48 Laws of Power List || The Most Powerful Laws
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| 48 Laws of Power List |
Law #1: Never Outshine the Master
Law #2: Never Put too Much Trust in Friends, Learn How to Use Enemies
Law #3: Conceal Your Intentions
The Marquis de Sevigne wanted to seduce a young countess. Instead of being indirect and subtle he exposed his true feelings for her and she lost all interest as he blurted out that he loved her. Add a sense of unexplicable mystery to your character.
Law #4: Always Say Less than Necessary
Law #5: So Much Depends on Reputation - Guard It With Your Life
During the second World War Erwin Rommel was known for his superior skill in cunning and deceptive strategy. All of the opposition were demoralized and doubting their chances of success facing him. Your reputation preceeds you. Build and protect it carefully.
Law #6: Court Attention at all Cost
Pablo Picasso would not allow himself to fade into the background. He would rather paint something out of the ordinary and ugly, than be forgotten. All publicity is good publicity. Don't let yourself become one of many.
Law #7: Get Others to Do the Work for You
Law #8: Make Other People Come To You - Use Bait if Necessary
Law #9: Win Through Your Actions - Not Through Argument
Law #10: Infection: Avoid the Unhappy and Unlucky
Lola Montez brought down the King of Bavaria and his whole kingdom by seducing him. Her lust for destruction and chaos was insatiable. Countless lives perished, because of her nature. Cut off the firestarters. Try to help them instead and you too will burn alongside them.
Law #11: Learn To Keep People Dependent on You
Otto von Bismarck led the King's hand in uniting a mighty Prussia. None other than Bismarck was able to do so. He proved himself to be an indespensable asset and had his strong position secured. Be the only one who can do what you do or see yourself replaced in fear sooner or later.
Law #12: Use Selective Honesty to Disarm Your Victim
Count Victor Lustig was going to double Al Capone's 50'000$. Instead of running with the money he gave it all back to Capone who thought he was being played by a con artist. Capone gave Lustig the 5'000$ simply to help the "honest" man. Tell the truth to gain your opponent's trust. Be honest when expected to be dishonest to throw your opponent off guard.
Law #4: Always Say Less than Necessary
Law #13: Asking for Help Appeal to People's Self Interest
Law #14: Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, French politican and mastermind behind Napoleon Bonaparte's defeat would hold himself back in conversation and get others to talk endlessly of themselves to the point of betraying their own thought, intent and strategy. An interrogation disguised as a friendly chat, so subtle that the victim did not notice. Learn to judge a person's character by what they reveal of themselves, so that you can recognize a threat before it arises. Test people's honesty before you consider trusting them.
Law #15: Crush Your Enemy Totally
Law #16: Use Absence to Increase Respect and Honor
Law #17: Cultivate an Air of Unpredictability
Law #18: Isolation is Dangerous The more you are isolated, the easier it is to deceive you.
Law #19: Do Not Offend the Wrong Person
Muhammad, the shah of Khwarezm, and Inalchik had beheaded Ghengis Khan's messengers who had come in peace with great gifts and offerings. The Khan declared war, seized the enemy's capital and had Inalchik killed quote "by having molten silver poured into his eyes and ears." Later Ghengis Khan seized Samarkand, bringing his brutal conquest of Muhammad's vast empire to an end. What would've become of Adolf Hitler had he been given the chance of becoming an artist? Perhaps history would be very different. Avoid insulting others, you do not know who you're dealing with... even though we live in a time where everyone is offended and the level of political correctness borders on absolute madness.
Law #20: Do Not Commit to Anyone
Alcibiades, greek soldier & statesman found himself courted by the Athenians and the Spartans, because he had influence on the Persians and honored by the Persians, because he had influence over the Greek city states. Instead of committing to one side, he played all of them in his favor. Comitting is like handing yourself over to someone else. It means more obligations and less control.
Law #21: Play a Sucker to Catch a Sucker
Law #22: Surrender Tactic: Transform Weakness into Power
Law #23: Concentrate Your Forces
The greater an Empire's territories the more vulnerability. Great lands need strong borders. Else they may be overrun by another barbarian tribe as seen with the collapse of Rome. Your armies are strongest when forged together. Divide them and they may not be able to protect the empire from an invasion..Dedicate your complete focus to one front, using every resource at your disposal and all of your energy to master your craft through total immersion.
