48 Ways To Become Powerful

Mr A

Law 1: Never Outshine The Master

Nicolas Fouquet made the mistake of appearing larger than his king, Louis XIV, and spent his remaining days incarcerated.

Avoid victories over superiors, it will cost you more than it is worth.

Law 2: Never Put Too Much Trust In Friends. Learn How to Use Enemies

Michael The Third, King of the Byzantine Empire was saved from death by Basilius, who Michael in turn favored with gifts and prestige. Basilius, lusting for more power murdered Michael out of greed. Instead of showing gratitude, he was insatiable.

Trust from a distance. People are selfish and pursue their own interests. Former opponents make more loyal and stronger friends.

Law 3: Conceal Your Intentions

The Marquis de Sevigne wanted to seduce a young countess. Instead of being indirect and subtle, he exposed his true feelings for her and she lost all interest as he blurted out that he loved her.

Add a sense of unexplicable mystery to your character.

Law 4: Always Say Less Than Necessary

Law 5: So Much Depends on Reputation - Guard It With Your Life

During the second world war, Erwin Rommel was known for his superior skill in cunning and deceptive strategy. All of the opposition were demoralized and doubting their chances of success facing him.
Your reputation preceeds you. Build and protect it carefully.

Law 6: Court Attention at All Costs

Pablo Picasso would not allow himself to fade into the background. He would rather paint something out of the ordinary and ugly than be forgotten.

All publicity is good publicity. Don't let yourself become one of many.

Law 7: Get Others To Do The Work For You

Thomas Edison wasn't much of a scientist, but a businessman. He would capitalize on Nikola Tesla's genius and garner all the credit.

Hire talents capable of doing what you can't.

Law 8: Make Other People Come To You - Use Bait If Neccessary

"When I have laid bait for deer, I don't shoot at the first doe that comes to sniff, but wait until the whole herd has gathered round". - Otto von Bismarck.

Force your opponent to react to your moves.

Law 9: Win Through Your Actions - Not Through Argument

Mucianus needed strong ships. Without guarding his tongue, his engineer argued that a different type than the one Mucianus preferred would be much better for the conquest. Despite being right, the engineer was sentenced to death.

Don't argue with authorities. Agree and suggest an alternative, then demonstrate.

Law 10: Infection - Avoid The Unhappy and Unlucky

Lola Montez brought down the King of Bavaria and his whole kingdom by seducing him. Her lust for destruction and chaos was insatiable. Countless lives perished because of her nature.

Cut out the firestarters. Try to help them instead and you too will burn along side them.

Law 11: Learn To Keep People Dependent on You

Otto von Bismarck led the King's hand in uniting a mighty Prussia. Nobody other than Bismarck was able to do so. He proved himself to be an indispensable asset and had his strong position secured.

Be the only one who can do what you do or see yourself replaced in fear sooner or later.

Law #12: Use Selective Honesty to Disarm Your Victim

Count Victor Lustig was going to double Al Capone's $50,000. Instead of running with the money he gave it all back to Capone who thought he was being played by a con artist. Capone gave Lustig the $5,000$ simply to help the "honest" man.

Tell the truth to gain your opponent's trust. Be honest when expected to be dishonest to throw your opponent off guard.

Law #4: Always Say Less than Necessary

Due to his unpredictability Louis XIV would have his courtiers tremble in fear when delivering bad news. He would say "I shall see", have them leave the room and either take action or decide to do nothing about the issue, but always with an intimidating silence.

Only speak when you have something meaningful to say. Actions speak louder than words.

Law #13: Asking for Help Appeal to People's Self Interest

In 433 B.C., the Athenians found themselves in a favourable position. The Corcyrans & the Corinthians were preparing for war. Both parties wanted to secure the help of the Athenians.

The Corinthians chose to remind them of an existing debt. The Corcyrans on the other hand spoke only of mutual interests, the combined force of their navy directed at Sparta. The Athenians finally decided to ally with the Corcyrans.

In sales of any kind, pragmatic arguments will always trump emotional appeals. The past does not matter. Don't count on loyalty. Aim for win-win deals.

Law #14: Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy

Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, French politican and mastermind behind Napoleon Bonaparte's defeat would hold himself back in conversation and get others to talk endlessly of themselves to the point of betraying their own thought, intent and strategy.

An interrogation disguised as a friendly chat, so subtle that the victim did not notice. Learn to judge a person's character by what they reveal of themselves, so that you can recognize a threat before it arises. Test people's honesty before you consider trusting them.

