They will manipulate you unless you know their techniques… 48 Laws of Power Animated Book Summary

48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene provides you with a comprehensive knowledge based on the secrets to power and influence is an invaluable guidebook that can help you understand how power Works how it is maintained and wielded and how to use it effectively the book covers many topics related to power including negotiation tactics dealing with difficult people leveraging resources for personal gain using deception and negotiations creating Impressions and influencing others by becoming familiar with these strategies readers will learn how to use them ethically without taking advantage of anyone or damaging relationships ultimately reading 48 Laws

of Power will help you better understand the Dynamics of power and how to use it more effectively for your own benefit lowland never outperform the master do what you can to put your boss's mind at ease don't go too far to impress or please them if you don't want to make them feel afraid or insecure people treat those at the top of society as if they were royalty for them success means being at ease with the tasks they are given and being smarter more sophisticated and more witty than everyone else it's a common but deadly

mistake to think that showing off your skills will make the master love you more trying to replace the boss is a very risky thing to do those in charge must have faith in their own skills a sense of being better than their subordinates and a feeling that they deserve the benefits of their position when they go feel good they act aggressively everyone will be angry and jealous of you if you show off your skills including your boss your subordinates and your peers you can't worry too much about other people's jealousy but if you don't deal

with your boss's anger well it could lead to serious problems they can make heads roll but not in the same way that ancient kings and queens did don't risk upsetting a Boss by trying to show him how good you are he may act grateful right now but he'll get rid of you as soon as he can and hire someone less skilled and less dangerous instead of admitting that you've made him feel less safe he'll come up with some other reason to get rid of you law two never lay too much trust in friends know how

to manipulate enemies be careful of your friends because they are more likely to betray you quickly because they are jealous of you because of this they also became evil and ruled by force if you hire someone who used to be your enemy they will be more loyal to you than a friend would be because they want your approval so much when we need help our first instinct is to ask our friends for it but you should really think about this before you do it friends will often say they agree with everything you say in order

to avoid a fight you don't tell your friends about your flaws because you don't want to hurt them because of this you can never really know how a friend feels about you when you're in charge don't give in to the urge to hire a friend if you hire a friend you might not be getting the best person for the job confidence and skill are more important than a close friend also good feelings can sometimes get in the way of doing something useful hiring a friend is a great way to find out about their hidden skills

and experience if you do something nice for them it will also throw off the balance of the relationship people like to feel like they've earned their way in the world and it's possible that doing favors for them will start to feel like a burden their anger will come out slowly in short bursts of honesty jealousy and resentment you can't fix your relationship by doing more things for each other that will only make things worse when used in the right way enemies can be much more useful than friends the first step in choosing the right ones

is to figure out who is most likely to help you reach your goals if you can get over your dislike for your enemy and get him to join your cause he will be very helpful law 3 hide your intentions don't tell anyone about your plan keep your real goals a secret if they don't know what you're up to they can't plan a defense to trick people it's best to put on a friendly and believable front or smoke screen and hide your real goals putting on a neutral face and act is a great way to hide

your true feelings it makes your target feel calm and safe which makes it more likely to walk right into your trap you might think that goodcom artists are outgoing public speakers who make up stories to trick people but the best con artists don't look like they're up to anything if you want to trick someone into thinking you are who you say you are you can use a smoke screen made up of normal things and situations once you've got the gullible dye's attention with something he knows he won't be able to see through to the real

trick to put it simply it works because people can only think about one thing at a time they don't know the person who seems nice to them is actually trying to catch them a decoy on the other hand is a clear attempt to get your attention while a smoke screen is meant to make you forget about it a blank face might be the easiest way to hide something law 4 always say less than you could the more you try to convince them with words the more boring and ineffective you will seem if you make your

statements vave and open-ended even the ones that sound most generic will seem original we try and get power how you look is very important when you don't talk much you seem powerful and mysterious don't forget these rules silent people make everyone feel uncomfortable people want to know what you are thinking because they don't like being in the dark when you know your language well they won't understand what you say when people give short answers or don't say anything at all their defenses go up as they try to fill the silence they reveal their true intentions

and weaknesses which you can use to your advantage they will look at every word you said and try to figure out what it all means when they pay so much attention to what you say it makes you seem more important most of the time the less you say the more mysterious you seem and the more serious and deeper words sound Andy Warhol realized that he could have more of an impact by saying less and leaving his words open to different meanings he would sometimes say something really stupid on purpose the people he was talking to

thought he was saying something important but they didn't know what it was Marcel Duchamp taught him that the less he said about his work the more people talked about it and the more people wanted it law five guard your reputation with life people have power when they treat each other with respect one's reputation is the only thing that can persuade and win people over if one's reputation is damaged they can be attacked from all sides your mind can never fully understand anyone but we can avoid interacting with other people so we usually judge them based

on what they look like there is a wide range of speech action and presentation how you look has a big impact on how people think of you carefully build and protect your reputation to be powerful you have to be in charge of how other people see you people can be scared of and influenced by your reputation alone so it's important to work hard to build and keep it when trying to make a name for yourself it's best to focus on one admirable trait like being smart hard-working or kind this should be something that people talk

about and take note of it's best for you to show it off to as many people as you can as a calling card the trait that gives you your reputation lets people know you are around and makes them more open to your influence having a great reputation adds to the impressive things you already do making you even more powerful and worthy of all and respect it's possible that you'll reach your goals before you even do anything during World War II the German General Rommel was known for being smart which made people afraid of him even

if there were a lot more British tanks than his troops cities would still leave when he got close lost six by all means attract attention we care about how people see us at first you should never fade into the background or become unknown it's pointless to not be seen so make sure people can see you get people's attention by doing something shocking or upsetting I don't mind scandals as long as they don't go too far don't worry about whether the focus is good or bad it will make you stronger either way some people are just

not born with the ability to get people's attention you need to learn the skills you need to stand out from the crowd you need to be known for something that makes you different people might notice you and talk about you because of something as simple as your clothes or hairstyle or as complicated as your habits or quirks there is no such thing as bad publicity and any kind of attention is welcome PT Barnum made it easy for his critics to say bad things about him and he never spoke up for himself he tried to look

like a con man on purpose people look up to people who are bigger than life and who could be easily recognized as such so don't be shy about adopting traits that will make you stand out rather than being ignored it's better to be controversial and attacked as a general rule if you're good at putting on a show you'll do well in any field law seven take credit for others work here's what other people know have done and have thought of you'll save time and energy of course but you'll also have a sense of holy speed

and efficiency as people praise you they will forget about the people who help you pay someone to do your work use other people's hard work to help you reach your goals without giving them any credit you'll get all the credit for your work but your helpers won't be remembered you waste your time and energy when you do things that other people could do for you or that have already been done using other people's work and then giving yourself credit for it makes you look powerful and very productive there are two ways to use other people

