The 48 Laws of Power (Animated)

Law #1: Never outshine the master Nicolas Fouquet made the mistake of appearing greater than his king, Louis XIV, and spent the rest of his days imprisoned. Avoid victories over superiors. It will cost you more than it is worth. Law #2: Never trust friends too much, learn to use enemies Michael III of the Byzantine Empire was saved from death by Basil, whom Michael in turn favored with gifts and prestige. Basilius, craving more

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, murdered Michael out of greed. Instead of showing gratitude. He was insatiable. He trusts from a distance. People are selfish and pursue their own interests. Former opponents make more loyal and stronger friends.

Law #3: Hide your intentions The Marquis de Sévigné wanted to seduce a young countess. Instead of being indirect and subtle, he exposed her true feelings for her and she lost all interest in her when he told her that he loved her. Add a sense of inexplicable mystery to your character. Law #4: Always say less than necessary Law #5: Much depends on reputation: guard it with your life During World War II, Erwin Rommel was known for his superior skill in cunning and deceptive strategies. The entire opposition was demoralized and doubted his chances of success against him. Your reputation precedes you.

Build and protect it carefully. Law No. 6: Judicial attention at any price Pablo Picasso would not allow himself to fade into the background. He would rather paint something unusual and ugly than be forgotten. All publicity is good publicity. Don't allow yourself to become one of many. Law #7: Get Others to Do the Work for You Thomas Edison was not a great scientist, but a businessman. He would harness the genius of Nikola Tesla and take all the credit. He hires talent capable of doing what you can't. Law #8: Make other people come to you - Use bait if necessary "When I have baited deer, I do not shoot the first doe that comes to sniff, but wait until the entire herd has gathered around." . - Otto von Bismarck Force your opponent to react to your movements.

Law #9: Win by your actions, not by arguments Mucianus needed strong ships. Without remaining silent, his engineer argued that a different type than the one Mucianus preferred would be much better for conquest. Despite being right, the engineer was sentenced to death. Don't argue with the authorities. Agree and suggest an alternative, then demonstrate. Law #10: Infection: Avoid the unhappy and unfortunate Lola Montez brought down the king of Bavaria and his entire kingdom by seducing him. Her lust for destruction and chaos was insatiable. Countless lives perished due to the nature of it. She cuts the lighters. Try to help them and you too will burn alongside them.

Law #11: Learn to keep people dependent on you Otto von Bismarck led the king's hand in uniting a

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ful Prussia. No less than Bismarck could do it. He proved to be an indispensable asset and secured his strong position. Be the only one who can do what you do or you will find fear replacing you 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 keeping the money, he returned it all to Capone, who thought he was being conned by a con man. Capone gave Lustig the $5,000 simply to help the "honest" man.

Tell the truth to gain your opponent's trust. Be honest when he is expected to be dishonest to catch your opponent off guard. Law #4: Always say less than necessary Due to his unpredictability, Louis XIV made his courtiers tremble with fear by giving bad news. He would say "I'll see," make them leave the room and they would take action or decide to do nothing about it, but always with an intimidating silence. Speak only when you have something meaningful to say. Actions speak louder than words. Law #13: Ask for help Appeal to people's personal interest In 433 BC, the Athenians found themselves in a favorable position.

The Corcyrans and Corinthians were preparing for war. Both sides wanted to enlist 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 and the combined strength of their navy directed at Sparta. The Athenians allied themselves with the Corcyrans. In sales of any kind, pragmatic arguments will always prevail over emotional appeals. The past doesn't matter. Don't count on loyalty. Aim for win-win deals. Law #14: Posing as a friend, working as a spy Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, French politician and mastermind behind the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte, held back the conversation and made others talk incessantly about themselves until the about to betray his own thinking. , intention and strategy.