Law #15: Crush Your Enemy Totally A priest asked the dying Spanish statesman

and general Ramon Maria Narvaez (1800-1868), "Does your Excellency forgive all your enemies?"

"I do not have to forgive my enemies," answered Narvaez, "I have had them all shot."

The last resort, when words are no longer heard and the enemy cannot possibly be reasoned

with, the chances for peace at their lowest, the only option is total destruction.

Merely wound the enemy, he will recover and show no mercy in turn.

Law #16: Use Absence to Increase Respect and Honor

A man said to a Dervish: "Why do I not see you more often?"

The Dervish replied, "Because the words 'Why have you not been to see me?' are sweeter

to my ear than the words 'Why have you come again?'"

- Mulla Jami, quoted in Idries Sha's Caravan of Dreams, 1968

Give people time to miss you by robbing them off your presence.

It's when we lose something, that we discover how valuable it had been to us.

On your return you will be appreciated all the more.

Law #17: Cultivate an Air of Unpredictability Once Pablo Picasso had become a recognized

artist, others would assume that whatever action he took must have been calculated.

The art dealer Paul Rosenberg was confused, when one day Picasso told him they would no

longer work together.

Rosenberg couldn't find out why and offered him a much better deal.

The unpredictable is terrifying.

When you don't know what to expect you cannot prepare properly, you can't devise a clever

plan, because you're in the dark.

Put others in such position when negotiating.

Law #18: Isolation is Dangerous The more you are isolated, the easier it is

to deceive you.

You lose touch with reality.

When someone is urging you to cut friends and family out of your life realize that they

want to control and influence you all by themselves.

Whether they do this conciously or unconciously it is malicious.

Be careful in cutting yourself off from others for too long.

Introverted or not you may cause yourself great harm psychologically by pushing others

away from you.

Law #19: Do Not Offend the Wrong Person Muhammad, the shah of Khwarezm, and Inalchik

had beheaded Ghengis Khan's messengers who had come in peace with great gifts and offerings.

The Khan declared war, seized the enemy's capital and had Inalchik killed quote "by

having molten silver poured into his eyes and ears."

Later Ghengis Khan seized Samarkand, bringing his brutal conquest of Muhammad's vast empire

to an end.

What would've become of Adolf Hitler had he been given the chance of becoming an artist?

Perhaps history would be very different.

Avoid insulting others, you do not know who you're dealing with... even though we live

in a time where everyone is offended and the level of political correctness borders on

absolute madness.

Law #20: Do Not Commit to Anyone Alcibiades, greek soldier & statesman found

himself courted by the Athenians and the Spartans, because he had influence on the Persians and

honored by the Persians, because he had influence over the Greek city states.

Instead of committing to one side, he played all of them in his favor.

Comitting is like handing yourself over to someone else.

It means more obligations and less control.

Law #21: Play a Sucker to Catch a Sucker Socrates said "The only true wisdom is in

knowing you know nothing."

He didn't actually believe of himself that he did not know anything.

It was his way of disarming people.

Sometimes you have to play dumb, so that the other lets his guard down.

Being openly smart is foolish.

Being openly foolish is smart.

Law #22: Surrender Tactic: Transform Weakness into Power

The Melians were promted to surrender, but declined the Athenians' offer.

Despite their alliance the Spartans did not come to their rescue.

Melos was conquered and their population slaughtered & sold into slavery.

To quote Cardinal de Retz "Weak people never give way when they ought to."

Avoid weakness, but when you find yourself in a weak spot, choose to fight another day.

You will lose the current battle, but the war is not over.

Law #23: Concentrate Your Forces The greater an Empire's territories the more

vulnerability.

Great lands need strong borders.

Else they may be overrun by another barbarian tribe as seen with the collapse of Rome.

Your armies are strongest when forged together.

Divide them and they may not be able to protect the empire from an invasion.

Dedicate your complete focus to one front, using every resource at your disposal and

all of your energy to master your craft through total immersion.

Law #24: Play the Perfect Courtier One cannot spell courtiership without Charles

Maurice de Talleyrand Perigord, the man who brought down Napoleon Bonaparte, master of

the battlefield, with extreme subtlety.

You are a courtier, or courtier [French], whether you like it or not.

You must play the game of power so you might as well choose to be good at it.

The perfect courtier obeys his masters, but shines in his own light.

He is not powerless, doesn't trust, but appears trustful, doesn't talk much, but finds the

right words and the right timing when he does.

Everyone likes him.

He is charming, witty and helpful.

He appears to be neutral, a paragon of honesty and fairness.

