Preface

• Place your iron hand inside a velvet glove - Napolean Bonaparte
• Love, affection, anger. Be careful how you express them. Never let them influence your plans or strategies in any way.
• Plan instead of daydreaming. Calculate all possible permutations and combinations of events
• Use patience as a shield. It’ll protect you from making moronic blunders.
• Judge all things by what they cost you. Don’t get dragged into things that have no ROI. Never waste you valuable time, or mental peace of mind, on the affairs of others—that is too high a price to pay. Life is short, opportunities are few and you have only so much energy to draw on.
• The value of a thing sometimes lies not in what one attains with it, but in what one pays for it—what it costs us. - Nietzsche
• Study everyone — Never trust anyone completely (Maybe there are times to make exceptions but keep your wits about you.)

Law 1: Never Outshine The Master

Always make those above you feel comfortably superior. In your desire to please and impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite—inspire fear and insecurity. Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power.

• Never take the master for granted and think that you have your master’s favor for good. Don’t let yourself be complacent and make the mistake of being too frank with your master.
• If your master is a falling star — do not fear outshining him. But don’t overdo it. It might appear cruel or spiteful.
• If your master is firm — bide your time and be patient. In the meantime make your master look greater than he is.

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

Be wary of friends—they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. They also become spoiled and tyrannical. But hire a former enemy and he will be more loyal than a friend, because he has more to prove. In fact, you have more to fear from friends than from enemies. If you have no enemies, find a way to make them.

• All working situations require a kind of distance between people. Keep friends for friendship, but work with the skilled and competent.
• Having an enemy at your heal sharpens your wits. It keeps you focused and alert. Use some enemies like enemies. (Rival partner. Eg: Naruto-Sasuke)
• For any dirty work or as a scapegoat use someone who is close but not too close.

Law 3: Conceal Your Intentions

Keep people off-balance and in the dark by never revealing the purpose behind your actions. If they have no clue what you are up to, they cannot prepare a defense. Guide them far enough down the wrong path, envelop them in enough smoke, and by the time they realize your intentions, it will be too late.

• Honesty? No not always, instead tailor your words to what people want to hear.
• It is hard to respect and feat someone who is predictable and honest all the time. Power will not accrue to someone who can’t inspire such emotions.
• People judge and make assumptions on appearances. Use false desired goals as a decoy to hide your true intentions. Don’t close up as it invites suspicion.
• Appear honest and forthright sometimes in public to fortify your image of honesty. Honesty is merely another decoy in the arsenal of weapons.

A Sheep’s Skin. A sheep never marauds, a sheep never deceives, a sheep is magnificently dumb and docile. With a sheepskin on his back, a fox can pass right into the chicken coop.

Have you ever heard of a skillful general, who intends to surprise a citadel, announcing his plan to his enemy? Conceal your purpose and hide your progress; do not disclose the extent of your designs until they cannot be opposed, until the combat is over. Win the victory before you declare the war. In a word, imitate those warlike people whose designs are not known except by the ravaged country through which they have passed.
Ninon de Lenclos, 1623–1706

Law 4: Always say less than necessary

When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike. Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.

• If you open your mouth too much, you leave yourself at the mercy of your listeners.
• Power is a game of appearance. When you say less, you inevitably appear greater and more powerful. When you carefully control what you reveal, your short answers and silence put people on the defensive and they jump in, nervously filling the silence with all kinds of comments that will reveal valuable info about them and their weaknesses.
• Be careful with sarcasm. Once words are out you can’t take them back.

Law 5: So much depends on reputation — guard it with your life.

Reputation is the cornerstone of power. Through reputation alone you can intimidate and win; once it slips, however, you are vulnerable, and will be attacked on all sides. Make your reputation unassailable. Always be alert to potential attacks and thwart them before they happen. Meanwhile, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their own reputations. Then stand aside and let public opinion hang them.

• Begin with establishing a reputation in one outstanding quality (honesty, generosity, or cunning, etc.) and slowly but steadily make it spread.
• Protect your reputation strictly, anticipating all attacks and thwarting them at all costs. Once it is solid, never appear desperate in your self-defense upon slander.