An interrogation disguised as friendly talk, so subtle that the victim did not notice. He learns to judge a person's character by what he reveals about himself, so that he can recognize a threat before it arises. Test people's honesty before considering trusting them. Law #15: Completely Crush Your Enemy A priest asked the dying Spanish statesman and general Ramón María Narváez (1800-1868): "Does His Excellency forgive all his enemies?" "I don't have to forgive my enemies," Narváez responded, "I have had them all shot." The last resort, when words can no longer be heard and the enemy cannot be reasoned with and the chances of peace are at their lowest point, the only option is total destruction.

Simply wound the enemy, he will recover and in turn will show no mercy. Law #16: Use absence to increase respect and honor A man said to a dervish, "Why don't I see you more often?" The dervish replied: "Because the words 'Why haven't you come to see me?' They are sweeter to my ear than the words 'Why have you come back again?'" - Mulla Jami, quoted in Idries Sha's Caravan of Dreams, 1968 Give people time to miss you by stealing your presence. It is when we lose something that we discover how valuable it had been to us.

Upon your return it will be even more appreciated. Law #17: Cultivate an Air of Unpredictability Once Pablo Picasso became a recognized artist, others would assume that any action he took must have been calculated. Art dealer Paul Rosenberg was confused when one day Picasso told him that they would no longer work together. Rosenberg couldn't figure out why and offered him a much better deal. Unpredictability is terrifying. When you don't know what to expect, you can't prepare properly, you can't come up with a smart plan, because you're in the dark. Put others in that position when negotiating. Law #18: Isolation is dangerous The more isolated you are, the easier it will be to deceive you.

You lose contact with reality. When someone urges you to cut your friends and family out of your life, realize that they want to control and influence you for themselves. Whether they do it consciously or unconsciously, it is malicious. Be careful about isolating yourself from others for too long. Introvert or not, you can cause great psychological damage to yourself by alienating others from you. Law #19: Do not offend the wrong person Muhammad, the Shah of Khwarezm and Inalchik had beheaded the messengers of Ghengis Khan who had arrived in peace with great gifts and offerings. The Khan declared war, seized the enemy capital and had Inalchik killed, "pouring molten silver into his eyes and ears." Ghengis Khan later seized Samarkand, ending his brutal conquest of Muhammad's vast empire.

What would have become of Adolf Hitler if he had been given the opportunity to become an artist? Maybe the story would be very different. Avoid insulting others, you don't know who you are 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: Compromise with No One Alcibiades, Greek soldier and statesman, found himself courted by the Athenians and Spartans, because he had influence over 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 sides in his favor.

Committing is like giving yourself to another person. It means more obligations and less control. Law #21: Play a fool to catch a fool Socrates said, "The only true wisdom is to know that you know nothing." Actually, he didn't believe about himself that he didn't know anything. It was his way of disarming people. Sometimes you have to play dumb so that the other person lets their guard down. Being overtly intelligent is foolish. Being openly stupid is smart. Law #22: Surrender Tactic: Transform Weakness into Power The Melians were asked to surrender, but they rejected the Athenians' offer. Despite their alliance, the Spartans did not come to their aid.

Melos was conquered and its population massacred and sold into slavery. To quote Cardinal de Retz: "The weak never give in when they should." 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 larger the territories of an Empire, the greater its vulnerability. Great lands need strong borders. Otherwise, they could be invaded by another barbarian tribe, as seen with the collapse of Rome. Your armies are stronger when forged together. Divide them and they may not be able to protect the empire from invasion.

Dedicate all your attention to one front, using all the resources at your disposal and all your energy to master your craft through total immersion. Law #24: Play the Perfect Courtier You can't spell courtship without Charles Maurice de Talleyrand Perigord, the man who took down Napoleon Bonaparte, master of the battlefield, with extreme subtlety. You are a courtier, or courtesan, whether you like it or not. You must play the power game, so you may as well choose to be good at it. The perfect courtier obeys his master, but shines with his own light. He's not helpless, he's not trusting, but he seems confident, he doesn't talk much, but he finds the right words and the right moment when he does.