He always has a genuine smile on his face and we don't doubt his intentions for one

second.

Although he is a great talent, we are not threatened by him.

We seek him as an ally.

This way, the perfect courtier holds more power than the king himself, without the dangers

of that position.

As we target highest authorities, he's in the shadows observing the current state of

the chess board.

Pieces may fall and be sacrificed on both ends, but he is winning regardless.

Learn the art of courtiership.

Law #25: Recreate Yourself Others will call you what they think you are

or what they think they see in you.

It's all superficial.

Every now and again you'll receive a genuine compliment, but your parents, friends, society,

even your government expects you to be someone or something else.

It's important that you choose to be whatever you want to be and that you feel free to change

whenever you like.

You have the freedom to dismiss the opinions of others, even to put on a good show like

Gaius Julius Caesar.

The world is your stage.

It's up to you what role you want to play.

Think of life like a book and you're writing it.

You're the main character, so act like it.

Law #26: Keep Your Hands Clean As written in Niccolo Machiavelli's letter

to the prince, Cesare Borgia was using Remirro di Orco as a tool to take gruesome action

against all of his enemies.

In the end he used him as a scapegoat, put the full blame on di Orco and threw lavish

banquets for the common folk, presenting not only his clean slate, but positive change.

It is the ultimate act of betrayal.

To have someone's back only to find out they've been using you this whole time.

Avoid falling into the trap of being someone's cats-paw or scapegoat.

Law #27: Play on People’s Need to Believe "There are two different types of people in

the world, those who want to know, and those who want to believe."

- Friedrich Nietzsche We strive to find meaning in a world full

of formless chaos.

Hence most of us resort to the comfort of believing in unproven divine entities.

Your quest for answers and your need to belong is used against you, whether for your recruitment

as a mindless disciple or your loyal customership for a particular brand.

Christopher Hitchens wrote: "Beware the irrational, however seductive.

Shun the 'transcendent' and all who invite you to subordinate or annihilate yourself."

End quote.

If someone claims to have all the answers, they are full of s**t.

Fall prey to them and all you are doing is giving more power to those who don't have

your best interest at heart.

You cannot let others think for you.

If something doesn't make sense to you, perhaps like right now, feel free to dismiss it, but

consider doing so on your own behalf.

Law #28: Enter Action with Boldness If you're confident enough to play the role

of Monsieur Lustig, one of the greatest con artists in history, selling the Eiffeltower

to greedy scrap metal business owners looking to make a fortune over night for millions

of dollars, not once, but twice - one thing is crystal clear.

You're not playing around.

You don't hesitate and your moves have a high rate of success, be that in seduction, strategy

or power games.

There's that one split second before a box fight, where Mike Tyson's opponent will flinch

and break eye contact.

He already knows he's beaten.

There's that scene where Marco Polo & Kublai Khan stare down a wolf.

It's hesitation versus boldness.

In order to be fearless, you need courage.

Be bold.

Law #29: Plan all the Way to the End Excerpt from the book: "The Gods on Mount

Olympus.

Looking down on human actions from the clouds, they see in advance the endings of all great

dreams that lead to disaster and tragedy.

And they laugh at our inability to see beyond the moment, and at how we delude ourselves."

Before you take action consider the possible outcomes and consequences, calculate the risk,

then execute, if it's worth doing.

However, as time goes on things reform and it would be foolish to stick to a plan that

ignores change.

Law #30: Make Your Accomplishments Seem Effortless Harry Houdini made his stunt performances

look like they were a walk in the park, a piece of cake, as easy as stealing a child's

lollipop.

No one saw just how much work, preparation and practice went into every piece of the

puzzle.

This illusion we call magic.

Make it look like it was improvised, made up on the spot and it will seem genuine.

Boast how much work went into something and its natural allure, the magic, is gone.

Law #31: Get others to Play with the Cards you Deal

Ivan the Terrible let Russia choose between him as their czar or total destruction from

its enemies, the Boyars.

He made them see that they could only possibly be protected by him.

It wasn't really a choice and the Russians probably had other options that they were

unaware of.

They begged him to come back to the capitol and lead them.

This was what he wanted all along.

People like to think they have a choice.

Present them options that will work for you either way.

This is the norm in elections and anything of real importance.

Just like Houdini's performance it is an illusion.

Law #32: Play to People’s Fantasies People's need to believe, people's fantasies

- there isn't a big difference.

Il Brigadino was an Alchemist.

People believed he could turn objects like wood into gold.

Ironically the only gold he ever made was given to him by the people who wanted him

to multiply it.