The mighty lion toys with the mouse that crosses his path—any other reaction would mar his fearsome reputation.

• By not caring how you are perceived, you let others decide that for you. Be the master of your fate and your reputation.

Law 6: Court attention at all cost

Everything is judged by its appearance; what is unseen counts for nothing. Never let yourself get lost in the crowd, then, or buried in oblivion. Stand out. Be conspicuous, at all cost. Make yourself a magnet of attention by appearing larger, more colorful, more mysterious than the bland and timid masses.

Part I: Surround your name with the sensational and scandalous

Draw attention to yourself by creating an unforgettable, even controversial image. Court scandal. Do anything to make yourself seem larger than life and shine more brightly than those around you. Make no distinction between kinds of attention—notoriety of any sort will bring you power. Better to be slandered and attacked than ignored.

• By attaching your name and reputation to a quality you create an image that sets you apart. The image can be something like a characteristic style of dress, or a personality quirk that amuses people and gets talked about
• People feel superior to the person whose actions they can predict. Sometimes play against people’s expectations to gain their respect, and fear and tighten your hold on their fleeting attention.

Part II: Create an air of mystery

In a world growing increasingly banal and familiar, what seems enigmatic instantly draws attention. Never make it too clear what you are doing or about to do. Do not show all your cards. An air of mystery heightens your presence; it also creates anticipation—everyone will be watching you to see what happens next. Use mystery to beguile, seduce, even frighten.

• Way to do it:

By simply holding back, keeping silent, occasionally uttering ambiguous phrases, deliberately appearing inconsistent, and acting odd in the subtlest of ways, you will emanate an aura of mystery. The people around you will then magnify that aura by constantly trying to interpret you.

• To escape a situation where you feel trapped or cornered. Become unpredictable or better yet, create a scene that cannot be read. The mysterious makes your forces seem larger, you power more terrifying.

If you do not declare yourself immediately, you arouse expectation…. Mix a little mystery with everything, and the very mystery stirs up veneration. And when you explain, be not too explicit…. In this manner you imitate the Divine way when you cause men to wonder and watch. (Baltasar Gracián, 1601–1658)

• Monitor your air of mystery and let it not get turned into a reputation for deceit. Pull back when it is too far gone.
• Be careful where you seek attention. Pick your moments and retreat to the shadows then the time hasn’t reached fruition.

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

Use the wisdom, knowledge, and legwork of other people to further your own cause. Not only will such assistance save you valuable time and energy, it will give you a godlike aura of efficiency and speed. In the end your helpers will be forgotten and you will be remembered. Never do yourself what others can do for you.

Kissinger played the game expertly: He took credit for the work of those below him while graciously giving credit for his own labors to those above. That is the way to play the game.

Law 8: Make other people come to you—use bait if necessary

When you force the other person to act, you are the one in control. It is always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process. Lure him with fabulous gains—then attack. You hold the cards.

• Anger makes you lose farsight. Always keep your emotions in check.
• Play on people’s natural tendency to react angrily when pushed and baited. Play for the long run rather than short-term victories.

Passersby seeing the sign invariably feel for their wallet to make sure it is still there. For the watching pickpockets, this is like shooting fish in a barrel. Pickpockets have even been known to place their own BEWARE OF PICKPOCKETS signs to ensure their success.

• Choose your tactic based on the circumstances. Attack fast if your enemy is weak and waiting only gives them the chance to pounce back. Be patient and bait your enemy if you are on equal strength to deplete theirs.

Law 9: Win through your actions, never through argument

Any 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 lasts longer than any momentary change of opinion. It is much more powerful to get others to agree with you through your actions, without saying a word. Demonstrate, do not explicate.

The truth is generally seen, rarely heard. - Baltasar Gracian

• Choose an indirect route to establish or conserve power.
• ==Choose your battles wisely, if it doesn’t matter in the long run if the person agrees with you — or if time and their own experience will make them understand what you mean — then it is best not even to bother with a demonstration. Save your energy and walk away.==
• When caught in a lie, the more emotional and certain you appear, the less likely it seems that you are lying
• Use arguments as a distraction, a smoke screen for your deceptive moves.

