You may feel you are helping the drowning man but you are only precipitating your own disaster: The unfortunate sometimes draw misfortune on themselves they will also draw it on you. You can die from someone else’s misery – emotional states are as infectious as diseases. Infection: Avoid The Unlucky And The Unhappy It is much more powerful to get others to agree with you through your actions, without saying a word. Win Through Your Actions, Never Through ArgumentĪny momentary triumph you think you have gained through argument is really a Pyrrhic victory: The resentment and ill will you stir up is stronger and last longer than any momentary change of opinion. Lure him with valuable gains – then attack. It is always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process. When you force the other person to act, you are the one in control. Make Other People Come To You – Use Bait If Necessary Never do yourself what others can do for you.Ĩ. In the end your helpers will be forgotten and you will be remembered. Not only will such assistance save you valuable time and energy, it will give you godlike aura of efficiency and speed. Use the wisdom, knowledge, and legwork of other people to further your own cause. Get Others To Do The Work For You, But Always Take The Credit Make yourself a magnet of attention by appearing larger, more colorful, more mysterious than the bland and timid masses.ħ. Never let yourself get lost in the crowd, then, or buried in oblivion. Then stand aside and let public opinion hang them.Įverything is judged by its appearance what is unseen counts for nothing. Meanwhile, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their own reputations. Always be alert to potential attacks and thwart them before they happen. Through reputation alone you can intimidate and win once it slips, however, you are vulnerable, and will be attacked on all sides. So Much Depends On Reputation – Guard It With Your Live The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.ĥ. Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open ended, and sphinx like. When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Guide them far enough down the wrong path, envelop them in enough smoke, and by the time they realize your intention’s, it will be too late. If they have no clue what you are up to, they cannot prepare a defense. Keep people off balance and in the dark by never revealing the purpose behind your actions. If you have no enemies, find a way to make them. In fact, you have more to fear from friends than from enemies. But hire a former enemy and he will be more loyal than a friend, because he has more to prove.
#48 laws of power laws how to#
Never Put Too Much Trust In Friends, Learn How To Use Enemiesīe wary of friends – they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power.Ģ. In your desire to please or impress them, do not go to far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite – inspire fear and insecurity.
#48 laws of power laws manual#
Published in September 1998, the book has been compared to Sun-Tzu's The Art of War, another manual which provides rules to live ones life by.Īlways make those above you feel comfortably superior. The book uses ancedotes from notable historical figures such as Machiavelli, Talleyrand, Bismarck, Catherine the Great, Mao, Haile Selassie, Lola Montes and various con artists in order to give meaning and examples to the 48 rules. while others decrease it and even ruin us." The book ascribes to a simple premise: "certain actions always increase one's power. It is a manual which provides rules, or laws, for those who seek to increase their power in life. The 48 Laws of Power is a seminal book by Robert Greene and Joost Elffers. Industrial & Organisational : Introduction : Personnel : Organizational psychology : Occupations: Work environment: Index : Outline