for your own benefit you can just watch them do the work and then steal their results you can make people do what you want and then take credit for what they did think of vultures if you want to steal from others after a long enough time another animal will always give the vulture something to eat people are often like vultures waving in the shadows for the chance to eat the hard work and success of others complaining won't help so the best thing to do is learn how to become a vulture law eight have other people

come to you lure them if you have to when trying to get someone to do something always remember that you have the upper hand it's best to draw your opponent in so they can't get away from you and tell you what they're planning use Promises of huge benefits to get them to be greedy and then strike know that you are in a powerful position aggression is a common way to get to the top but it usually costs a lot if you insist on using Force as your main strategy you'll have to spread your attacks out

over a Target area and it keeps getting bigger you're a bit tired of this at some point you're no longer in charge so you have to react to your opponents without thinking about what will happen next to be powerful you don't have to be mean instead you have to do what you set out to do well a good strategy is to set traps and then wait for them to catch prey you win not just the battle but the war as a whole the battle keep the lead by making your opponents react to you which puts

them on the defensive when you make people come to you you take control of the conversation to be successful you need to stay in charge of your emotions and don't do anything Hasty when you push or bait someone you are playing with their emotions which you can use to your advantage law 9 went through your actions never try to win through argument no matter how well you think you did in an argument you will pay a high price for it all the bad feelings and damage you cause will last much longer than a quick change

of mind during a fight your opponent might seem to agree with you but that doesn't mean they do even if they agree with you well they might be very angry with you or maybe the way you said it or how you said it was offensive on top of that people don't pay much attention to what you say because they know you'll make up numbers and citations to back up your argument showing is much more convincing than telling your target doesn't need to guess what you're saying because she can just look at what's in front of

her Christopher Wren knew that proof is better than argument when the mayor of Westminster built a two-story Town Hall he did so out of fear that his office might be destroyed even though Rand knew it couldn't be done he added two more columns to make the mayor happy years later people who worked on the scaffolding saw that the columns didn't actually touch the roof if you want someone to agree with you you should show them instead of telling them law 10 avoid unhappy and unlucky people when you're around people who are sad you might want

to kill yourself when someone shows how they feel it could spread to other people it's easy to get caught up in someone else's problems but in the end you'll feel worse than they do instead hang out with people who are happy and lucky people are easily influenced by the thoughts opinions and personalities of those around them it's only fair to offer comfort and help to people who have been hurt by things they couldn't change other sadness on the other hand is often caused by their own destructive actions and the way they make other people feel

you can't help them get better instead the weight of their problems will change you people whose moods and problems we spend the most time with might easily rub off on us people who are unhappy or unstable all the time have the most power because they are so strong it might take you a while to figure out that they are the cause of their own problems because they act like victims by the time you realize it these infectors have already lured you in when it comes to getting power the people you hang out with can make

or break your chances of success if you're hanging out with infectors people will lose respect for you and spend time trying to stay away from you constantly complaining and feeling like you've been wrong are two of the worst and most contagious things you can do law 11 learn to make people depend on you to be independent you have to make other people want and need you surprisingly having more people depend on you will give you more freedom make them feel like they're helping their own development and growth and you won't have to worry about anything

don't let them tell you everything and make you wish you knew more of what you already know when leading a group it's important to be able to get people to do what you want you can force people to do what you want but the best results come when they do it on their own to reach this goal you must make sure that they depend on you for everything this works well with people of all ranks but it really shines when a high level manager is doing your bidding and you're really in charge make yourself so

important to this business that losing you would cause him a lot of trouble you can then use your will to win power involves relationships with allies dupes opponents and superiors however many people think that this means they have to give up their independence in order to be successful a person who is totally free but has no control over anything is said to be autonomous but you have more freedom to do what you want when other people depend on you Frederick I and his brother William Q who were both weak-prussian Kings depended on Otto von Bismarck

a lot and did what he said because they were afraid he would leave them if they didn't make yourself so important to the company's success that your boss is afraid to try to run the business without you if you want to be in this position having a skill or talent that no one else has is one way to get there law 12 be selective with your honesty and generosity to disarm your victim a series of problems can be hidden by one simple action even the most wary people can be won over by genuine acts of

kindness and openness distraction is at the heart of lying with the people who want to trick are busy with something else it's easier to pull off a trick they act like children again and Gobble up any sign of affection illusion and diversion are inseparable partners by taking their attention away you can set up your trap or trick without making them suspicious the best way to get someone's attention is to do something unexpected like being honest or kind people respond to this method with eager childlike thanks because it calms their fears and brings out their inner

child the Chinese name for this strategy is geared before you steal because the gift distracts the target while the theft is happening the gift could be money time favor or even just the appearance of being honest one purpose is to take attention away from a task for a short time another is to make it easier to agree to a request or action that comes next when you first meet someone it's best to be honest but pick and choose what you say if someone trusts you from the beginning it will take a lot to break that

trust which gives you more time to set your traps you can build a good reputation if you are honest all the time law 13 when you want to ask for help appeal to the person's self-interest if you meet your friends help be careful not to annoy them by bragging about how helpful you've been in the past don't do anything to avoid having to deal with you find a small flaw in your bid or the way you're working with them and make a big deal out of it most people can't get away from their own Ambitions

and wants so they never reach their goals they act like the people they're talking to care about what they have to say about their problems but that may not be the case if you want to move up you'll have to ask those who are already at the top for a favor still asking is an art just saying what you want isn't enough if you want to get what you want out of the relationship it's not about what you want but about what the other person wants most likely she doesn't give a hoot about your problems

and if you bring them up she'll think you're needy or annoying make sure that your plea isn't based on something small like your loyalty friendship or past favors for the other person doing so will hurt your chances to show her why she should do what you want you need to know what motivates her and what is important to her imagine what the other person sees by putting yourself in their shoes do you know any of her goals or enemies that you might be able to help her with think about how you might be able to

help her reach her goals or meet her needs law 14 disguised as a friend work as a spy you spies to learn about the competition and stay one step ahead of them Superior even you should spy on your own recognize the value of people watching in a social setting where it is polite to do so use leading questions to find out what they do wrong and why the point of getting power is to change the way things go you can have the upper hand if you know their plans goals and any hidden wants that might

come out if you want to leave other people you need people skills their goals plans and plans for the future as well as their flaws secrets and hidden reasons why you know this about them you can guess how they will act most people however won't go out of their way to tell you these things so you'll need to find a way to find out these things without them knowing there are two ways to get this done one send spies in using third parties as spies like people who already work for your Target can be helpful