Law 10: Infection: Avoid the unhappy and unlucky

You can die from someone else’s misery—emotional states are as infectious as diseases. 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. Associate with the happy and fortunate instead.

Recognize the fortunate so that you may choose their company, and the unfortunate so that you may avoid them. Misfortune is usually the crime of folly, and among those who suffer from it there is no malady more contagious: Never open your door to the least of misfortunes, for, if you do, many others will follow in its train…. Do not die of another’s misery.

Law 11: Learn to keep people dependent on you

To maintain your independence you must always be needed and wanted. The more you are relied on, the more freedom you have. Make people depend on you for their happiness and prosperity and you have nothing to fear. Never teach them enough so that they can do without you.

• Be the only one who can do what you do, and make the fate of your employers so entwined with yours that they cannot possibly get rid of you.
• Joining the side of strength can turn out to be foolish as no one will rely on you. It is much wiser to choose the side of the weak and make the weak ruler dependent on you for your wit, intelligence, strength, and spine.
• Be the man behind the throne.
• Power involves relationship between people; you will always need others as allies, pawns, or even as weak masters who serve as your front.
• It is better to have people fear the consequence of losing you rather than keeping you out of love for your company. Relationships, business, everything. Make yourself indispensable.

Law 12: Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victims

One sincere and honest move will cover over dozens of dishonest ones. Open-hearted gestures of honesty and generosity bring down the guard of even the most suspicious people. Once your selective honesty opens a hole in their armor, you can deceive and manipulate them at will. ==A timely gift==—a Trojan horse—will serve the same purpose.

• An act of kindness, generosity, or honesty works as a distraction because it disarms other people’s suspicions

• Give before you take — Chinese proverbs describe this beautifully
• The first impression of honesty and kindness often lays the strongest impact

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

If you need to turn to an ally for help, do not bother to remind him of your past assistance and good deeds. He will find a way to ignore you. Instead, uncover something in your request, or in your alliance with him, that will benefit him, and emphasise it out of all proportion. He will respond enthusiastically when he sees something to be gained for himself.

• Fish out his psychology. Is he vain? is he concerned about his reputation or his social standing? Does he have enemies you could help vim vanquish? is he simply motivated by money and power?
• See their needs and interest. Use the lever of self-interest to move people
• Make sure to read people well. if you appeal to the greed of someone who wants to look charitable it’s only backfire.

LAW 14: POSE AS A FRIEND, WORK AS A SPY

Knowing about your rival is critical. Use spies to gather valuable information that will keep you a step ahead. Better still: Play the spy yourself. In polite social encounters, learn to probe. Ask indirect questions to get people to reveal their weaknesses and intentions. There is no occasion that is not an opportunity for artful spying.- Be prepared for others to spy on you as well. “Truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies” — Churchill.

• Keep a check on what you reveal. Give them a false confession and they will give you a real one.

LAW 15: CRUSH YOUR ENEMY TOTALLY

All great leaders since Moses have known that a feared enemy must be crushed completely. (Sometimes they have learned this the hard way.) If one ember is left alight, no matter how dimly it smolders, a fire will eventually break out. More is lost through stopping halfway than through total annihilation: The enemy will recover, and will seek revenge. Crush him, not only in body but in spirit.

• Be ruthless
• Use this tactic in the realm of negotiations as well. Take away the hope to negotiate give them no room to maneuver.

LAW 16: USE ABSENCE TO INCREASE RESPECT AND HONOR

Too much circulation makes the price go down: The more you are seen and heard from, the more common you appear. If you are already established in a group, temporary withdrawal from it will make you more talked about, even more admired. You must learn when to leave. Create value through scarcity.

A man said to a Dervish: “Why do I not see you more often?” The Dervish replied, “Because the words ‘Why have you not been to see me?’ are sweeter to my ear than the words ‘Why have you come again?’”

