The 48 Laws of Power in Under 30 Minutes

[Music] law one 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 inse security make your Masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power law two 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 law three conceal your intentions keep people off balance and in the dark by never revealing the purpose behind your actions if they have no 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 law four 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're saying something bow it will seem original if you make it vague open-ended and sphinx likee powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less the more you say the more likely you are to say something foolish law five 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 reputation then stand aside and let public opinion hang them law six 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 a attension by appearing larger

more colorful more mysterious than the Bland and timid masses law 7 get others to do the work for you but always take the credit use the wisdom knowledge and leg work 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 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 law nine win through your actions never through argument any momentary Triumph you think you have gained through argument is really a pic Victory the resentment and ill will you stir up is stronger and LA 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 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 drama in 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 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 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 law 12 use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim one sincere and honest move will cover over dozens of dishonest ones openhearted 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 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 emphasize it out of all proportion he will respond enthusiastically when he sees something to be gained for himself 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 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 a light no matter how dimly it smolders a fire will eventually break out more is lost through stopping halfway then through total

Annihilation the enemy will recover and will see Revenge crush him not only in body but in spirit 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 law 17 keep others in suspense cultivate an air of unpredictability humans are creatures of habit within insatiable need to see

familiarity in other people's actions your predictability gives them a sense of control turn the tables be deliberately unpredictable be 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 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 law 19 know who you are dealing with do not offend the wrong 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 Lamb's clothing choose your victims and opponents carefully then never

offend or deceive the wrong person 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 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 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 wne 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 law 23 concentrate at 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 law 24 play the perfect cordier the perfect cordier 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 how far you can rise in the court law 25 recreate yourself do not accept the roles that Society FS on you recreate 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 unwitting pawns and screens to disguise your involvement law 27 play on people's need to believe to create a cult-like 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 persecution 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 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 thumb screw 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 thumb screw 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 timing never seemed 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 the 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 sure so 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 in symbols that

heighten your presence dazzled by appearances no one will notice what you are really doing law 38 think as you like 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 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 the 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 stirer The Arrogant underling the poisoner of good will 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 on the hearts and minds 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 effects law 45 preach 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 ways 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 defs 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 stri stry 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 except 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