Law #24: Play the Perfect Courtier
Law #25: Recreate Yourself
Law #26: Keep Your Hands Clean
As written in Niccolo Machiavelli's letter to the prince, Cesare Borgia was using Remirro di Orco as a tool to take gruesome action against all of his enemies. In the end he used him as a scapegoat, put the full blame on di Orco and threw lavish banquets for the common folk, presenting not only his clean slate, but positive change. It is the ultimate act of betrayal. To have someone's back only to find out they've been using you this whole time. Avoid falling into the trap of being someone's cats-paw or scapegoat.
Law #27: Play on People’s Need to Believe
Law #28: Enter Action with Boldness
Law #29: Plan all the Way to the End
Excerpt from the book: "The Gods on Mount Olympus. Looking down on human actions from the clouds, they see in advance the endings of all great dreams that lead to disaster and tragedy. And they laugh at our inability to see beyond the moment, and at how we delude ourselves." Before you take action consider the possible outcomes and consequences, calculate the risk, then execute, if it's worth doing. However, as time goes on things reform and it would be foolish to stick to a plan that ignores change.
Law #30: Make Your Accomplishments Seem Effortless
Harry Houdini made his stunt performances look like they were a walk in the park, a piece of cake, as easy as stealing a child's lollipop..No one saw just how much work, preparation and practice went into every piece of the.puzzle..This illusion we call magic..Make it look like it was improvised, made up on the spot and it will seem genuine..Boast how much work went into something and its natural allure, the magic, is gone.
Law #31: Get others to Play with the Cards you Deal
Law #32: Play to People’s Fantasies
Law #33: Discover Each Man’s Thumbscrew
Cardinal Richelieu would find out the weaknesses of everyone around him, then worked on it by being useful to them until they were of no use to him. One by one he worked his way up to the king, who at the time was a mere child. Know the weak spots of your opponents, the crack in their defense and you will know what to work with, when you need it. In reverse do not betray your own weaknesses.
Law #34: Be Royal in Your Own Fashion – Act Like a King
Christopher Columbus did not accept his low standing in the world he was born. He recreated his family tree, married into nobility and peddled with kings. Now, unless he was mad, people thought, there must be valid reasons behind his bold requests. He must be legitimate. Ask for less, receive less. What you tolerate is what you end up with. Do not think lowly of yourself. You're a king in your own right. You're a queen in your own right. Princes & princesses are no good today.
Law #35: Master the Art of Timing
Joseph Fouché was switching sides whenever he sensed danger. His biography is riddled with nigh impossible escapes from death. He did not deem it necessary to be loyal to disloyal men. Say what you want of his attitude, but he certainly knew when to act and when to lay low. With time comes change. It is important to not only know how to adapt, but at what exact moment for maximum effect. Too fast and you're a traitor. Too late and you're imitating the others. In any case, learn to use time to your advantage.
Law #36: Disdain Things You Cannot Have
Law #37: Create Compelling Spectacles
Law #38: Think As You Like, But Behave Like Others
478 B.C the fearless and experienced warrior Pausinias and his Greek troops captured part of the Persian empire. Being the overseer of these lands went to his head and he began acting rather strangely, even for Pausinias. He spoke ill of his own people. Feeling and showing superiority breeds hate. His god-complex and constant need to stand out had him killed in the end.
You want to fit in, whether you share common beliefs or not. Being better or different in any way just causes trouble through other people's envy and disdain.
They'll ostrasize you from the group and slander your reputation. How much money do you make? About 70% of whatever they make.
Law #39: Stir Up Waters to Catch Fish
This is the good old lay a trap with bait and wait. Monkey see, monkey do. The spiderweb. Mice desire cheese so much, they won't even see the obvious construction around it. When you know your enemies and their weaknesses you know what they react to and you use this knowledge against them. Create a false alarm. They'll make a run to save what they hold so dearly and weaken themselves by exposing their flank. That's where you hit them. That's certainly where they will hit you, if you fall for it. Keep yourself from being reactive..All that rage, blinding emotions, fear, desire. It makes you predictable and it makes you weak. Don't be impulsive.
Law #40: Despise the Free Lunch
Louis XIV had an eagle eye for the stategicp powerof money. He would gift paintings of great value to people who didn't like him very much, until then. This way he got nobility, the keys to power, on his side. At the same time he increased operational costs for the aristocrats who wanted him gone. It's ingenious. He took money from his enemies and gave it to his new friends.
Two birds with one stone. This is one of my favorite laws, because it states that cheap misers miss out on opportunities. It pays to be generous and it pays not to accept "free" gifts. What is the Return of Investment (ROI) on paying for someone's coffee? You sit down at Starbucks with an influental, connected and experienced entrepreneur. You get to talk to him for 10 minutes, ask his advice, learn from his mistakes. I don't care if the coffee costs 50$, I'm paying, because there is a lot of upside.