Love never dies of starvation but often of indigestion.
— Ninon de Lenclos

• If you are often seen, people will cease to notice you.
• Keep yourself obscure and make people demand you return; like the sun after a rain spell.
• In the beginning, make yourself not scarce but omnipresent. Only what is seen, appreciated, and loved will be missed in its absence.

LAW 17: KEEP OTHERS IN SUSPENDED TERROR: CULTIVATE AN AIR OF UNPREDICTABILITY

Humans are creatures of habit with an insatiable need to see familiarity in other people’s actions. Your predictability gives them a sense of control. Turn the tables: Be deliberately unpredictable. Behavior that seems to have no consistency or purpose will keep them off-balance, and they will wear themselves out trying to explain your moves. Taken to an extreme, this strategy can intimidate and terrorize.

Unpredictability can work against you sometimes, especially if you are in a ==subordinate position==. There are times when it is better to let people feel comfortable and settled around you than to disturb them. Too much unpredictability will be seen as a sign of indecisiveness, or even of some more serious psychic problem. Patterns are powerful, and you can terrify people by disrupting them. Such power should only be used judiciously.

LAW 18: DO NOT BUILD FORTRESSES TO PROTECT YOURSELF — ISOLATION IS DANGEROUS

The world is dangerous and enemies are everywhere—everyone has to protect themselves. A fortress seems the safest. But isolation exposes you to more dangers than it protects you from—it cuts you off from valuable information, it makes you conspicuous and an easy target. Better to circulate among people, find allies, mingle. You are shielded from your enemies by the crowd.

When you meet a swordsman, draw your sword: Do not recite poetry to one who is not a poet.

• No hunter can fix his aim on such a swift-moving creature.

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. They are wolves in lambs’ clothing. Choose your victims and opponents carefully, then—never offend or deceive the wrong person.

• Archetypes
  • The Arrogant and Proud Man
  • The Hopelessly Insecure Man
  • Mr. Suspicion
  • The Serpent with a Long Memory
  • The Plain, Unassuming, and Often Unintelligent Man
• Swallow the impulse to offend, even if the other person seems weak.
• When dealing with such a critical matter. Keep these 2 points in mind.
  1. Never trust appearances. Find the contradictions in the behavior and dig into their true selves before you make your move.

LAW 20: DO NOT COMMIT TO ANYONE

It is the fool who always rushes to take sides. Do not commit to any side or cause but yourself. By maintaining your independence, you become the master of others—playing people against one another, making them pursue you.

• Do not commit to anyone, but be courted by all. Play the Virgin Queen: G==ive them hope but never satisfaction.==
• Do not commit to anyone — Stay above the Fray. Do not let people drag you into their petty fights. Make it a practice to stir up quarrels between other people, and then offer to mediate, gaining power as the go-between.

The merit of supporting a state in danger is not as great as the virtue of reviving a ruined one.

LAW 21: PLAY A SUCKER TO CATCH A SUCKER — SEEM DUMBER THAN YOUR MARK

No one likes feeling stupider than the next person. The trick, then, is to make your victims feel smart—and not just smart, but smarter than you are. Once convinced of this, they will never suspect that you may have ulterior motives.

• Quite useful if you are low in the hierarchy but ambitious
• If you make people believe they are more intelligent/sophisticated than you are their guard will come down.
• Know how to make use of stupidity. The wisest man play this card at times.

LAW 22: USE THE SURRENDER TACTIC: TRANSFORM WEAKNESS INTO POWER

When you are weaker, never fight for honor’s sake; choose surrender instead. Surrender gives you time to recover, time to torment and irritate your conqueror, time to wait for his power to wane. Do not give him the satisfaction of fighting and defeating you—surrender first. By turning the other cheek you infuriate and unsettle him. Make surrender a tool of power.