And others started to learn and practice alchemy.

Stop clicking on How to Make a Million Dollars Overnight type clickbait, stop buying 6-min

ab workout programs and stop going to the 7 Steps On How to Pull Hot Chicks Within Hours

event and get real.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Law #33: Discover Each Man’s Thumbscrew Cardinal Richelieu would find out the weaknesses

of everyone around him, then worked on it by being useful to them until they were of

no use to him.

One by one he worked his way up to the king, who at the time was a mere child.

Know the weak spots of your opponents, the crack in their defense and you will know what

to work with, when you need it.

In reverse do not betray your own weaknesses.

Law #34: Be Royal in Your Own Fashion – Act Like a King

Christopher Columbus did not accept his low standing in the world he was born.

He recreated his family tree, married into nobility and peddled with kings.

Now, unless he was mad, people thought, there must be valid reasons behind his bold requests.

He must be legitimate.

Ask for less, receive less.

What you tolerate is what you end up with.

Do not think lowly of yourself.

You're a king in your own right.

You're a queen in your own right.

Princes & princesses are no good today.

Law #35: Master the Art of Timing Joseph Fouché was switching sides whenever

he sensed danger.

His biography is riddled with nigh impossible escapes from death.

He did not deem it necessary to be loyal to disloyal men.

Say what you want of his attitude, but he certainly knew when to act and when to lay

low.

With time comes change.

It is important to not only know how to adapt, but at what exact moment for maximum effect.

Too fast and you're a traitor.

Too late and you're imitating the others.

In any case, learn to use time to your advantage.

Law #36: Disdain Things You Cannot Have King Henry VIII of England ignored his wife

Cathrine of Aragon for denying him a son.

With Thomas Cromwell on his side he devised a clever plan to marry Anne Boelyn.

When you ignore someone they cannot argue with you.

They cannot influence you.

You're out of reach and they can't do anything about it.

If there is something you cannot and will never have, it is best to push it aside with

discontent.

Law #37: Create Compelling Spectacles Dr. Weisleder healed his patients with the

mere energy of moonlight.

Why was this obvious scam so successful?

Well, people didn't have the internet back then, but they also believed it was too spectacular

to be fraud.

The grandiosity, the associated status, rich and famous personalities were waiting in line

to be healed and healed again.

Using symbols as powerful as the moon and the very absence of explanation let people

fill in the logical gaps all by themselves.

If everyone believes it, it must be true.

Mark Twain wrote "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to

pause and reflect."

Law #38: Think As You Like, But Behave Like Others

478 B.C the fearless and experienced warrior Pausinias and his Greek troops captured part

of the Persian empire.

Being the overseer of these lands went to his head and he began acting rather strangely,

even for Pausinias.

He spoke ill of his own people.

Feeling and showing superiority breeds hate.

His god-complex and constant need to stand out had him killed in the end.

You want to fit in, whether you share common beliefs or not.

Being better or different in any way just causes trouble through other people's envy

and disdain.

They'll ostrasize you from the group and slander your reputation.

How much money do you make?

About 70% of whatever they make.

Law #39: Stir Up Waters to Catch Fish This is the good old lay a trap with bait

and wait.

Monkey see, monkey do.

The spiderweb.

Mice desire cheese so much, they won't even see the obvious construction around it.

When you know your enemies and their weaknesses you know what they react to and you use this

knowledge against them.

Create a false alarm.

They'll make a run to save what they hold so dearly and weaken themselves by exposing

their flank.

That's where you hit them.

That's certainly where they will hit you, if you fall for it.

Keep yourself from being reactive.

All that rage, blinding emotions, fear, desire.

It makes you predictable and it makes you weak.

Don't be impulsive.

Law #40: Despise the Free Lunch Louis XIV had an eagle eye for the stategic

power of money.

He would gift paintings of great value to people who didn't like him very much, until

then.

This way he got nobility, the keys to power, on his side.

At the same time he increased operational costs for the aristocrats who wanted him gone.

It's ingenious.

He took money from his enemies and gave it to his new friends.

Two birds with one stone.

This is one of my favorite laws, because it states that cheap misers miss out on opportunities.

It pays to be generous and it pays not to accept "free" gifts.

What is the Return of Investment (ROI) on paying for someone's coffee?

You sit down at Starbucks with an influental, connected and experienced entrepreneur.

You get to talk to him for 10 minutes, ask his advice, learn from his mistakes.

I don't care if the coffee costs 50$, I'm paying, because there is a lot of upside.

Law #41: Avoid Stepping into a Great Man’s Shoes

Alexander the Great's father had set the standard of achievement very high.

