernized the look of cults. Here’s how to create a cult in five steps:

1. Keep it vague; keep it simple: attract attention not with clear actions but with hazy words. Promise something totally vague yet great and transformative, stimulating hazy dreams. “Most people’s problems have complex causes… Few, however, have the patience to deal with this.” By offering a magic pill, you will build a following.
2. Emphasize the visual and the sensual over the intellectual: boredom and skepticism will drive away the people you have gathered. Amuse the bored and fend off the skeptics by dazzling with colorful charts and graphs, reasoning with pseudoscience, and stirring up emotions.
3. Borrow the forms of organized religion to structure the group: exploit the holy feelings we have come to associate with organized religion. Create rituals, make a hierarchy, give them titles, and ask them for sacrifices that will benefit you. 
4. Disguise your source of income: your wallet is beginning to fill with your followers’ money, but do not reveal this. Make this wealth seem to come from the truth of your belief system and your followers will be even more convinced.
5. Set up an us-versus-them dynamic: your group is thriving, but you must continue to keep boredom at bay and the haters away. First, make your followers believe they’re part of an exclusive club. Second, invent the notion of a devious enemy of nonbelievers out to get your group.

Reversal: if the crowd sees through your deception, they will tear you to pieces. As such, the snake oil salesmen were always ready to move out of town at a moment’s notice. “Use spies, be on top of everything, and keep your bags packed.” You may prefer to deal with people one by one instead of as a crowd so it’s easier to escape when things go awry.

Law 28: enter action with boldness

It’s essential to overcome timidity with boldness for these reasons:

• The bold the lie the better: boldness distracts from deficiencies and inconsistencies while enhancing credibility. “Ask for the moon and you will be surprised how often you get it.”
• Lions circle the hesitant prey: people can sense weakness in others, and if you show your willingness to back down, “you bring out the lion even in people who are not necessarily bloodthirsty… you will be pushed around without mercy.”
• Boldness strikes fear; fear creates authority: with boldness, you gain the respect of others.
• Going halfway with half a heart digs the deeper grave: when you enter action with hesitation, you are easily discouraged and find excuses to stop.
• Hesitation creates gaps; boldness obliterates them: when you hesitate, you give others time to think, doubt, and worry.
• Audacity separates you from the herd: the bold draw attention, and what draws attention draws power.

We tell ourselves that our timidity is a concern for others, while it’s actually a concern for ourselves. We fear the consequences of being bold, which are often blown out of proportion. Even if you do create problems, those problems “can be disguised, even remedied, by more and greater audacity.”

Consider how you feel around a bold person. Their self-confidence invigorates us, and their speed leaves no time for embarrassment. We actually feel more at ease. Now how do you feel around a timid person? Awkward? Uncomfortable?

Few are born bold, but it’s a skill that can be learned. A good place to begin is during negotiations, especially those that ask you to set your price. “How often we put ourselves down by asking for too little.”

Reversal: boldness is just one of the many tools in your toolbox and should never be your sole strategy. At times, consider using timidity to falsely reassure others of your mediocrity.

Law 29: plan all the way to the end

Many people mistake fantasizing for planning ahead. By downplaying dangers and only focusing on happy endings, they enter action carelessly and inevitably get in trouble. 

It’s easier to stay out of trouble than get out of trouble. Think debt. Think bad relationships. Think life actions in general. It is not only what you do, but also what you do not do. As Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Planning to the end gets rid of bad plans and enhances good plans. You will not improvise or deviate from the plan, nor will you be caught off-guard by obstacles or people trying to piggyback off your efforts.

Reversal: your plan should include alternatives. Be open to new routes and recognize when you should adapt, but do not use this as an excuse to not plan.

Law 30: make your accomplishments seem effortless

When a magician’s secrets are revealed, we lose our awe and respect. The magician’s work and skill alone should be enough for us to appreciate, but we discount their effort, implicitly thinking that we could’ve performed the trick ourselves with enough practice and time.

We prefer watching gymnasts and figure skaters who keep a relaxed composure, even though we know they’re pushing their limits. Seeing them try so hard would break the illusion that we want to believe. When you show your effort, you become “just one more mortal among others.”

It is tempting to reveal your hard work and have your cleverness applauded. But when you keep your efforts to yourself, you conceal information that could be used against you and elicit even greater awe. “You appear to be the only one who can do what you do–and the appearance of having an exclusive gift is immensely powerful.” 

Reversal: you cannot seem to be trying hard to conceal your efforts. Depending on your audience’s taste, partially revealing the inner workings of your projects can be helpful. They’ll feel better about themselves, believing they could do what you do if they tried.