• Voltaire was living in exile in London at a time when anti-French sentiment was at its highest. One day walking through the streets, he found himself surrounded by an angry crowd. “Hang him. Hang the Frenchman,” they yelled. Voltaire calmly addressed the mob with the following words: “Men of England! You wish to kill me because I am a Frenchman. Am I not punished enough in not being born an Englishman?” The crowd cheered his thoughtful words, and escorted him safely back to his lodgings.
• Never sacrifice long-term maneuverability for the short-lived glories of martyrdom.
• When the great lord passes, the wise peasant bows deeply and silently farts.
  — Ethiopian proverb

LAW 23: CONCENTRATE YOUR FORCES

Conserve your forces and energies by keeping them concentrated at their strongest point. You gain more by finding a rich mine and mining it deeper, than by flitting from one shallow mine to another—intensity defeats extensity every time. When looking for sources of power to elevate you, find the one key patron, the fat cow who will give you milk for a long time to come.

• Beware of dissipating your powers; stive constantly to concentrate them. Genius thinks it can do whatever it sees others doing, but it is sure to repent of every ill-judged outlay.
• Single—mindedeness of purpose, total concentration on the goal.
• Prize intensity more than extensity. Perfection resides in quality, not quantity. Extent alone never rises above mediocrity.

LAW 24: PLAY THE PERFECT COURTIER.

The perfect courtier thrives in a world where everything revolves around power and political dexterity. He has mastered the art of indirection; he flatters, yields to superiors, and asserts power over others in the most oblique and graceful manner. Learn and apply the laws of courtiership and there will be no limit to how far you can rise in the court.

• Signs of a great courtier
  • Master of manipulation
  • Master of appearance
  • Gracious and polite; Aggression veiled and indirect
  • Master of words; They never say more than necessary
  • People want to be around them
  • Never fawn or humiliate themselves.
• Laws of court politics
  • Avoid Ostentation: Modesty is generally preferable
  • Practice Nonchalance: Never seem to be working too hard. Your talent must appear to flow naturally, with an ease that makes people take you for a genius rather than a wordaholic.
  • Be Frugal with Flattery: Too much of even a good thing loses its value.
  • Arrange to be Noticed: There is a paradox: You cannot display yourself too brazenly, yet you must also get yourself noticed. Find a way to be subtly distinctive.
  • Never Be the Bearer of Bad News: The king kills the messenger who brings bad news.
  • Never Affect Friendliness and Intimacy with your master:
  • Never criticize those above you directly: Err on the side of subtlety and gentleness.
  • Be frugal in asking those above you for favors
  • Never joke about appearance or taste
  • Do not be the court cynic: By expressing modest admiration for other people’s achievements, you paradoxically call attention to your own. the ability to express wonder and amazement, and seem like you mean it, is a rare and dying talent, but one still greatly valued.
  • Be self-observant: You must be a mirror, train your mind to try to see yourself as others see you. Are you acting too obsequious? Are you trying too hard to please? Do you seem desperate for attention, giving the impression that you are on the decline? Be observant about yourself and you will avoid a mountain of blunders
  • Master Your Emotions: As an actor in a great play, you must learn to cry and laugh on command and when it is appropriate. You must be able both to disguise your anger and frustration and to fake contentment and agreement. you must be the master of your own face.
  • Fir the spirit of the times: Your spirit and way of thinking must keep up with the times, even if the times offend your sensibilities.
  • Be a source of pleasure
• Never be so naive to believe that the master is interested in your criticism of him.
• Better to win favors by deserving them, so that they are bestowed without your asking

LAW 25: RE-CREATE YOURSELF

Do not accept the roles that society foists on you. Re-create yourself by forging a new identity, one that commands attention and never bores the audience. Be the master of your own image rather than letting others define it for you. Incorporate dramatic devices into your public gestures and actions—your power will be enhanced and your character will seem larger than life.

LAW 26: KEEP YOUR HANDS CLEAN

You must seem a paragon of civility and efficiency: Your hands are never soiled by mistakes and nasty deeds. Maintain such a spotless appearance by using others as scapegoats and cat’s-paws to disguise your involvement.