Everybody likes it. He is charming, witty and helpful. He appears to be neutral, a model of honesty and justice. He always has a genuine smile on his face and we don't doubt his intentions for a second. Although he is a great talent, he does not threaten us. We look for him as an ally. In this way, the perfect courtier holds more power than the king himself, without the dangers of that position. While we target the highest authorities, he is in the shadows observing the current state of the chessboard. Pieces may fall and be sacrificed on both ends, but he is winning anyway.

He learns the art of courtship. Law #25: Recreate Others will call you what they think you are or what they think they see in you. Everything is superficial. Once in a while you will receive a genuine compliment, but your parents, friends, society and even your government expect you to be someone or something else. It is important that you choose to be what you want to be and that you feel free to change whenever you want. You have the freedom to disregard 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 as a book and you are writing it. You're the main character, so he acts like it. Law #26: Keep Your Hands Clean As written in Niccolo Machiavelli's letter to the prince, Caesar Borgia was using Remirro di Orco as a tool to take gruesome actions against all of his enemies. In the end, he used him as a scapegoat, placing all the blame on di Orco and hosting lavish banquets for the common people, presenting not only a clean slate for him, but also positive change. It is the supreme act of betrayal.

Having someone's back only to find out that he's been using you this whole time. Avoid falling into the trap of being someone's labor force or scapegoat. Law #27: Play with 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 search for answers and your need to belong are used against you, whether to recruit you as a mindless disciple or to be a loyal customer of a particular brand.

Christopher Hitchens wrote: "Beware of the irrational, however seductive. Avoid the 'transcendent' and all those that invite you to subordinate or annihilate yourself." End of quote. If someone claims to have all the answers, they are full of shit. Fall prey to them and all you are doing is giving more power to those who do not have your best interests in mind. You can't let others think for you. If something doesn't make sense to you, perhaps like now, feel free to dismiss it, but consider doing so on your own behalf. Law #28: Go boldly into action If you are confident enough to play the role of Monsieur Lustig, one of the biggest swindlers in history, who sells the Eiffel Tower to greedy scrap metal business owners looking to make a fortune from it. overnight for millions of dollars. dollars, not once, but twice: one thing is very clear.

You are not playing. You do not hesitate and your movements have a high success rate, whether in games of seduction, strategy or power. There's that split second before a fightboxing, where Mike Tyson's opponent flinches and breaks eye contact. He already knows that he is defeated. There's that scene where Marco Polo and Kublai Khan stare at a wolf. It's hesitation versus boldness. To not be afraid, you need courage. Be bold. Law #29: Plan to the end Excerpt from the book: "The Gods on Mount Olympus. Looking at human actions from the clouds, they see in advance the end of all great dreams that lead to disaster and tragedy.

And they laugh at our inability to see beyond the moment and how we deceive ourselves. Before acting, consider the possible results and consequences, calculate the risk, and then execute it, if it is worth doing. However, as time goes by, things reform and it would be foolish to stick to a plan that ignores change. Law #30: Make your achievements look easy Harry Houdini made his stunts look like a walk in the park, a piece of cake, as easy as stealing a child's lollipop. No one saw how much work, preparation and practice went into each piece of the puzzle.

We call this illusion magic. Make it seem improvised, made up on the spot and it will seem genuine. Brag about how much work went into something and its natural appeal, the magic, disappeared. Law #31: Make others play with the cards you deal Ivan the Terrible lets Russia choose between him as his tsar or total destruction at the hands of his enemies, the boyars. He made them see that only he could protect them. It wasn't really an option and the Russians probably had other options they didn't know about. They begged him to return to the capitol and guide them.