Law 31: control the options: get others to play with the cards you deal

Too many options give us anxiety. Since a limited range of choices is more comforting, we rarely probe deeper and consider the possibility of more options. As such, it’s hard to believe we’re being deceived when we’re presented with choices. Get others to do what you want by controlling the options in these ways: 

• Color the choices: present the options in a way such that the one you prefer seems to be the obvious choice. This works well if you know the topic best and will make the correct decision, but someone else like your master wants to call the shots.
• Force the resister: for children and people who enjoy doing the opposite of what you want, appear to advocate for the opposite.
• Alter the playing field: make the external circumstances such that they have no choice but to choose among the options you give them. Make them an offer they can’t refuse. Your opponent knows they’re forced, but it doesn’t matter.
• The shrinking options: as time passes, you make the options less attractive and create the urgency to choose. For example, raise the price every time the buyer hesitates and a day goes by. It’s especially effective on indecisive people.
• The weak man on the precipice: when coloring the choices isn’t enough to get an indecisive person to decide, add elements of danger and fear to propel them into action.
• Brothers in crime: you implicate your victim in an incriminating situation, making your best interests their best interests. Even a hint of their involvement will narrow their options.
• The horns of a dilemma: denying your opponent the time to think of an escape, you present options they must immediately choose from. As they wriggle between the horns, they defeat themselves. An example is a lawyer leading an opposing witness to decide between two possible explanations, both of which are inconsistent.

If you’re clearly the person behind your opponents’ demise, expect revenge. But if they seem to be the ones causing their own misfortune, they have no one to blame.

Reversal: allowing your rivals freedom, as opposed to limiting their options, gives you opportunities to gather information on their natural tendencies.

Law 32: play to people’s fantasies

People rarely believe their issues are from their own mistakes, choosing to blame the external world for their misfortune. In the same vein, they believe the external world can bring salvation too. By playing to this belief, you become a source of pleasure for others and gain power.

Reality is full of harsh truths that people don’t want to face, and telling the truth will only anger them. “It is the oppressiveness of reality that allows fantasy to take root and bloom.” Observe the unpleasant truths that weigh on us and create a vague fantasy masking those truths. Let them come close enough to be tempted but far enough that they stay dreaming.

Don’t think we’d fall for such fantasies? History is full of examples, but here’s a modern one. Reality: change is slow and takes patience and hard work. Fantasy: something external will bring a total change. The popularity of supplements and dubious investment advice capitalizes on this reality-fantasy discrepancy.

Reversal: never get to the place where you are expected to produce results, which will prove dangerous. Additionally, fantasy doesn’t need to be exotic. Abraham Lincoln appealed to our desire for a simple, humdrum leader by masking his intelligence with an unassuming look. 

Law 33: discover each man’s thumbscrew

We all have our weaknesses and insecurities. Some wear their weaknesses openly, while others do not. Those who disguise their weaknesses are often the ones most undone through that chink in their psychological armor. There are many ways to find such weaknesses that can be exploited.

• Pay attention to gestures and unconscious signals: in addition to conversation, small details can reveal weaknesses. If you suspect someone has a soft spot, probe it indirectly, like flattering them and seeing their reaction. A trick is to confide a secret of little importance which draws out a real secret from them.
• Find the helpless child: knowing a person’s childhood is powerful. Keep an eye out for behavior that should’ve been outgrown. “One sign of this weakness is that when you touch on it the person will often act like a child.”
• Look for contrasts: “you will often find people’s weaknesses in the opposite of the qualities they reveal to you.” The shy are often dying for attention and the timid are craving for boldness.
• Find the weak link: it’s often the case that someone behind the scenes has influence over the person superficially on the top. Focus on the behind-the-scenes person. Alternatively, there are times when a group appears to be acting as one. There’s always a weak link who will bend easier.
• Fill the void: insecurity and unhappiness are the two main emotional voids. Validate the insecure and root out the causes of dissatisfaction for the unhappy, and you will be craved.
• Feed on uncontrollable emotions: people in the grips of fear, lust, greed, vanity, or hate cannot control themselves, so you can do the controlling for them.

When you fill someone’s weakness, “you are making them feel better about themselves, and that is worth any price.” They’ll willingly give you power.

Reversal: you may stir up an action that you cannot control. The most deep-seated their weakness, the more risky they are.

Law 34: be royal in your own fashion: act like a king to be treated like one

How you carry yourself reflects what you think of yourself. If you ask for little and shuffle your feet, you give little reason for others to treat you as someone worthy. After all, why should they believe in you when you don’t even believe in yourself?

As we experience failures and boundaries in life, we expect less and create self-imposed limitations. Break free of this and act like a king. Seeing your demeanor, others believe you must have reasons to feel so confident and treat you as someone important.

