The 48 Laws of Power

https://www.amazon.com/48-Laws-Power-Robert-Greene/dp/0140280197 This is a masterpiece book by Robert Greene. Must read book.

1. Law 1: Never Outshine the Master — Ensure that you do not appear more competent or skilled than those above you to avoid arousing their envy and insecurity.
2. Law 2: Never Put Too Much Trust in Friends, Learn How to Use Enemies — Friends can become enemies, and using enemies can be more beneficial than relying on fickle friends.
3. Law 3: Conceal Your Intentions — By keeping your intentions hidden, you can keep others guessing and prevent them from countering your plans.
4. Law 4: Always Say Less Than Necessary — The more you talk, the more likely you are to say something foolish or reveal too much information.
5. Law 5: So Much Depends on Reputation — Guard It with Your Life — Protect your reputation at all costs, as it is crucial to maintaining power and influence.
6. Law 6: Court Attention at All Costs — By attracting attention, you can distract others from your actions and intentions.
7. Law 7: Get Others to Do the Work for You, but Always Take the Credit — Get others to do your work for you, and always take the credit for the results.
8. Law 8: Make Other People Come to You — Use Bait if Necessary — By making others come to you, you position yourself as the one in control.
9. Law 9: Win Through Actions, Never Through Argument — Actions speak louder than words, and winning through actions is more effective than trying to persuade through argument.
10. Law 10: Avoid the Unhappy and the Unlucky — Stay away from those who are unhappy or unlucky, as their misfortune can negatively affect you.
11. Law 11: Learn to Keep People Dependent on You — Maintain your power by keeping others dependent on you.
12. Law 12: Use Selective Honesty and Generosity to Disarm Your Victim — By being selectively honest and generous, you can disarm and manipulate others.
13. Law 13: When Asking for Help, Appeal to People’s Self-Interest, Never to Their Mercy or Gratitude — When seeking help, appeal to people’s self-interest rather than their mercy or gratitude.
14. Law 14: Pose As a Friend, Work As a Spy — Appear friendly while gathering information and insights from others.
15. Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally — If you leave an enemy alive, they may seek revenge, so it’s better to completely eliminate them.
16. Law 16: Use Absence to Increase Respect and Honor — By being absent, you can increase the respect and honor others have for you.
17. Law 17: Keep Others in Suspended Terror: Cultivate an Air of Unpredictability — By being unpredictable, you can keep others in a state of suspended terror and maintain control.
18. Law 18: Do Not Build Fortresses to Protect Yourself — Isolation Is Dangerous — Isolation can make you an easy target, so it’s better to engage with others and stay informed.
19. Law 19: Know Who You’re Dealing with — Do Not Offend the Wrong Person — Understand the people you’re dealing with and avoid offending those who could harm you.
20. Law 20: Do Not Commit to Anyone — Maintain your independence and avoid becoming too attached to anyone or any group.
21. Law 21: Play a Sucker to Catch a Sucker — Seem Dumber than Your Mark — By appearing less intelligent, you can deceive and manipulate others.
22. Law 22: Use the Surrender Tactic: Transform Weakness into Power — By appearing weak or vulnerable, you can disarm your opponents and turn their perception of your weakness into a source of power.
23. Law 23: Concentrate Your Forces — Focus your efforts and resources on a single goal or objective to maximize your chances of success.
24. Law 24: Play the Perfect Courtier — Learn the rules of the game and play them to your advantage.
25. Law 25: Re-Create Yourself — Adapt and reinvent yourself to suit your goals and the situation.
26. Law 26: Keep Your Hands Clean — Ensure that you appear virtuous and faultless, even if you engage in underhanded tactics.
27. Law 27: Play on People’s Need to Believe to Create a Cult-Like Following — By appealing to people’s need to believe in something greater than themselves, you can create a devoted following.
28. Law 28: Enter Action with Boldness — Be bold in your actions and decisions to achieve your goals.
29. Law 29: Plan All the Way to the End — Always have a clear plan and anticipate the consequences of your actions.
30. Law 30: Make Your Accomplishments Seem Effortless — By making your accomplishments seem effortless, you can maintain an air of superiority and mystique.
31. Law 31: Control the Options: Get Others to Play with the Cards You Deal — By controlling the options available to others, you can manipulate their choices and decisions.
32. Law 32: Play to People’s Fantasies — By appealing to people’s fantasies and desires, you can manipulate and control them.
33. Law 33: Discover Each Man’s Thumbscrew — Find the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of others to gain leverage and control over them.
34. Law 34: Be Royal in Your Own Fashion: Act Like a King to Be Treated Like One — By acting with confidence and authority, you can command respect and be treated like a leader.
35. Law 35: Master the Art of Timing — Understand the importance of timing and know when to act.
36. Law 36: Disdain Things You Cannot Have: Ignoring Them Is the Best Revenge — By ignoring and disdaining things you cannot have, you can maintain your power and control.
37. Law 37: Create Compelling Spectacles — By creating captivating spectacles, you can distract and manipulate others.
38. Law 38: Think As You Like But Behave Like Others — To fit in and gain power within a group, you must learn to behave like others in that group.
39. Law 39: Stir Up Waters to Catch Fish — By creating chaos or disruption, you can take advantage of the confusion and achieve your goals.
40. Law 40: Despise the Free Lunch — Be wary of accepting gifts or favors, as they may come with hidden strings attached.
41. Law 41: Avoid Stepping into a Great Man’s Shoes — By avoiding direct comparisons to great individuals, you can maintain your unique identity and power.
42. Law 42: Strike the Shepherd and the Sheep Will Scatter — By targeting the leader or source of a problem, you can disrupt and dismantle the entire group or organization.
43. Law 43: Work on the Hearts and Minds of Others — By appealing to the emotions and desires of others, you can influence and control them.
44. Law 44: Disarm and Infuriate with the Mirror Effect — By mirroring the actions and emotions of others, you can disarm and manipulate them.
45. Law 45: Preach the Need for Change, But Never Reform Too Much at Once — By advocating for change while being cautious about the pace and extent of reforms, you can maintain control and avoid resistance.
46. Law 46: Never Appear Too Perfect — By occasionally showing flaws and vulnerabilities, you can appear more human and relatable, which can make you more likable and less likely to attract the animosity of others.
47. Law 47: Do Not Go Past the Mark You Aimed for; In Victory, Know When to Stop — By knowing when to stop and not overextending yourself, you can maintain control and avoid potential backlash.
48. Law 48: Assume Formlessness — By being adaptable and fluid, you can avoid being easily targeted or manipulated by others.