but it can also be dangerous you can learn a lot but you won't be able to tell your spies what to do they could expose you make things worse or turn against you by accident the second thing you should do is to turn into a spy keep a good attitude and listen to what other people say to get information it's easy and effective to act like a friend keep your mouth shut and listen to what other people have to say here are some more suggestions pay close attention especially at Gatherings when people drink your inhibitions

go down which makes them relax and try to be friendly you don't say much but are genuinely interested in other people they will talk to you you can make friends and allies this way and you can also find out things that are hidden but don't ask too many questions or you might seem like you're too nosy talk to people in a friendly way law 15 completely destroy your enemy since Moses every great leader has known how important it is to completely defeat a dangerous enemy they sometimes had to find out the hard way stopping in

the middle of a demolition costs more than going all out so it's best to avoid doing that if you wait too long your enemy will get better and come back to get revenge break both their mind and body in history there are many examples of leaders who are kind enough to beat their enemies but still let them live the bad guy of course waited until he was angry enough and ready to get his Revenge before acting your enemies only dislike you and want to wipe you off the face of the Earth if you want peace

and safety due to others what they would have done to you once you have the upper hand don't wait to deal a killing blow they don't have to be killed but they shouldn't have any way to fight back once upon a time it was common to send someone away for example after nearly getting rid of Mao T's communist tongues in the 1930s shanghai-shek turned his attention to the Japanese Invaders but after 10 years the Communist one and Chiang had to flee to Taiwan because his army had been defeated you must have full control over your

opponents and leave them no room to move don't bargain because it will make your win less valuable for your own safety you have to crush them law 16 gain respect and honor with your absence as you meet more and more people you start to look like just another person you should spend some time away from a group where you feel like you belong this will make people talk well of you and maybe even look up to you you need to know when it's time to leave by not being there you can make a point what

dies out or becomes rare all of a sudden becomes something we should respect and honor to be powerful you have to be both there and not there you stand out from everyone else and make them look bad if you try to be everywhere at once though people will stop paying attention to you and you will lose power as a result this is where the lack of something comes in if you know when people are getting tired of you you can leave at the right time to keep your standing or even improve it this is how

the circle of Seduction and love keeps going if your partner starts to take you for granted you should spend some time apart when you leave they miss you and when you come back they miss you even more the books by JD by going away authors like JD Salinger and Thomas pinkin have made people curious about them forever economics is all about scarcity or the idea that something is not enough the less is something there is the more it's worth the art dealer Joseph duveen drives up the price of paintings by buying and storing whole collections

the next step is to use this method to improve your own skills make sure that what you have to offer stands out and is truly unique law 17 creates suspense and be unpredictable people want to see that others understand them and have a natural tendency to do things they like over and over again the most unsettling thing about life is how sudden and unpredictable the unexpected can be that's why we get scared when things like tornadoes and earthquakes happen we don't know when they'll attack this it is to a lesser extent what happens when people

act in a chaotic way people are scared of natural disasters because they can happen at any time and can't be prepared for people react the same way to people who are unpredictable we all like it when other people stick to their routines and habits whether it's because they're lazy like to be comfortable or want to keep their minds at ease they also tend to do the same thing animals act in similar ways to being a good Hunter means being able to spot patterns but being able to catch people off guard is a useful skill for

people in power by doing something unexpected you can keep your opponents off balance and give yourself some room to move this means that they could also make some mistakes you can win with this strategy even if you're not the favorite during the Civil War General Stonewall Jackson kept moving North and then back south is confused and slowed down the much stronger Union forces that were marching on Richmond General George musellen who led the Union forces stopped moving forward while he tried to figure out what was going on this gave the South time to build up

defenses around Richmond because of this what looked like a sure loss turned out to be a tie Jackson used this strategy a lot and each time it worked out well when you're at a disadvantage it's important to be hard to guess you can use this strategy to make a dramatic point or to put people on the defensive in everyday life law 18 withdraw for a while but don't isolate yourself the world is a dangerous place and our enemies can be found almost anywhere everyone must take steps to keep themselves safe it looks like a fortress

is the best way to keep safe Machiavelli on the other hand said that from a military point of view fortresses are always a bad idea because there isn't much ruin if Fortress diseases like the plate and contagious diseases can spread easily isolating a fortress in a key spot doesn't make it safer and usually makes things worse when you're worried or in danger it can be tempting to pull away from other people this is not true though most military leaders know that hiding behind impregnable fortresses is not a good way to stay safe first of all

it makes you an easy target because everyone will be able to find you that well-planned Siege by your enemies can easily turn your Fortress into a prison you depend on a small number of sources more and more you also have no way to get help from or learn about the outside world people usually lose when they stay by themselves isolation is a military strategy doesn't work in the personal World either to stay in power you need a group of people to back you up you must be the center of everything and everyone and you must

be aware of both when you feel threatened you might want to stay alone that that's not the best thing to do be more outgoing by getting back in touch with old friends and making new ones you'll know what's going on and be ready to take the right steps as you meet more people and make more friends it will be harder and harder for people to keep secrets from you as a person spends more time with other people he or she is less likely to lose perspective and get distracted people can't plot against you behind your

back if you're always on the move it's much harder to find you than if you are hiding behind a wall law 19 don't offend the wrong person have an idea of who you're dealing with no one will respond the same way to the way you do things if someone cheats or tricks them some people will spend the rest of their lives planning how to get even choose your goals and enemies carefully don't always believe what you see a person who seems bold and sure of themselves on the outside is probably a complete wimp don't rely

on your gut to figure out how to beat your opponent if you want to be in charge you won't get far if you treat everyone the same to be successful in anything you need to be able to figure out what kind of person you're dealing with here are the top five risk groups most of which you should stay away from because it's not worth your time or will hurt you in the end they are a little too sensitive and full of themselves reacts irrationally and too much to things they think are wrong a person who

is afraid of failing someone who is weak lets feelings rise to the surface then attacks with a series of small Jabs suspicion prone to a pathological degree thinks everyone is trying to hurt him he's like Stalin and that he is really crazy and easy to fool you can turn him against other people but watch out that he doesn't turn against you shrewd and unfeeling when hurt doesn't show any outward signs of anger instead plans carefully and waits for the right time to get even because he is a snake it would be better to crush him

than hurt him described in a bad way as having a slow mind or being very literal not dumb enough to fall for a scam because they can't see what's in it for them it's a waste of time to try to trick him tell him a joke and see if he laughs or takes the punch line literally the answer is no go to the next person to have authority you need to know your audience and the people you know the best case scenario is that you waste time because you don't know what your goals are either