Emphasize your royal distinction by always acting with dignity. Keep your composure under difficult circumstances and you seem noble and admirable. Project a royal presence with these three strategies:

1. Make a bold demand and do not waver.
2. Go after the highest person in a dignified way, which puts you on the same level as the person you are going after.
3. Give a gift to those above you, implying that the two of you are somewhat of equals.

“Ask for less and that is just what you will get. Ask for more, however, and you send a signal that you are worth a king’s ransom. Even those who turn you down respect you for your confidence, and that respect will eventually pay off in ways you cannot imagine.”

Reversal: do not elevate yourself by humiliating others. It’s also not a good idea to loom too high above the crowd, making you an easy target. Lastly, do not confuse dignity with arrogance, which actually shows insecurity.

Law 35: master the art of timing

Being at the right place at the right time is something you can influence. There are three kinds of time for us to grapple with: long time, forced time, and end time.

Long time: the years-long time that “must be managed with patience and gentle guidance.” During this time, stay calm and wait for opportunities. You resist tempting baits, remain adaptable, and gain perspective and foresight. If you hurry and force the pace, you’ll create unnecessary problems.

Forced time: the short-term time you can manipulate to upset opponents. Make them hurry or make them wait. Hurry them by applying pressure and setting deadlines, forcing a decision from them. Make them wait and they become flustered.

End time: the time when a plan must be executed with speed and force. Do not use patience to cover up your fear of bringing things to a close. “You can wait for as long as necessary for the conclusion to come, but when it comes it must come quickly.” If you don’t finish correctly, the preparation of long time and manipulation of forced time means nothing.

Reversal: there is none.

Law 36: disdain things you cannot have: ignoring them is the best revenge

When you show too much interest, you appear desperate and end up repelling what you desire. A clingy man will get dumped and an overly-eager job prospect will raise doubts about their ability. Instead, ignore what provokes you. Your target will respond to try to have an effect on you, and now you’ve made them play by your rules.

“If choosing to ignore enhances your power, it follows that the opposite approach–commitment and engagement–often weakens you.” By paying attention to a weak enemy, you appear weak. The longer it takes for you to deal with your enemy, the stronger the enemy seems. Even if you defeat the enemy, you create sympathy for the weaker side.

You give power to what you give attention to. Do not give it to things that drag you down. If there is something you want but cannot have, act as if you never wanted it in the first place. If others attack you, make it seem like the attack hasn’t even registered. When you make a blunder, treat it lightly. Do not show that something has affected or offended you. 

Reversal: most small troubles will vanish on their own, but some will grow unless you take care of them. Learn to distinguish between the mildly irritating and potentially disastrous, and never completely disregard any problem. While you show contempt publicly, you must keep an eye on the problem privately, making sure it goes away. 

Law 37: create compelling spectacles

Words can offend, cause misinterpretation, and raise suspicions. On the other hand, images and symbols strike with an immediacy that leaves no room for doubt. “Like music, it leaps right over rational, reasonable thoughts.”

If you have to explain yourself, your power is already in question. Whereas, the image presents itself as a given, discouraging questions and communicating instantly. Picture the Christian cross or the Communist hammer and sickle and you can feel the power of symbols.

Always pay attention to how you arrange things visually. Colors and shapes have a great emotional power, which marketers recognize. Associate yourself with an image, or fuse together symbols that have not been seen together before, and you will gain power.

In addition, take heed of the order in which visuals appear. Often, the first to appear symbolizes power, and the focal point symbolizes importance. Here’s what I mean. 

When American troops intended to lead the way into Paris after its liberation from the Nazis, de Gaulle used much manipulation so that he and the French Second Armored Division would appear at the head of the liberating force. Afterward, the Allies treated de Gaulle as the leader, and he became President of France. De Gaulle knew that a leader must locate themselves literally at the head of the troops.

Organize images and symbols into a spectacle that awes and mesmerizes others. “The visual is the easiest route to their hearts.”

Reversal: there is no power to be gained by ignoring visuals.

Law 38: think as you like but behave like others

Complete free expression of whatever is on our minds is social suicide. We all wear masks, telling lies and hiding our true feelings. However, some people have a need to prove their values and beliefs. Even if what they say is true and justified, their arguments convince few and offend a great many more. Most people don’t want to be challenged to rework their habits of thinking. Rather, they’ll find a way to punish those who make them feel inferior.

It’s better to go with the flow and thrive than to be ostracized for being 100% authentic. Go with the flow by feigning a conventional appearance. And as you thrive and gain a position of power, you can try to convince a wider circle of your ideas, with care of course.

“The logical extension of this practice is the invaluable ability to be all things to all people. When you go into society, leave behind your own ideas and values, and put on the mask that is most appropriate for the group in which you find yourself.”