This was what he wanted from the beginning. People like to think he has a choice. Present them with options that work for you either way. This is the norm in elections and in anything of real importance. Like Houdini's performance, it is an illusion. Law #32: Playing with people's fantasies People's need to believe, people's fantasies, there is not a big difference. Il Brigadino was an alchemist. People believed that he could turn objects like wood into gold. Ironically, the only gold he made was given to him by people who wanted him to multiply it. And others began to learn and practice alchemy.

Stop clicking on How to Make a Million Dollars Overnight, stop buying 6 Minute Ab Workout Programs and stop going to the event 7 Steps on How to Attract Hot Girls in a Few Hours and get real. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Law #33: Discover the Screw in Every Man Cardinal Richelieu would discover the weaknesses of everyone around him and then work on it by being useful to them until they were no longer of use to him. One by one he rose until he reached the king, who at that time was a simple child.

He knows your opponents' weak points, the cracks in their defense, and you'll know what to work with, when you need it. Conversely, don't betray your own weaknesses. Law #34: Be royal in his own way – Act like a king Christopher Columbus did not accept his low position in the world he was born into. He recreated his family tree, married into the nobility and trafficked with kings. Now, unless he was crazy, people thought, there must be valid reasons behind his bold requests. He must be legitimate. He asks for less, he receives less. What you tolerate is what you get in the end.

Don't think badly of yourself. You are a king in your own right. You are a queen in your own right. Princes and princesses are of no use today. Law #35: Master the art of timing Joseph Fouché changed sides every time he sensed danger. His biography is full of almost impossible escapes from death. He did not consider it necessary to be loyal to disloyal men. Say what you will about his attitude, but he certainly knew when to act and when to lay low. With time comes change. It is important not only to know how to adapt, but also at what exact moment to achieve maximum effect.

Too fast and you are a traitor. Too late and you are imitating others. In any case, learn to use time to your advantage. Law #36: Despise the things you cannot have King Henry VIII of England ignored his wife Catherine of Aragon for denying him a child. With Thomas Cromwell at his side, he devised a clever plan to marry Anne Boelyn. When you ignore someone, they can't argue with you. They cannot influence you. You are out of their league and there is nothing they can do about it. If there is something you cannot and will never have, it is best to put it aside in discontent.

Law #37: Create compelling spectacles Dr. Weisleder cured 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 a fraud. The grandeur, the associated status, the rich and famous personalities were waiting in line to be cured again and again. The use of such powerful symbols as the moon and the very absence of explanation allow people to fill in the logical gaps for 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 want, 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 to act rather strangely, even to Pausinias. He spoke ill of his own people. Feeling and showing superiority generates hatred. His god complex and constant need to stand out got him killed in the end. You want to fit in, whether you share common beliefs or not. Being better or different in some way only causes problems because of other people's envy and contempt. They will exclude you from the group and slander your reputation.

How much money do you earn? Approximately 70% of what they produce. Law #39: Shake the waters to fish. This is the old custom: set a baited trap and wait. Monkey look monkey do. The spiderweb. The mice want the cheese so much that 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 will run to save what they hold dear and will weaken, exposing their flank. That's where you hit them. Without a doubt, that is where you will be hit, if you fall into the trap.

Avoid being reactive. All that rage, blinding emotions, fear, desire. It makes you predictable and weakens you. Don't be impulsive. Law #40: Despise Free Lunch Louis XIV had an eagle eye for the strategic power of money. He gave very valuable paintings to people who, until then, he did not like very much. In this way he got the nobility, the keys to power, from his side. At the same time, he increased operating costs for the aristocrats who wanted him gone. He is resourceful. He took money from his enemies and gave it to his new friends. Two birds with a stone.

This is one of my favorite

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, because it states that misers miss opportunities. It pays to be generous and it pays to not accept "free" gifts. What is the return on investment (ROI) of paying for someone's coffee? You sit at Starbucks with an influential, connected and experienced entrepreneur. You can talk to him for 10 minutes, ask for advice and learn from his mistakes. I don't care if the coffee costs $50, I pay for it, because there are many advantages. Law #41: Avoid Putting Yourself in the Shoes of a Great Man Alexander the Great's father had set the standard for achievement very high.