because you chose the wrong person or did the wrong thing if you've insult someone when you mean to praise them or make them feel insecure for example your actions could go wrong and cause you trouble do your research before getting to know someone new before you act on gut feelings or First Impressions give them some thought it's easy to hide who someone really is law 20 don't take sides taking a side in the argument is a bad idea don't make promises to anyone or anything else besides yourself if you stay on your own people will

treat you like their boss get them to fight with each other and they will eventually follow you people will respect you more if you don't say yes to anyone or anything you'll have a lot of power because the other Camp can't take you prisoner people will want to help you more if they think you can think for yourself when someone sees that someone else is desired they want to be desired in the same way but if you give in you lose your charm and stop being sought after right away a lot of people will try

to buy your support by giving you gifts and special treatment in exchange for it don't feel like you have to accept the gifts if you don't really want to make sure you don't hurt anyone's feelings or make it seem like you don't like long-term relationships instead you should focus on keeping people interested in you asking for their help make the game work for you law 21 appear dumber than your enemy the point of the trick is to make it seem like your victims are smarter than you are once they know this they won't ever think

you're up to something bad be careful before you say something that could be taken as an insult to someone's intelligence you don't want to make them feel stupid also this part of the human ego can be used to your advantage in your projects by making other people look smarter than you are you can get them to let down their guard and stop wondering what your real goals are Prussian Minister Bismarck was able to get count Bloom of Austria to agree to a treaty that helped Germany but hurt Austria by appealing to Bloom's sense of self-interest

the night before the talks were to start Bismarck asked blown to play Quinns one of balloon's favorite card games he acted too quickly and made mistakes which blone saw as proof that the treaty didn't have any hidden traps the next day he signed it without reading the fine print and Bismarck was proud because he had never thought an Austrian would agree to such a deal if you start out in a low position and want to move up you might look obedient and Maeve to make people think you are smarter than you are you won't be

seen as a threat by your co-workers and you'll move up the ranks even if nothing else happens you'll have some time to do whatever you want law 22 change weakness into Power by using the surrendering trick when you can't win don't keep fighting to prove your worth the concession gives you room to breathe while you get back on your feet annoy and upset your opponent this gives you time to wait until their strength starts to fade do this the next time someone tries to get you mad and you want to fight back you shouldn't fight

back in any way most of the time this will make them easier to talk to giving up to your opponents puts you in charge which may seem like a contradiction but it can be the smartest thing to do people tend to overreact when their opponents do something wrong which makes problems worse when someone is aggressive the natural response is more aggression but your enemy will respond by becoming even more hostile the weaker side will be completely destroyed it's smarter and more likely to work to give up and turn me of a cheek that will stop

your opponent from being aggressive and make her confused giving you an advantage in terms of strategy during a time that your enemy thinks she is one you can work on improving your position finding out where your enemy is weak and planning how you will get back at her even though you appear to be agreeable your inner resolve is strong it takes a lot of patience to act like you're dead for a long time making your opponent think she's one when she hasn't in the end you'll be the one who loses if you get up too

early and ruin the show it's natural for people to want to get away from a big danger but in the end he will catch up to you and kill you stay far away and strike when it's the right time the power goes on and off anyone who is at the top right now will end up at the bottom those who give up are often the ones who can make the most money from the inevitable disaster law 23 concentrate your forces the world's countries are now further apart than ever before each of us is completely disoriented

and all over the place we can't focus on one thing for fear of losing track of a thousand others pay close attention to the part that will be the most difficult when intensity goes up against apathy intensity always comes out on top if you want to have more power you need to find that one person who will support you no matter what distractions and demands from the outside world can make a person less motivated and hurt their performance in any task key is to make a list of your goals and give your full attention to

the most important ones the same goes for using power if you help divide your time attention too much you'll be able to get more done casanova's only thought while he was in jail was how to get out after months of digging in secret he was moved to a new cell but he kept working on getting out until he was able to no matter who you are or what you do if you want to be in charge or already in charge you'll need help from people who are stronger than you focus on your best chance of

success instead of trying to win over everyone this will increase your chances of success and save you valuable time and money law 24 play the perfect courtier in a country where power and diplomacy are the most important things only the best courtiers can do well one who has mastered variants can show respect for those in charge while still having a subtle and sophisticated effect on others in any situation where power is being fought over it's important to know the rules and find ways to bend or break them even in the modern world an experienced courtier

or official who knows his way around the halls of power can still gain a lot of power you can learn a lot about this by looking into historical courtiers in the modern world politics are still run by the same rules that were set up when there were kings and queens here are some examples quit bragging when you brag about what you've done it can make your peers jealous and lead to backstabbing don't lose your temper make your hard work look easy and people will respect and like what you can do be careful when using flattery

if you flatter your bosses too much it makes them think more highly of you which makes them wonder what you want use subtle flattery like bragging about your boss's skills get some positive attention this requires juggling skills you want to get people's attention without coming off as arrogant you can't move up the ranks if you don't stand out use a unique tone without going too far modify your approach adjust your tone and delivery to fit the people you're talking to you can't be successful if you can't get along with new people in situations try not

to be the person who has to tell someone bad news the old saying that people tend to kill a person who tells them bad news is true try to avoid being the one to tell your co-workers bad news by any means possible try not to get too close to your boss your boss doesn't want you be friends with anyone if he comes up to you you should be friendly but you should be careful if not act like a professional don't ever make fun of a higher up when you see them you can avoid getting hurt

if you know you need to give constructive criticism do it but try to be as quiet and calm as possible in general you shouldn't ask your boss for too many favors try to limit how often you ask for favors so you don't feel bad or annoying when you have to say no if you want to get to impress your bosses so they will give you what you want without you having to ask don't laugh at the way people look do not make fun of a superior's appearance or taste under any circumstances even if you think

she is not around it will end up coming back to bite you avoid being a naysayer if constantly criticize other people they will eventually start to criticize you when you talk about what other people have done well though you will get praise for your own work don't meddle in my business think about how other people see you so you don't do things that might offend them master your feelings the key is to train yourself to act like an actor and fake your way through whatever response is needed also watch how you say things try your

best to keep up you shouldn't risk looking like a dinosaur but you also shouldn't try too many new ways to say things glad to have you around try to make the people around you happy if you can't master full off ability make your less attractive traits less noticeable law 25 recreate yourself don't try to fit into the ideas that other people have about you make a new version of yourself that can keep people's attention and will never get old your personality is not just made up of your natural traits in addition to your genes your

upbringing friends and the environment have all affected your personality if you want to really impress people use some cool gadgets in public your power will grow and your reputation will become legendary how well did you know about this French architect Jules mansar worked on many buildings for King Louis XIV at first Hills when he designed the gardens he would leave obvious mistakes on purpose so that Lewis could Point them out Ben Manser would praise the Kane's response in front of the other courtiers a person's unique personality is shaped by their upbringing their friends and the

things that happen in their lives but this process is completely passive you need to take charge of your identity and shape it to fit your current situation the representations you create are what give you access to and control over your power the first step is to realize that you have to put on a show for other people and feel the right emotions for the situation second create a Persona that sets you apart and gets people interested in you Lincoln for example became famous by putting on a flannel shirt overalls and a handlebar mustache and acting

like a simple country lawyer Not only was he the first president whose image was widely spread through photographs but he also became the president who was photographed the most a compelling performance needs more than just a striking look it also means a compelling story with rising and Fallen tension and a satisfying ending after our plan when and where to do things so that they would have the most effect on his first day in office he gave a fiery speech and quickly put his plans into action by passing walls and appointing cabinet members Law 26 Keep