Reversal: when you have achieved an unshakeable position of power, you may risk behaving unconventionally as a sign of your distance from the rest. Still, you must be cognizant of the common touch, for you will need popular support. Finally, there is a place for the gadfly, the person who successfully mocks conventional behavior.

Law 39: stir up waters to catch fish

When the waters are still, your opponents have the space to plan actions they control. When you stir the waters and play on their uncontrollable emotions (e.g., pride, vanity, love, and hate), you control the situation, having baited them to act before they were ready. The angrier they become, the less control they have.

You must keep your cool while others lose theirs. The solution to overly emotional responses is not repression but a change in perspective: don’t take things personally. For example, when someone is angry at you, instead of instinctually reacting, realize their anger has roots far beyond you. Their anger could come from childhood problems or accumulated disappointments of the past.

Once you train yourself to control your emotional responses, you’re in a position to play with the emotional responses of others. Observe others and pounce: stir up the insecure by challenging their self-worth, appear weak to the arrogant, assume indifference towards the hot-headed, and so on.

Reversal: “some fish are best left at the bottom of the pond.” Study your enemy beforehand, and do not bait the sharks. On a different note, you may choose to exhibit a burst of anger, but it must be carefully planned. Never stir up long-term resentment and use this tactical anger selectively, or else it loses its power.

Law 40: despise the free lunch

“In the realm of power, everything must be judged by its cost, and everything has a price.” What is free or at a discount often has its own price: feelings of obligation, inner uneasiness, compromises with quality, and more. The powerful learn to pay the full price to preserve their “most valuable resources: independence and room to maneuver.”

Money has powerful emotional value, and these emotions overwhelm some people. Recognize these people and either avoid or exploit them.

1. The greedy fish: taking the human side out of money, “they only see the lifeless balance sheet.” In their blind pursuit of wealth, they trample feelings and alienate others. Avoid them before they take advantage of you or play on their greed for your gain.
2. The bargain demon: ignoring the cost in terms of time, dignity, and peace of mind, they irrationally pursue the bargain. Resist being infected by their view that you should’ve tried harder to find a cheaper price.
3. The sadist: they “seem to think that paying for something gives them the right to torture and abuse the seller.” If you are dealing with this type, accept a financial loss to avoid their sadistic power games.
4. The indiscriminate giver: wanting to be loved by all, their generosity is so unselective that it loses its effect. “If they give to one and all, why should the recipient feel special?” You will feel burdened by this type’s emotional needs.

When you learn to be strategically generous with money, you gain power in terms of reputation and influence. And when you are powerful, “money will find its way to you.” A reputation for generosity pays far more dividends, and a strong influence will get you things money cannot buy.

Never let financial details blind you to how others perceive you. The impression you create when you insist on paying less is often not worth the cost in reputation. Instead, use money to bolster your image, and pay the full price to keep yourself free of entanglements and worries.

That said, do not spend frivolously. “Money should not buy lifeless objects but influence over people.” Buy influence by gifting, a key component of strategic generosity. Gifting implies you and the recipient are equals and makes the recipient feel indebted, softening them for your future requests.

Gifting must be practiced with thought. The more often you gift to a particular person, the less meaningful the gifts are. The more your gifts and acts of generosity have sentimental value, the more powerful they are. An object or experience that plays with emotion has far more value than the money you squander on something expensive but meaningless. 

Reversal: what is free often comes with strings attached. Do not fall for the bait of the free lunch, but learn to bait others with it.

Law 41: avoid stepping into a great man’s shoes

“What happens first always appears better and more original than what comes after.” If you succeed prominent parents, you will have a hard time outshining them.

Power depends on appearing larger than others, but you have such a large presence to compete against. Power depends on adapting to the circumstances, but you’re scared to veer off the path that has worked for your predecessors in their time. Power depends on a hunger to rise, but you’re complacent with your inherited position in society.

A glamorous past burdens the heir with high expectations, terrifies them with so much to lose, and spoils their ambition. It’s no wonder that 70% of wealthy families lose their wealth by the second generation and 90% lose it by the third.

While you may not be able to start from ground zero materially, you can start from ground zero psychologically by charting a new path. Escape the past in these ways:

1. Belittle the past: play on the timeless rifts between generations. Young people, striving to make their own place in the world, are easily set against the old.
2. Demonstrate your difference: create a reputation contrasting with that of your predecessors. For example, Augustus (the successor to Caesar) maintained a style of simplicity in contrast with Caesar’s theatrical tendencies.
3. Find the vacuums: find the vacant or neglected areas in which you can shine. Your power will grow as “people are afraid to break so boldly with tradition, but they secretly admire those who can break up the old forms and reinvigorate the culture.”
4. See the present: do not react to circumstances solely based on tradition and what your predecessors would do. React to circumstances as they are.
5. Stay alert: your parents’ ways can creep into you if you let your guard down. Furthermore, do not grow fat and lazy with prosperity. Always be prepared to return to square one psychologically.