Law #41: Avoid Stepping into a Great Man’s Shoes
Alexander the Great's father had set the standard of achievement very high. Alexander wasn't going to be content in his father's shadow..He wasn't going to rest on his father's and later on his own laurels. "When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer." Now imagine if Alexander the Great had had a son who wanted to be a conqueror. That he would pale in comparison is an understatement. Not a soul would've attributed his success to him for he'd achieve everything on the shoulders of his father. Don't make it your life's task to be better at being someone else. Instead go your own way. Unapolagetically be your best self.
Law #42: Strike the Shepherd and the Sheep Will Scatter
"When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter."
"Cut the snake at the head."
What is an army without its generals, without leadership?.Whole empires have been secured off of conscientious leaders with iron willpower and vision.nTake them away and much like Alexander's empire after his death, they break apart and crumble, turning on eachother, defecting and deserting. Often the glue that sticks everything together constists of a few key people at the top in any kind of organization, any kind of social group or hierarchy.nDo with this information what you will.
Law #43: Work on the Heart and Mind of Others
October of 1793, the French Revolution declared the end of the monarchy. Marie-Antoinette knelt at the guillotine for she never cared about the people's opinion of her as their queen. She thought herself above the common folk. Pampered and disgustingly narcassistic she paid the price, never learning from her mistakes. You should influence people and win friends as Dale Carnegie suggests. It is more, than beneficial to be recognized for your kindness and helpful demeanour. Be agreeable or face the consequences of being indifferent. Be humble or be humbled.
Law #44: Disarm and Infuriate With the Mirror Effect
Alcibiades charmed the Athenians, got accused of profaning sacred statues and fled, then charmed the Spartans, impregnated the king's wife and fled, then charmed the Persians and helped Athens win their war against Sparta. They welcomed him back with open arms. "Wherever Alcibiades went, whoever he had to deal with, he would leave behind his own values and appear to share the values of his victims. No one could resist a man who not only concurred with them, but also admired their ways of living, seeming to be one of their own." You like people, who like you, who are like you. Match people's energy, speak their language, eat their food, find common ground and even envious people will drop their preconceived notions about you.
Law #45: Preach Change But Never Reform Quickly
Change is imperative, but human beings love the comfort familiarity provides. The unknown, disorder and chaos are very disruptive and undesirable to us, even when it is for the better. Hence, we need small, incremental changes that build over a long period of time allowing everyone to adjust at a comfortable pace. You are moving things in the right direction, while avoiding stirring up too much anxiety and dissent. Change things gradually, one step at a time, dragging the voluntary rest of us with you.
Law #46 Never Appear Too Perfect
"It takes great talent and skill to conceal one’s talent and skill." - La Rochefoucauld If you have been paying attention, you willhave noticed that a lot of these power plays revolve around the master and the student or slave, domination and submission, superiority or authority and inferiority, ego, pride, arrogance and envy, jealousy, hatred. It's a very vicious and ultimately destructive cycle..Everyone wants to be the king, no one wants to be the pawn. Me, I don't want to be a pawn, but I don't want to be the king either. I don't want to envy nor be envied.
I want to be the faceless man behind the throne. I don't want to be on the chessboard. I don't want to be a visible target, but I still want to win at the game of power no matter what side loses.
Law #47: In Victory Learn When To Stop
In 1751 Madame de Pompadour found herself unable to satisfy Louis XV's lust.
To hold onto her privileged position she arranged younger, prettier women to keep the king happy. This was a loss for she had to swallow her pride and share Louis with others. They, however, could not compete with her charm, talents, taste and flawless sense for fashion. "Her reign as mistress had lasted an unprecedented twenty years." Don't push too far or you risk losing it all. Know when to take a loss and move on.
Law #48: Assume Formlessness
The Spartans, the most powerful infantry the world had ever seen at the time, lost the war with Athens, for they were outnumbered and unwilling to change their views. They did not adapt to circumstance.
They did not build walls. They did not want to conquer new lands, nor engage in trade for gold gave rise to corruption. Meanwhile Athens was thriving through constant reform. Sparta fell behind and collapsed.
Don't fight change. When you catch yourself in the futile attempt to resist a new order, remind yourself that you not only missed the opportunity to predict it, but to adapt to it in time. You have to be antifragile.
As Bruce Lee said, and this is the closing statement, "You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle.
When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Be water my friend."
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