Your Hands Clean you need to show that you were the best example of professionalism and good manners bad decisions and bad behavior will never hurt your record keep your good name by making others look bad and hiding your tracks the main idea here is to move or get rid of a physical symbol of guilt or wrongdoing your honor and reputation depend more on what you don't tell people than on what you do tell people even though everyone makes mistakes sometimes the smartest people know how to hide their mistakes and let someone else take the blame

always be ready with a scapegoat in case you mean one mistakes don't hurt powerful people as much as the way they deal with them the worst thing you could do is make excuses or say you're sorry sorry doesn't help and making excuses doesn't make things better they make you question your skills have you made similar mistakes before your goals and why you want to do what you want to do the better the faster you can change your attention from one person to another someone has to be held responsible the Hebrew priests would put the people's

sins on a goat which is how the word scapegoat came to be used in some cultures a human scapegoat was killed and given to the gods as a sacrifice most people are used to putting the blame on someone else so this strategy helps both the person who's being blamed and the people who are being blamed on unfortunately it's human nature to blame others instead of looking at one's own actions to figure out what might have caused bad things to happen when escaping is done by someone else the victim is always thought to be guilty law

27 play on people's desire to accept a cult-like following many people are likely to agree with a certain statement give people Something to Believe In and fight for to get to the heart of their desire keep a level of ambiguity while still showing confidence put self-confidence ahead of logical arguments give your new followers rituals to do and ask them to apologize to other people on your behalf a Surefire way to gain and use powers to get people to believe in you and your cause one of many good things about it that can make people lie

in a lot of different ways because of this profits will go up the people who follow you will keep you safe with their help the cult can grow and you can get more money and people to join people will think of you as someone who can't do anything wrong this will let you get away with anything it doesn't take much work at all to start a cult this is because people have an innate need to feel like they have a purpose and belong to a group they are easily swayed by the appeal of short-lived Trend

throughout history there have been many people in movements that got a lot of support in retrospect they seem silly or even sad but at the time their followers thought they came from God instead of giving up on people or making them make up new Saints to worship offer to be the next Messiah get people to give their whole lives to you law 28 interaction with boldness don't do anything you're not sure about your worries and doubts will get in the way of your work it's dangerous to be a coward the best plan is to go

into the game without any worries I think we're all scared we want everyone to like and accept us and we try to avoid stress and fights as much as possible we might think about taking a risky step but we rarely actually do it we are afraid of what might happen how other people will see us and the trouble we might cause if we leave our comfort zones courage on the other hand looks outward and because it is less self-centered and more assertive it can make people feel more comfortable it's in our nature to think things

through before we do anything if you want to be successful you'll need to be more daring to fight this tendency here's what you need to know about being both Brave and careful make false claims with confidence being sure of yourself even though you have doubts con artists know that the strangers alive the more likely it is that the person they're trying to trick or believe it if the person telling the story has the guts to point out the mistakes people might not notice them if you wait you will fail for sure it's our nature to

notice when someone around us seems weak if you back down or seem willing to give in others will take advantage of your hesitation this is what will happen if people think you are easy to get what they want and you give it easily a risky move makes people nervous people will think you are strong if you take risks it's much scarier when your Brave move comes out of the blue people will be on guard because they know your next attack is coming an action always leads to trouble if you try to reach your goals without

giving it your all you'll end up in trouble like a rabbit being chased by a cat courage dispels all fear people start to wonder if they can trust you when you're not sure what to do still when you take risks you bring other people with you and don't give them a chance to question your choice when you're brave people will notice you putting on a show gets you noticed which gets you where you want to go law 29 plan to the end the end result is very important plan everything down to the Last Detail so

that your hard work doesn't get undone or your praise goes to someone else if you plan everything out random things won't be able to throw you off track and you'll know when to give up thinking ahead can bring you luck and help you plan ahead most people think that they are always getting ready for what's coming next they don't plan for the future based on what will happen but on what they hope and dream will happen it's true that sad things happen at the end of more stories than happy things when the Athenians attack Sicily

for example all they could think about was the treasure and Glory they would get if they won but the war was terrible and in the end it caused their Advanced culture to fall apart as the Sicilians fought harder on their own land and their enemies work together to beat them there were several fronts of War without a thorough plan things are likely to go wrong before you do something you should think about what could go wrong like making new enemies or letting a vulture steal your money be ready to say no if someone tries to

change your plan or keep going after you had planned to stop when you push things past their natural end they usually react in a way that could bring you down take a long-term View and be aware of possible risks remember that your power comes as much from what you don't do as from what you do the end is very important we'll show who gets the prize make it very clear and firm and don't let anything else get in the way law 30 make your accomplishments seem effortless everything you do should look easy and natural on

your part the time and work that went into them and any tricks that were used must be hidden the next time you do something act like you can do a lot more than you really can don't fall into the Trap of bragging about how hard you're working it's only going to make things worse if someone learns your tricks they might use them against you volcanoes and tornadoes are two examples of natural events that show strength but look easy to people who watch them people will be impressed and think you are strong if you look like

you can do hard things with ease this is called making the difficult of easy people respect those who can make what seems impossible look easy the best couriers were proud of how easily they could make things hard the public could see everything but the finished masterpieces in the studios of the great Renaissance artists if people had known how hard they had to work the magic wouldn't have worked when a performer seems to be trying too hard it makes us feel uncomfortable on the other hand when a performer is graceful it seems easy to enjoy their

work for the same reason your public performances should be captivating exciting and full of anticipation but most of all it should leave your audience in awe not if the process is made public because then everyone would think they could have done as well or better in the same way don't try to show off your wit by telling people about your tricks law 31 take control of the possibilities hit others to play with the cards you deal people a variety of options that will help you in some way put them in a situation where they have

to choose between two bad options that will both help you reach your goal we all like having choices whether we're at the polls at work or at the grocery store however we often don't notice when our choices are severely limited even though it's wrong we're willing to live with it because the alternative total freedom is too scary to think about less stress and more ease of life come from rules that are more strict many people don't care that their choices are limited which makes it easy to trick them people won't feel like they're being tricked