Reversal: do not reject the past simply out of a need to distinguish yourself. Take advantage of your predecessor’s knowledge, experience, and reputation, but do not be constrained by it. Finally, be wary of young rivals who may belittle you to clear the field for themselves.

Law 42: strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter

It is human nature for people to “congregate around a single strong personality like planets orbiting a sun.” While there may be fewer tyrants with ultimate power over millions, there are many little tyrants ruling smaller realms. In every group, power is concentrated in the hands of one or two people. 

When troubles arise, look for the single character with willpower, smarts, or charisma, and lure this person away. Do not try to reform, appease, or attack them. Instead, separate them from the group before they become the “eye of a whirlpool” and turn “a flock of sheep into a den of lions.” Their isolation can be physical, political, or psychological.

• Physical: bait them with something requiring their extended presence, like ongoing negotiations. When they are physically absent, they cannot stir up the group. Use this opportunity to dismantle the leaderless group.
• Political: reduce their power base by dividing their allies and provoking infighting. Pretty soon there is no group left.
• Psychological: alienate them from the group by pointing out their troublemaking and turning the group against them.

Often, powerful people have already alienated themselves from their group by losing touch with their base of support and flaunting their superiority. Exploit these people to accelerate your path to power.

When the troublemaker is isolated and out of their normal social context, they feel weak and succumb to your deception more easily. Once the leader is dealt with, the followers are disheartened and everything falls apart. In this ensuing confusion, look for opportunities.

Reversal: make sure the person you’re isolating lacks the means to get revenge on you. If you cannot guarantee this, keep the person close while you erode their support base. When the time comes, isolate them and they will fall so far such that you need not fear their resentment.

Law 43: work on the hearts and minds of others

“It is infuriating to meet a person who makes no effort to seduce you or attempt to persuade you, even if only for the purpose of deception.” With your individuality unacknowledged, you feel lifeless and seethe with resentment. 

Many people boast about themselves and impose their views during conversation. They make no effort to charm, seduce, or gently persuade, and bulldoze over others.

Do the opposite and get others to talk more and open up. The more they talk, the more they reveal about their likes and dislikes, the levers with which to move them. Stay attuned to each individual’s psychology and persuade them with a two-pronged approach: appealing to their heart and working on the mind.

Appeal to their heart by playing on their emotions and weaknesses. Use contrasts: if they expect pain, give them pleasure. In fact, any sort of pleasure often wins hearts, as does fulfilling other universal needs like a sense of belonging and self-worth. When they are emotionally moved, they lap up your words.

Symbolic gestures also win hearts. A gesture of self-sacrifice will soften others to your influence, even if your suffering is trivial and their suffering is real. A gesture of goodwill and generosity have similar effects.

Next, secure their minds by appealing to their self-interest, “the strongest motive of all.” You may lure them in with a noble veneer, but self-interest will maintain the cause.

Reversal: there is no possible reversal.

Law 44: disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect

The mirror effect unsettles your targets by angering or seducing them, giving you great influence in that instant. There are four main mirror effects: the neutralizing effect, the narcissus effect, the moral effect, and the hallucinatory effect.

The neutralizing effect: copy your enemies’ actions as best you can. Their victory over you depends on your reacting in a way characteristic of you, but now they cannot see what you are up to. Your mockery infuriates them and blinds them to your actual strategy and the traps you lay for them. 

The neutralizing effect is also useful when you have no strategy yourself or want to save mental energy, known as the warrior’s mirror. The reverse of this effect is shadowing. Often used by detectives and spies, you shadow your opponent without them knowing to gain insight into their habits. 

The narcissus effect: we are all in love with ourselves, but this love remains unsatisfied as there is no object outside of ourselves that we can direct this love towards. Play on this universal narcissism and reflect others’ values and tastes back to them, making yourself a mirror image. Do not impose your colors but absorb the colors of those around you, “like a chameleon.” 

In a self-centered world, your rare display of such deep understanding of the other person will leave them disarmed. “No one can resist this feeling of being harmoniously reflected in the outside world.” Even if people are aware of your other appearances, they are charmed that you submit to their influence when in their presence.

This effect works well in both social life and business life, giving us the seducer’s mirror and the courtier’s mirror, respectively. Use this mirror with caution, for if people see you mirror others just as completely as you mirrored them, they will feel betrayed.