LAW 27: PLAY ON PEOPLE’S NEED TO BELIEVE TO CREATE A CULTLIKE FOLLOWING

People have an overwhelming desire to believe in something. Become the focal point of such desire by offering them a cause, a new faith to follow. Keep your words vague but full of promise; emphasize enthusiasm over rationality and clear thinking. Give your new disciples rituals to perform, ask them to make sacrifices on your behalf. In the absence of organized religion and grand causes, your new belief system will bring you untold power.

LAW 28: ENTER ACTION WITH BOLDNESS

If you are unsure of a course of action, do not attempt it. Your doubts and hesitations will infect your execution. Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness. Any mistakes you commit through audacity are easily corrected with more audacity. Everyone admires the bold; no one honors the timid.

LAW 29: PLAN ALL THE WAY TO THE END

The ending is everything. Plan all the way to it, taking into account all the possible consequences, obstacles, and twists of fortune that might reverse your hard work and give the glory to others. By planning to the end you will not be overwhelmed by circumstances and you will know when to stop. Gently guide fortune and help determine the future by thinking far ahead.

LAW 30: MAKE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS SEEM EFFORTLESS

Your actions must seem natural and executed with ease. All the toil and practice that go into them, and also all the clever tricks, must be concealed. When you act, act effortlessly, as if you could do much more. Avoid the temptation of revealing how hard you work—it only raises questions. Teach no one your tricks or they will be used against you.

LAW 31: CONTROL THE OPTIONS: GET OTHERS TO PLAY WITH THE CARDS YOU DEAL

The best deceptions are the ones that seem to give the other person a choice: Your victims feel they are in control, but are actually your puppets. Give people options that come out in your favor whichever one they choose. Force them to make choices between the lesser of two evils, both of which serve your purpose. Put them on the horns of a dilemma: They are gored wherever they turn.

LAW 32: PLAY TO PEOPLE’S FANTASIES

The truth is often avoided because it is ugly and unpleasant. Never appeal to truth and reality unless you are prepared for the anger that comes from disenchantment. Life is so harsh and distressing that people who can manufacture romance or conjure up fantasy are like oases in the desert: Everyone flocks to them. There is great power in tapping into the fantasies of the masses.

LAW 33: DISCOVER EACH MAN’S THUMBSCREW

Everyone has a weakness, a gap in the castle wall. That weakness is usually an insecurity, an uncontrollable emotion or need; it can also be a small secret pleasure. Either way, once found, it is a thumbscrew you can turn to your advantage.

LAW 34: BE ROYAL IN YOUR OWN FASHION: ACT LIKE A KING TO BE TREATED LIKE ONE

The way you carry yourself will often determine how you are treated: In the long run, appearing vulgar or common will make people disrespect you. For a king respects himself and inspires the same sentiment in others. By acting regally and confident of your powers, you make yourself seem destined to wear a crown.

LAW 35: MASTER THE ART OF TIMIING

Never seem to be in a hurry—hurrying betrays a lack of control over yourself, and over time. Always seem patient, as if you know that everything will come to you eventually. Become a detective of the right moment; sniff out the spirit of the times, the trends that will carry you to power. Learn to stand back when the time is not yet ripe, and to strike fiercely when it has reached fruition.

LAW 36: DISDAIN THINGS YOU CANNOT HAVE: IGNORING THEM IS THE BEST REVENGE

By acknowledging a petty problem you give it existence and credibility. The more attention you pay an enemy, the stronger you make him; and a small mistake is often made worse and more visible when you try to fix it. It is sometimes best to leave things alone. If there is something you want but cannot have, show contempt for it. The less interest you reveal, the more superior you seem.

LAW 37: CREATE COMPELLING SPECTACLES

Striking imagery and grand symbolic gestures create the aura of power—everyone responds to them. Stage spectacles for those around you, then, full of arresting visuals and radiant symbols that heighten your presence. Dazzled by appearances, no one will notice what you are really doing.