if they have some say over what's going on here are some ways to make the most of situations where you have to choose between two things think about what can happen Henry Kissinger used this method a lot when he talked to Richard Nixon the three or four choices he gave were always set up in a way that made his favorite Choice look better this works especially well when dealing with a supervisor like Nixon who doesn't believe in his own skills on the contrary you should try to get people to support this contrarians will pick it

up if you do the opposite of what you want what you do want this method is also good for children you need to make everything fair when someone is being stubborn this method can be used to force them to give in in his attempt to get a monopoly on oil John D Rockefeller changed the rules of the game by buying competing railroads the oil company he wanted to buy had to accept his offer or go out of business because of the higher shipping costs or because he wouldn't ship their oil 32 play to people's fantasies

people often try to stay away from the truth because they know it will be too bad or too painful don't argue for reality unless you're ready to face the anger that comes with being let down when real life gets boring scary or too much it's nice to escape into a world of pretend when morale is low all you need to attract wealth and power is a compelling fantasy so popular stories that fool a lot of people do so because they give them a break from the bad things in the world changes in perspective that make

life better to make a difference you have to put in time work hard and sometimes even give up something instead make empty promises that your wealth will grow overnight poverty to riches sadness to happiness sickness to health Adventure every person has to work within certain limits every day such as their social and geographical environment their personal and family responsibilities their financial and educational resources and so on make alternate worlds that are interesting and don't follow the rules in the 1700s a young man in London became known for his interesting writing and stories about life on

the mysterious island of Formosa now Taiwan after he died it was found out that everything he had said was made up including the formosan language he said he spoke a time when everyone is calm and agrees people are divided by so many things that it is impossible to avoid conflict egg culture race income education religion and politics instead you should make sure there is some kind of magical Bond Resurrection people find it hard to understand that the past is over and done with show a fantastic scenario in which a piece of History comes back to

life like when long lost art or buried gold is found law 33 discover each person's thumb screw all people have weaknesses this kind of weakness is usually caused by some kind of fear or need once you find it you can use it like a thumb screw to turn the tide in your favor you don't have hurt someone to get what you want all you have to do is act like you know personal things about them this is the kind of thing that makes them think you are in charge everyone has a weak spot a place

where they can be hurt everyone has flaws even if some people are more honest about them than others when weaknesses are hidden they are easier to use you could easily get someone to do what you want if you know how to play on their emotions if you want to uncover and exploit someone's weaknesses you need to know these rules look and listen to what I'm saying nobody is capable of secrecy body language and other nonverbal cues are just as good as words when it comes to understanding what someone means it all begins with conversation though

listen and watch what people do and say every day to learn more always act like you're interested in what other people have to say a tried and true trick is to pretend to share a secret with them the secret doesn't have to be important or even real as long as it's presented with enough sincerity when you show confidence the other person is likely to do the same which shows how insecure they are pay attention to the little things like what makes a person laugh how they talk to the weight staff and what their clothes say

about them watch how people act when they don't know what they're doing discover the things they enjoy most and are always on the lookout for don't say no what they want or what they like explore the child inside you our strengths and weaknesses as adults depend on how well our emotional needs were met when we were kids even as adults we carry these demands with us and they can become latent vulnerabilities if not addressed when the other person's reaction is overly simplistic remember you're onto something good find a way to give someone what they didn't

get when they were younger like love or acceptance and do it look for the opposite it's not unusual for the opposite of a person's natural tendency or trait to be hidden deep inside them people who talk a lot are usually insecure and need attention while the person who criticizes others the most is often the worst offender of his or her own vices look past what you see at first find the most important part in every group or organization there is always at least one or more key persons they are the ones who run things behind

the scenes and have significant sway Over the Top Dog they are really the weakest part of the chain you can use them to convince the boss or split of a group of people who don't want to change law 34 act like a king and others will treat you like one how people treat you will depend on how you act around them if you act like a king people will treat you like one before you can get respect from other people you have to earn it from yourself first people will treat you like a king or

queen if you carry yourself with the dignity and authority of one akane's Crown makes him look important and like he has the right to rule conceive of yourself as a person who is destined for greatness and act accordingly your self-confidence and belief in yourself will make you seem like a king or queen confidence like this inspires trust from those around you allowing you to get what you desire with ease if you think positively about yourself that will show up in your life when kids know what they want and ask for it with confidence adults are

often smitten and give in try to do things in a unique way if you want to be treated like a king you have to act the way people think a king should separating oneself from your peers by behaving differently is crucial one way to stand out from the crowd is to keep a calm and collected attitude this is not the same as arrogance which is a mask for having low self-esteem law 35 Master the art of timing a lack of self-control and time management is reflected in a habit of rushing keep your cool and act

like you already know that good things are coming as they say time is everything in the Quest for Authority you need to be able to notice favorable opportunities in order to capitalize on them keep your eyes open for Clues and work with the good guys but get ready to make another change right before the pendulum swings Embrace these guidelines if you want to prosper While others perish in the oncoming tide change is coming so get used to it pay attention to the undercurrent and the fringes of society instead of joining forces with a dying establishment

the best thing to do is to find new leaders and groups to back consider how people will respond when a new movement takes off or a new group takes over the government you should be ready for a wave of backlash don't lose your temper and be patient keep a low profile and buy your time during times of chaos so that you can seize the proper opportunity when it arises law 36 disdain things you cannot have ignoring them is the best revenge when you say that a small problem exists you give it value and importance giving

your full attention to an enemy is a Surefire way to make them stronger just leave things alone if you want things you can't have don't care about it a lack of interest can make a person look better than they are ignoring annoying but small infraction is sometimes the best option a lack of response might be interpreted as a display of Authority or as a signal that the subject is unimportant you're gonna have to waste time fixing someone else's problem or focusing on something that will go away on its own people that need constant attention from

you are easier to control if you simply ignore them by ignoring them you neutralize their effect this may make them angry but they are powerless to do anything about it on the other hand you continue to be in charge on the other hand if you focus too much on a small opponent you give them too much of your attention and hurt your reputation especially if you get into a long fight as a result of the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961 President Kennedy helped make Fidel Castro a hero attacking someone over a

small annoyance can backfire and make you feel bad for them again sometimes the wisest course of action is to do nothing fixing mistakes or flaws is the same way it brings more attention to them and often makes them worse law 37 create compelling spectacles people are naturally drawn to impressed by displays of authority I use striking imagery and symbolic gestures but on a shuttle for the people around you and they won't notice what you're doing behind their backs our eyes are our most important sense visuals are more memorable than spoken descriptions visuals evoke strong feelings