The moral effect: when you want others to realize how they have hurt you, don’t complain and make them defensive. Instead, give them a taste of their own medicine by mirroring their actions. You can even add a touch of exaggeration. Get them to understand with subtle analogies instead of increasing their resistance with blunt communication.

When people are stuck in their own world that only reflects what they want to see, do not force reality on them by shattering their mirrors. Instead, enter their world and guide them out of the mirrors they have created. Often used by those who deal with unpleasant behavior, this is the teacher’s mirror.

The hallucinatory effect: when you create a copy that appears to be the real thing, people take it for the real thing. The copy can be anything: an object, a place, and even a person. Acting like a king to be treated like one and playing a sucker to catch a sucker come from this logic. This is the deceiver’s mirror.

Reversal: beware of stepping into a mirrored situation–a situation that mimics a previous occurrence. Those around you will compare the current situation to whatever happened before. If that incident went badly, they will distrust you. If it went well, you will be burdened with high expectations. You have no control over the recollections that will be connected to you, and such little control is dangerous.

Law 45: preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once

While we understand the need for change, we are creatures of habit and resent too much reform. Superficial change is okay but a change that upsets core routines is deeply disturbing. The person who initiates such change, even if it is for the good, becomes the scapegoat for any dissatisfaction. 

If reform is necessary, handle it carefully. When you destroy the familiar, you create a void of unfamiliarity that people fear. To fill this void, connect your new routines and rituals with those of the past, borrowing their legitimacy. “What has happened before seems greater; habit and history give any act weight.”

Cloak your changes with the comfortable associations of the past in these ways:

1. Create similarities between the past and the present: use an old title, associate yourself with an admired historical figure, compare opponents with past enemies, liken the current situation to a past one, or show how traditions and age-old teachings support your changes.
2. Reinterpret history: even if past teachings do not support your reforms, tinker with the facts so that they do. “The past is a text in which you can safely insert your own lines.”
3. Make a loud and public display of your support for tradition: your outward reverence for the values of the past disguises any radical changes you make.

Pay attention to the spirit of the times. In chaotic times, people will embrace a return to the past. In times of stagnation, a push for reform may be better received. Regardless, if the reform is too far ahead of its time, “few will understand it, and it will stir up anxiety and be hopelessly misinterpreted.” 

Reversal: if the past was painful, do not associate yourself with it. Instead, make your changes contrast with past ideals. Still, avoid the appearance of a void by filling it with new routines and rituals. “Even an ugly recent history will seem preferable to an empty space.”

Law 46: never appear too perfect

“The human animal has a hard time dealing with feelings of inferiority.” In the face of superior talent, we realize we aren’t as brilliant as we had thought and feel envious. But envy doesn’t bring comfort, nor can it be admitted, so it festers underground and reveals itself in ugly ways. Here are the rules of envy:

1. Accept that there will be people who surpass you in some way and that you may envy them. Instead of letting this envy poison you, use it as motivation to surpass them one day.
2. As you experience success, those below will feel envious of you. It is inevitable, though they will disguise it. Recognize their overly critical remarks, sarcastic comments, excessive praise, and resentful looks for what they are–envy. 
3. Expect that people will work against you stealthily when they are envious of you. When you finally realize that envy is at the root of the problem, it is often too late, and making excuses and showing humility only worsen their envy. It is far easier to avoid creating envy in the first place than trying to get rid of it once it is there.

There are three main ways envy is created:

1. The show-off: the moment something good happens to them, they talk about it. As they make themselves feel superior, they inadvertently make others feel inferior. 
2. The naturally talented: they stir up all the more envy with their natural qualities of wit, looks, and charm. While money and power can be obtained, natural talents are harder to acquire. “It is a common and naive mistake to think you are charming people with your natural talents when in fact they are coming to hate you.”
3. A sudden improvement: though you may have worked hard for an improvement, such as a job promotion, people don’t see the effort behind it. When a “sudden” improvement supposedly comes out of nowhere, others feel jealous.

Here are tactics to deflect envy:

1. Downplay your merit and talent: show genuine humility, as any hint of insincerity will make you more oppressive to others.
2. Play up your good luck: make your fortune seem more attainable by subtly emphasizing how lucky you have been. 
3. Look unchanged: “In some Arab countries, a man will avoid arousing envy by showing his wealth only on the inside of his house.” Similarly, do not show your change in wealth outwardly. Appear to be like those you left behind, sharing their values and acting deferentially, as if they know better.
4. Distract them: purposefully reveal an insignificant defect, weakness, or anxiety.
5. Garner pity: make improvements in your life seem like burdens. Going back to the job promotion example, emphasize your long hours and how you’ll need to sacrifice family time.
6. Appeal to their self-interest: hint that your good fortune will benefit those around you.
7. Seem unambitious: refuse to take the position of power and make others insist you take the throne. “People cannot envy the power that they themselves have given a person who does not seem to desire it.”