Alexander wasn't going to be content in his father's shadow.

He wasn't going to rest on his father's and later on his own laurels.

"When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer."

Now imagine if Alexander the Great had had a son who wanted to be a conqueror.

That he would pale in comparison is an understatement.

Not a soul would've attributed his success to him for he'd achieve everything on the

shoulders of his father.

Don't make it your life's task to be better at being someone else.

Instead go your own way.

Unapolagetically be your best self.

Law #42: Strike the Shepherd and the Sheep Will Scatter

"When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter."

"Cut the snake at the head."

What is an army without its generals, without leadership?

Whole empires have been secured off of conscientious leaders with iron willpower and vision.

Take them away and much like Alexander's empire after his death, they break apart and crumble,

turning on eachother, defecting and deserting.

Often the glue that sticks everything together constists of a few key people at the top in

any kind of organization, any kind of social group or hierarchy.

Do with this information what you will.

Law #43: Work on the Heart and Mind of Others October of 1793, the French Revolution declared

the end of the monarchy.

Marie-Antoinette knelt at the guillotine for she never cared about the people's opinion

of her as their queen.

She thought herself above the common folk.

Pampered and disgustingly narcassistic she paid the price, never learning from her mistakes.

You should influence people and win friends as Dale Carnegie suggests.

It is more, than beneficial to be recognized for your kindness and helpful demeanour.

Be agreeable or face the consequences of being indifferent.

Be humble or be humbled.

Law #44: Disarm and Infuriate With the Mirror Effect

Alcibiades charmed the Athenians, got accused of profaning sacred statues and fled, then

charmed the Spartans, impregnated the king's wife and fled, then charmed the Persians and

helped Athens win their war against Sparta.

They welcomed him back with open arms.

"Wherever Alcibiades went, whoever he had to deal with, he would leave behind his own

values and appear to share the values of his victims.

No one could resist a man who not only concurred with them, but also admired their ways of

living, seeming to be one of their own."

You like people, who like you, who are like you.

Match people's energy, speak their language, eat their food, find common ground and even

envious people will drop their preconceived notions about you.

Law #45: Preach Change But Never Reform Quickly Change is imperative, but human beings love

the comfort familiarity provides.

The unknown, disorder and chaos are very disruptive and undesirable to us, even when it is for

the better.

Hence, we need small, incremental changes that build over a long period of time allowing

everyone to adjust at a comfortable pace.

You are moving things in the right direction, while avoiding stirring up too much anxiety

and dissent.

Change things gradually, one step at a time, dragging the voluntary rest of us with you.

Law #46 Never Appear Too Perfect "It takes great talent and skill to conceal

one’s talent and skill."

- La Rochefoucauld If you have been paying attention, you will

have noticed that a lot of these power plays revolve around the master and the student

or slave, domination and submission, superiority or authority and inferiority, ego, pride,

arrogance and envy, jealousy, hatred.

It's a very vicious and ultimately destructive cycle.

Everyone wants to be the king, no one wants to be the pawn.

Me, I don't want to be a pawn, but I don't want to be the king either.

I don't want to envy nor be envied.

I want to be the faceless man behind the throne.

I don't want to be on the chessboard.

I don't want to be a visible target, but I still want to win at the game of power no

matter what side loses.

Law #47: In Victory Learn When To Stop In 1751 Madame de Pompadour found herself

unable to satisfy Louis XV's lust.

To hold onto her privileged position she arranged younger, prettier women to keep the king happy.

This was a loss for she had to swallow her pride and share Louis with others.

They, however, could not compete with her charm, talents, taste and flawless sense for

fashion.

"Her reign as mistress had lasted an unprecedented twenty years."

Don't push too far or you risk losing it all.

Know when to take a loss and move on.

Law #48: Assume Formlessness The Spartans, the most powerful infantry the

world had ever seen at the time, lost the war with Athens, for they were outnumbered

and unwilling to change their views.

They did not adapt to circumstance.

They did not build walls.

They did not want to conquer new lands, nor engage in trade for gold gave rise to corruption.

Meanwhile Athens was thriving through constant reform.

Sparta fell behind and collapsed.

Don't fight change.

When you catch yourself in the futile attempt to resist a new order, remind yourself that

you not only missed the opportunity to predict it, but to adapt to it in time.

You have to be antifragile.

As Bruce Lee said, and this is the closing statement, "You must be shapeless, formless,

like water.

When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup.

When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle.

When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot.

Water can drip and it can crash.

Be water my friend."