in people without ever being misunderstood or misconstrued unlike words aligning oneself with potent symbols and imagery can only increase your stature rally thrill and unite your people with the use of symbols discover a symbol to stand for your cause the more meaning it has for you the better putting well-known and respected symbols in new situations can make them more powerful during the 1648 French Revolution adherence to the king made fun of the rebels by liking their weapons which were slingshots to those used by little boys a sarcastic word became a sign worn by the rebels

and used as a rallying cry after it was transformed into one by a cardinal created performance or presentation with your images and symbols that will amaze and entertain the audience make sure the most important pictures are in the middle and up front and use color well if you put on a good show people won't even care what you have to say law 38 think what you want but behave like others don't show off your originality just for the sake of it people will assume that you were trying to get their attention at the expense of

the thoughts itself try to blend in and work on your touch instead don't share your unique ideas with people who aren't already fans of your creativity it's not possible to be completely honest as kids we are taught to hide our true feelings so we don't hurt other people's feelings and to instead give them the reassurance they want while we're free to think and believe what we like on the inside we generally avoid being offensive on the outside some however resist being confined in this way and instead seek to establish the superiority of their own unique

worldview people have a hard time rejecting their ideals because of the emotional investment they require most out of the ordinary folks figure out how to fit in and only associate with others who share their ideas what people think of you is based on how you look so if you conform to the norm no one will bother you in modern society there are numerous orthodoxies from which a departure is seen as unacceptable Jonah salt broke scientific rules when he told the public about his work on a polio vaccine before it had been reviewed by his peers

scientists eventually avoided him because of this however those impositions of power understand the importance of appearing to cater to everyone's needs you pretend to be different people to avoid criticism and get people to do what you want when people think you believe what they do they are more likely to talk to you and trust you law 39 stir up Waters Force fish to the surface emotion and rage are unproductive from a strategic perspective try to keep your cool and your objectivity if you can make your opponent angry and still stay calm you have the upper

hand remember these two things the next time someone treats you badly for no obvious reason it will look ridiculous and lose the respect of everyone around them when they lose their composure their actions show that they don't have any hope which is clear their anger is an aim at you in particular it comes from unresolved problems from the past it's not really about you but about them trying to punish or control you and you should work to stop them stay level-headed and consider how you may put someone else's feelings to good use rather than letting

yourself get swept up in them you may want to intentionally upset someone either to show how unstable their mind is or to get them to act irrationally one of the many ways to do this is to insult your opponent's manhood or vanity if you can get them to do something you'll have a clear advantage law 40 despise the free lunch be wary of anything that says it will solve all of your problems for free most of the time it involves lying or making a promise that can't be kept what is valuable merits Financial investment if

you find your own way to pay you can avoid debt regret and lying it is also smart to pay the full price asked to achieve greatness you can't take shortcuts if you use money in a smart and creative way it will help you gain more power and respect in society you could also pull off a scam by playing on people's emotions and rationalizations when it comes to money someone owes you something if they give you a gift without asking for anything in return keep your Independence but use the strategy with other people when you give

someone a gift you make them feel like they owe you something disarming the target makes it less likely that she will notice your true intentions the more popular and well-like you become as a result of your generosity the closer you are to achieving your goal of being powerful law 41 don't follow your great predecessors become great in your own way the first time something happens is always more fun and interesting than the second time you'll need to accomplish twice as much as your predecessor or father in order to overtake them in prominence if you're succeeding

them cannot become mired in their Gloom or a Bible era that was not your doing make a name for yourself by taking a new approach kill the controlling dad make fun of his family history and use the power of your glow to rise to the top successors often face challenges when put in the position of leading or parenting in the footsteps of a great leader or celebrity parent the predecessor's success was achieved by gradually amassing power making this attempt particularly challenging a successor will have to work with an already established reality the successor is under

external pressure keep going the same direction since this has been successful in the past as a result the successor may be hesitant to make changes for fear of losing his own inheritance but to hold power you need to project an image of superiority it's tough to project even greater Grandeur when you have to live in the shadow of a great Forerunner but if you run into this problem there are ways to fix it to succeed you must be able to either meet an unmet need or to move into and take control of a new environment

when taking over for a legendary leader he got to carve out a unique Niche for yourself law 42 eliminate the Man In Charge all problems may be traced back to one powerful person minimize their impact by isolating them or doing away with them in every group or Club there are always a few people whose main goal is to cause trouble and spread bad news these troublemakers could be direct in their actions or more subtle they might be in charge of the group but that's not for sure no matter what these Whispers hurt the effectiveness and

cooperation of a group by sowing Discord and dissatisfaction and causing people to split up if you don't fix their problems right away they will spread like a virus people like this were usually kicked out of Athens because they could cause harm find the potential sources of difficulty and eliminate them before they may derail your plans in power if you think trouble is coming find the person everyone is listening to and quoting a common trait among those who cause trouble is an excessive need to complain to stop them you must quickly put them in a separate

Place some people who want to stir things up like to do it in secret so their actions might not be noticed by others simply calling attention to the person's behavior Can often lessen its impact law 43 work on the hearts and emotions of others but results of intimidation are always counterproductive those around you need to be enticed to make a change and follow you someone you swayed through seduction will serve as your loyal Pawn you attract people by playing on their insecurities and psyches use their weakness to your advantage by appealing to their sense of

empathy and by taking advantage of their worries and values using Force to get people to do what you want them to do might work in the short term but it's not a good long-term strategy because it makes people more resistant instead of forcing them to do what you want it will be better and less expensive to win their love and cooperation getting people to agree with you is all about using their feelings and weaknesses learn to read their unique emotional and psychological responses Target powerful emotions such as hate envy and love play on their fears

and what they care about when you connect with their emotions they're more susceptible to your control Mal always spoke in a simple way that reflected the feelings of the crowd when he gave speeches the best way to get people to feel something is to do the opposite of what they expect like being kind when your opponents expect you to get even with them you can also win Hearts by promising security allaying fears or relieving despair use symbolic actions to make people like you like showing that you suffer too even if it's not as bad as

what they're going through to find out what likes and dislikes motivate them get them to open up use these as leverage another way to connect effectively with people is by appealing to their self-interest which is the strongest motivator show them how what you want will benefit them people are more likely to support a cause if it helps them in some way law 44 disarm and enrage with the mirror effect the mirror indicates actuality but it is also the perfect tool for trickery when you copy your enemies and do what they do they can't figure out

what you're doing the mirror effect deceives and ridicules them they are forced to overreact few can withstand the authority of the mirror effect when you walk by a mirror and see yourself it can be shocking and make you feel powerful you can create a similarly powerful effect on others when you use the psychological technique of mirroring you can cancel out what your opponent does if you do what they do repeating their actions or words frustrates and distracts them from their objectives throwing their words or actions back at them can also disguise what you're up to