Even with the best intentions, envy still arises. Be extra sensitive in environments with coworkers and peers that have a veneer of equality, which are conducive to envy. 

Be especially careful with your inner circle that you’ve left behind in your rise to the top. It’s often your family and friends, not strangers, who turn on you in times of good fortune. We’ve all heard stories of inheritances and lottery winnings destroying a family.

Once you notice envy, “Do not try to help or do favors for those who envy you; they will think you are condescending to them.” Instead, “the only solution is often to flee the presence of the enviers.”

Reversal: if you attain a position of undisputed power so that their envy will have no effect, display contempt for their envy. Instead of hiding your perfection, make it obvious. “Your good fortune and power become their living hell.”

Law 47: do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory, learn when to stop

“The essence of strategy is controlling what comes next,” and the thrill of victory can upset this in two ways. First, owing your success to a certain set of actions, you may try to repeat it blindly without reassessing the circumstances. Second, as success goes to your head, you feel invulnerable and make aggressive decisions that end up undoing you.

“History is littered with the ruins of victorious empires and the corpses of leaders who could not learn to stop and consolidate their gains.”

After a victory, take a step back to reflect on your actions, examine the role of luck, and consolidate your power base. Remain vigilant against changes in your fortune. As Napoleon Bonaparte said, “The greatest danger occurs at the moment of victory.”

Luck always plays a role in power. Do not let victory make you overconfident. And despite what you may think, “good luck is more dangerous than bad luck.” Bad luck teaches you patience, timing, and the need to prepare for the worst. Good luck makes you think your brilliance is invincible, but when the tables inevitably turn, you will fall hard.

People who go past the mark may do so to please their master. In reality, their excess of effort and success backfires by making their master feel insecure. In addition, when a superior grants you a favor, it is a dangerous mistake to ask for more. Accept the favor graciously and withdraw. Subsequent favors should be earned.

Finally, the moment you stop has a great dramatic effect. “What comes last sticks in the mind.” There is no better time to walk away than after a victory. “Keep going and you risk lessening the effect or even ending up defeated.”

Momentum is overrated. “You create your own successes, and if they follow one upon the other, it is your own doing.” Belief in momentum will make you act hastily and rashly. 

Reversal: do not take this law to go against crushing your enemy completely. Be merciless, but do not create new enemies by overreaching. Aside from that, there are some who are all the more cautious after a victory, having more to protect. Your caution should not make you anxious but rather serve as a safeguard.

Law 48: assume formlessness

What is rigid and inflexible goes extinct. What is mobile and adaptable survives. What has a form can be grasped and attacked. What is formless cannot be defeated. The examples are everywhere.

In nature: animals with a rigid shell are easy targets. Though the shell may protect them for the time being, the status quo will eventually change and something will find a way to break that shell. On the other hand, swift-moving animals of the sea and sky are harder targets.

In war: warfare has continuously evolved towards formlessness. The oldest wars were fought with rigid large armies. We took to the seas for more mobility and fluidity. Back on land, guerilla warfare has emerged as the modern style of war. Small groups blend into the environment, engage in hit-and-run attacks, and never collect in one place. 

Elusiveness yields far better results than direct engagement for a much lower cost. In the modern day, the trillions of U.S. dollars spent to fight the tiny guerilla factions in the Middle East have done little to nothing.

War is becoming even more abstract, with an emphasis on economic sanctions and cyberwar. There’s a reason we’re moving towards abstraction: you cannot attack what doesn’t have a form.

In culture: when European nations colonized Japan, the Japanese seduced them “into believing the Japanese were yielding to a superior culture when actually the foreign culture’s ways were merely a fashion to be donned and doffed.” Under the surface, Japanese culture flourished.

On the contrary, when Westerners showed up in China, the Chinese government resisted. Subsequently, the Westerners forced China’s doors open with wars and punishing treaties. By taking a form, the Chinese opened themselves for destruction.

In politics: we can be manipulated more through subtle propaganda and media than from direct statements by politicians. Subtle insinuation is formless, so we perceive no danger and don’t defend against it. Other the other hand, direct statements have an obvious form, so it is easier to resist them.

Being formless doesn’t mean to have no form, for that is impossible. Rather, formlessness is like that of water, taking the form of whatever is around it and changing constantly. 

Learn to take nothing personally. When you show defensiveness, you reveal your emotions, a clear form. Your opponents realize they have hit a nerve and will hit it again and again. Instead, make your face a formless mask, and do not let others know what gets to you.