LAW 38: THINK AS YOU LIEK BUT BEHAVE LIKE OTHERS

If you make a show of going against the times, flaunting your unconventional ideas and unorthodox ways, people will think that you only want attention and that you look down upon them. They will find a way to punish you for making them feel inferior. It is far safer to blend in and nurture the common touch. Share your originality only with tolerant friends and those who are sure to appreciate your uniqueness.

LAW 39: STIR UP WATERS TO CATCH FISH

Anger and emotion are strategically counterproductive. You must always stay calm and objective. But if you can make your enemies angry while staying calm yourself, you gain a decided advantage. Put your enemies off-balance: Find the chink in their vanity through which you can rattle them and you hold the strings.

LAW 40: DESPISE THE FREE LUNCH

What is offered for free is dangerous—it usually involves either a trick or a hidden obligation. What has worth is worth paying for. By paying your own way you stay clear of gratitude, guilt, and deceit. It is also often wise to pay the full price—there is no cutting corners with excellence. Be lavish with your money and keep it circulating, for generosity is a sign and a magnet for power.

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 a great man or have a famous parent, you will have to accomplish double their achievements to outshine them. Do not get lost in their shadow, or stuck in a past not of your own making: Establish your own name and identity by changing course. Slay the overbearing father, disparage his legacy, and gain power by shining in your own way.

LAW 42: STRIKE THE SHEPHERD AND THE SHEEP WILL SCATTER

Trouble can often be traced to a single strong individual—the stirrer, the arrogant underling, the poisoner of goodwill. If you allow such people room to operate, others will succumb to their influence. Do not wait for the troubles they cause to multiply, do not try to negotiate with them—they are irredeemable. Neutralize their influence by isolating or banishing them. Strike at the source of the trouble and the sheep will scatter.

LAW 43: WORK ONTHE HEARTS AND MIND OF OTHERS

Coercion creates a reaction that will eventually work against you. You must seduce others into wanting to move in your direction. A person you have seduced becomes your loyal pawn. And the way to seduce others is to operate on their individual psychologies and weaknesses. Soften up the resistant by working on their emotions, playing on what they hold dear and what they fear. Ignore the hearts and minds of others and they will grow to hate you.

LAW 44: DISARM AND INFURIATE WITH THE MIRROR EFFECT

The mirror reflects reality, but it is also the perfect tool for deception: When you mirror your enemies, doing exactly as they do, they cannot figure out your strategy. The Mirror Effect mocks and humiliates them, making them overreact. By holding up a mirror to their psyches, you seduce them with the illusion that you share their values; by holding up a mirror to their actions, you teach them a lesson. Few can resist the power of the Mirror Effect.

LAW 45: PREAH THE NEED FOR CHANGE, BUT NEVER REFORM TOO MUCH AT ONCE

Everyone understands the need for change in the abstract, but on the day-to-day level people are creatures of habit. Too much innovation is traumatic, and will lead to revolt. If you are new to a position of power, or an outsider trying to build a power base, make a show of respecting the old way of doing things. If change is necessary, make it feel like a gentle improvement on the past.

LAW 46: NEVER APPEAR TOO PERFECT

Appearing better than others is always dangerous, but most dangerous of all is to appear to have no faults or weaknesses. Envy creates silent enemies. It is smart to occasionally display defects, and admit to harmless vices, in order to deflect envy and appear more human and approachable. Only gods and the dead can seem perfect with impunity.

LAW 47: DO NOT GO PAST THE MARK YOU AIMED FOR; IN VICTORY, LEARN WHEN TO STOP

The moment of victory is often the moment of greatest peril. In the heat of victory, arrogance and overconfidence can push you past the goal you had aimed for, and by going too far, you make more enemies than you defeat. Do not allow success to go to your head. There is no substitute for strategy and careful planning. Set a goal, and when you reach it, stop.

LAW 48: ASSUME FORMLESSNESS

By taking a shape, by having a visible plan, you open yourself to attack. Instead of taking a form for your enemy to grasp, keep yourself adaptable and on the move. Accept the fact that nothing is certain and no law is fixed. The best way to protect yourself is to be as fluid and formless as water; never bet on stability or lasting order. Everything changes.