and give you time to maneuver it works well for both political and Military campaigns but most of the time you'll want to use mirroring to charm manipulate or trick someone most people try to control conversations with their thoughts feelings and experiences and others expect that when you instead mirror or reflect back and appear to share their deepest thoughts and feelings they're disarmed find out what sets the other person apart and reflect it fuel their fantasies watch their expressions and gestures for indications of their emotions consider their clothing and style whom they associate with and their

habits surprise them with your deep understanding of their psyche and they'll be so touched and grateful that they become putty in your hands law 45 Advocate the need for change but never too much at once in general everyone understands the need for change but on a day-to-day basis people are creatures of habit too many new ideas will make people unhappy and lead to Rebellion if you are new to a place of power or an outsider trying to build a power base make a show of honoring the old way of perpetrating things people know that things

need to change but they don't like changes that seem sudden or chaotic or that affect them directly where creatures of habit and change upsets our routines and expectations some changes are met with resistance right away when too much change happens too quickly it makes people anxious which will eventually boil over every Revolution no matter how welcome at first eventually Sparks a strong backlash but there are ways to make change more appealing and less scary for people which makes it more likely to work and effective approach is to employ a comforting deception preach change and even

make changes behind the scenes but maintain the comforting appearance of familiar institutions and traditions law 46 never appear too perfect when you appear better than those around is dangerous it is even more dangerous when you appear faultless or without weakness Envy generates silent enemies on the safe side it is smart to occasionally admit to harmless vices this will keep people from being jealous and make you seem more friendly and real people around you will be jealous of your success which can hurt you if you don't see the warning signs and stop it before it gets

worse most of the time your talent success and popularity will make other people feel uncomfortable the reason is that most people think they are better than they really are your success shows them that they are not as smart or talented as they thought they were it might even be just okay this stirs up envy and feelings of inferiority people may disguise their Envy by criticizing you for instance by saying you got where you are by taking advantage of others or they'll Praise You excessively others will try to hurt you indirectly by working quietly and steadily

to do so when someone is jealous they might say something sarcastic or act angry the people you should be most afraid of are the ones closest to you like your family friends peers and other people used to passed although you may not recognize that someone's jealousy is building you'll eventually feel the brunt of it unless you learn to prevent or de-escalate often your obliviousness and your own actions will stir up Envy you can lessen it by being aware of your actions and habits law 47 succeed in moderation then go beyond the result you aim for

when you've just won it's often the most dangerous time when you're in this kind of mood you might feel too sure of yourself and too proud which could make you go beyond what you want to do because of this you will make enemies strategy and planning are irreplaceable set a goal for yourself and when you reach it stop once you've won it's tempting and risky to keep going the difference between the powerful and those who want to be powerful is the ability to resist temptation stop and keep what you have this is the danger that

comes with winning up until the point where you won you relied on a plan which gave you the power to decide what would happen next but Victory and the happiness it brings make you lose control for two reasons they encourage you to keep going past your plan this may not be the best path for you anymore because your success was due to a unique set of circumstances that won't happen again success makes you feel happy and like you can do anything you want to win so badly that you're willing to take risks that hurt or

even ruin your chances a complicating factor is that people below you feeling the same emotions often press you to go beyond your mark and risk losing what you've gained even though winning is exciting you need to let your head not your heart lead you when you witness the time to stop and think don't fold yourself into thinking that your success was all because of your intelligence luck and one-time events played a part and they are always changing your luck will change when you win is when you should open your eyes and start getting ready you

need a new plan that will help you stay in charge law 48 adopt formlessness as a strategy when you start to take shape it's easier for other people to figure out who you are they know what you're going to do how to hurt you the most instead of being shapely and thus predictable stay adaptable and flexible to help you you should realize that nothing is permanent use the logic of water which is that it has no shape And moves around and stop betting on stability or lasting order things change and so should you if you

can learn to be shapeless which means to be flexible fluid and unpredictable your opponents won't be able to figure you out formlessness is a good way to plan it gives you room to move lets you surprise your opponent and confuses them it's a tool that gives you more strength don't get stuck in one system process strategy or way of doing things adapt to what you need and what's going on guerrilla warfare has no clear shape or structure without a clear or definite shape or structure during the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire and World War

I a British officer and Diplomat named T Lawrence use formlessness as a guerrilla strategy he helped the arrows hide in the desert so they couldn't be seen by the Turks when they were fighting with them the Turks spent a lot of time and effort trying to find them that the Arabs didn't show up until they attacked their indirectness and sneakiness went out formlessness is useful in many situations besides War because it gives your opponents nothing solid to attack when you're not stuck in a system and can't change how you do things you can move quickly

notice change and adapt to it when you're in a fight with someone stronger and more set in their ways be shapeless and flexible then you could catch them by surprise okay let's sum it all up these are all the main ideas of the book The 48 Laws of Power lawlin never outperform the master law to ever lay too much trust in friends know how to manipulate enemies law three hide your intentions law four always say less than you could law five guard your reputation with life law six by all means attract attention lost seven take

credit for others work Lot 8 have other people come to you lure them if you have to law 9 win through your actions never try to win through argument law 10 avoid unhappy and unlucky people law 11 learn to make people depend on you law 12. be selective with your honesty and generosity and disarm your victim law 13 when you want to ask for help appeal to the person's self-interest law 14 disguise as a friend who work as a spy law 15 completely destroy your enemy law 16 gain respect and honor with your absence law

17 creates suspense and be unpredictable law 18 withdraw for a while but don't isolate yourself law 19 don't offend the wrong person have an idea of who you're dealing with while 20 don't take sides law 21 appear dumber than your enemy law 22 change weakness into Power by using the surrendering trick law 23 concentrate your forces law 24 play the perfect courtier law 25 recreate yourself Law 26 Keep Your Hands Clean law 27 play on people's desire to accept a cult-like following law 28 enter action with boldness law 29 plan to the end law 30

make your accomplishments seem effortless law 31 take control of the possibilities get others to play with the cards you deal law 32 play to people's fantasies law 33 discover each person's thumb screw law 34 act like a king and others will treat you like one law 35 Master the art of timing law 36 disdain things you cannot have ignoring them is the best revenge law 37 create compelling spectacles law 38 think what you want but behave like others law 39 stir up Waters Force fish to the surface law 40 despise the free lunch law 41

don't follow their great predecessors become great in your own way law 42 eliminate the Man In Charge law 43 work on the hearts and emotions of others law 44 disarm and rage with the mirror effect law 45 Advocate the need for change but never too much at once law 46 never appear too perfect law 47 succeed in moderation don't go beyond the result you aim for law 48 adopt formlessness as a strategy