Do not mistake size and rigidity for power. “The more gigantic the enemy, the easier it is to induce collapse.” The flexible and mobile person always has more strategic options.

“The need for formlessness becomes greater the older we get, as we grow more likely to become set in our ways and assume too rigid a form.” Your mind must continually adapt to the circumstances, even to the inevitable change that calls for you to move over and let the younger ones rise.

Do not confuse formlessness for going with the flow. Formlessness is a tool to be intentionally used, preventing enemies from seeing what you are up to, giving them nothing solid to attack, and making them deplete their resources as they hunt all over for you. 

“Finally, learning to adapt to each new circumstance means seeing events through your own eyes, and often ignoring the advice that people constantly peddle your way.” The status quo always changes. The advice that works today may not work tomorrow.

“Nothing in the world can remain stable forever, and the shell or system you evolve for your protection will someday prove your undoing.” Instead, be like water.

Reversal: when it is time to finally attack, take form and hit them with a concentrated, speedy blow. Then, resume formlessness.

Playing the Game

The book puts the discussion around playing the game in the preface, but I believe this section is more useful at the end. 

Knowing the rules is one thing but playing the game is another. It takes years of practice to gain the necessary skills to master the game. Among the many skills, the most important are emotional mastery, deception, patience, and critical thinking.

The most important skill is mastering your emotions. Impulsive emotional reactions create costly mistakes and cloud rational judgment. Anger is the most destructive as it clouds your vision the most, with affection coming in second. You cannot avoid feeling anger or affection, and you shouldn’t repress them, but you should be careful how you express them. Anger and affection should not impact your rational decision-making and actions.

Mastering your emotions also involves the ability to distance yourself from your current emotional state, helping you think about the past and the future. In looking towards the future, you imagine situations and problems before they arise, so nothing catches you off-guard. In looking towards the past, you learn lessons from historical figures and your own experience.

The ability to distance yourself is also required for deception, the “most potent weapon in the game of power.” Deception has a negative connotation, but at its essence, it just means wearing different masks and molding yourself to the situation.

“If deception is the most potent weapon in your arsenal, then patience in all things is your crucial shield.” When you recognize that “the grass will grow again, if you give it time,” you’re less rushed and make fewer mistakes.

Critical thinking is another important skill. You learn to see circumstances for what they are. You follow the results and effects, not the intentions or justifications. You can analyze people and uncover their hidden motives, “the single greatest piece of knowledge you can have in acquiring power.” An understanding of psychology is quite handy.

If you can truly master your emotions and take a distanced approach to yourself, the rest comes more easily: looking towards the future, learning from the past, presenting deceiving appearances to fit the situation, being patient, and thinking critically. If you look back at the laws, you’ll notice how many of them are related to mastery of the self.

In addition, while we’ve discussed things to do, “Half of your mastery of power comes from what you do not do.” Judge all things by how much it will cost you, and apply this standard to everything. Learn to say no.

Lastly, Greene leaves us with two final remarks. Firstly, “Never discriminate as to whom you study and whom you trust. Never trust anyone completely and study everyone.” Secondly, “you must learn to always take the indirect route to power.” 

Just like how knowing the rules of chess doesn’t automatically make you a good chess player, knowing the rules of power doesn’t automatically make you skilled in power dynamics. But you must know the rules to even have a chance of being skilled. 

The journey doesn’t end after reading and knowing these laws. On the contrary, the journey has just begun. You must apply these rules, acquire the skills, and play the game for years to become a master.

My Thoughts

Many label the book and the author as evil and manipulative, but Robert Greene is actually doing us a huge favor by exposing the reality of the world we live in. To me, the backlash comes from people who:

1. Want to preserve their self-image and reputation,
2. Have a hard time coming to terms with reality, or
3. Don’t want to publicize the tactics they use

I admire how Greene wrote this book knowing full well he would be attacked and demeaned as the messenger who brought bad news. How easy and comfortable it would’ve been to just keep this knowledge to himself. Put yourself in his shoes, and you begin to see he is nowhere near evil.

Despite there being some ugly laws, many laws are useful and can help you get what you want without hurting others. In addition, the numerous historical anecdotes make reading the book a pleasure.

My one criticism is that the book is structured like a how-to guide that encourages amoral behavior. However, writing this book would be quite verbose if done from a detached approach. Everything would need to be prefaced by a neutral phrase like “you can choose to” for a less biased overtone. As in, “use absence to increase honor” would become “you can choose to use absence to increase honor.” The book would lose clarity and add needless length.

A more cheerful companion to the 48 Laws of Power is How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. I believe these two books are all you need to take on the world of human interaction. All that’s left is going out in the world and applying what you’ve learned. Knowledge is not power; applied knowledge is.

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