Alejandro was not going to be happy in the shadow of his father. He was not going to rest on his father's laurels and, later, his own. "When Alexander saw the breadth of his dominions, he wept because there were no more worlds to conquer." Now let's imagine if Alexander the Great had had a son who wanted to be a conqueror. That he paled in comparison is an understatement. No one would have attributed his success to her, since he would achieve everything on the shoulders of his father. Don't make it your life's task to be better at being someone else.

Instead, follow your own path. Be your best self without complexes. Law #42: Hit the shepherd and the sheep will scatter "When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter." "Cut off the snake at the head." What is an army without generals, without leadership? Entire empires have been secured thanks to conscientious leaders with iron willpower and vision. If we take them away, like Alexander's empire after his death, they crumble and crumble, turning against each other, deserting and deserting. Often the glue that holds everything together is made up of a few key people at the top of any type of organization, any type of social group or hierarchy.

Do with this information what you want. Law #43: Work on the hearts and minds of others In October 1793, the French Revolution declared the end of the monarchy. Marie Antoinette knelt before the guillotine because she never cared about people's opinion of her as queen. She believed herself above the common people. Spoiled and disgustingly narcassistic, she paid the price and never learned from her mistakes. You should influence people and win friends, as Dale Carnegie suggests. It is more than beneficial to be recognized for her kindness and helpful behavior. Be nice or face the consequences of being indifferent. Be humble or be humble.

Law #44: Disarm and Enrage with the Mirror Effect Alcibiades captivated the Athenians, was accused of desecrating sacred statues and fled, then captivated the Spartans, impregnated the king's wife and fled, then captivated the Persians and helped Athens to win his war against Sparta. They welcomed him with open arms. "Wherever Alcibiades went, whoever he had to deal with, he left his own values ​​behind and seemed to share the values ​​of his victims. No one could resist a man who not only agreed with them, but also admired their ways of life. , seems to be one of theirs." You like people, who like you, who are like you.

Combine people's energy, speak their language, eat their food, find common ground and even envious people will abandon their preconceived notions about you. Law #45: Preach change but never reform quickly Change is imperative, but human beings love the comfort that familiarity brings. The unknown, disorder and chaos are very disturbing and undesirable for us, even when they are for the better. Therefore, we need small, incremental changes that develop over a long period of time and allow everyone to adapt at a comfortable pace. You are moving things in the right direction, while avoiding causing too much anxiety and dissension. Change things gradually, step by step, dragging the rest of us who are volunteers along with you.

Law #46 Never appear too perfect "It takes great talent and skill to hide one's own talent and skill." - La Rochefoucauld If you have been paying attention, you will have noticed that many of these power games revolve around the master and the student or slave, domination and submission, superiority or authority and inferiority, ego, pride, arrogance and envy, jealousy. , hate. It is a very vicious and ultimately destructive cycle. Everyone wants to be king, no one wants to be a pawn. I don't want to be a pawn, but I don't want to be the king either. I don't want to envy or be envied.

I want to be the faceless man behind the throne. I don't want to be on the chess board. I don't want to be a visible target, but I still want to win in the power game no matter which side loses. Law #47: In Victory, Learn When to Stop In 1751, Madame de Pompadour found herself unable to satisfy the lust of Louis XV. To maintain her privileged position, she hired younger, prettier women to keep the king happy. This was a loss because she had to swallow her pride and share Louis with the others. They, however, could not compete with her charm, talent, taste and impeccable fashion sense. "His reign as her lover had lasted an unprecedented twenty years." Don't push too hard or you risk losing everything.

Know when to take a loss and move on. Law #48: Embrace Formlessness The Spartans, the most powerful infantry the world had seen at the time, lost the war with Athens, because they were outnumbered and unwilling to change their views. They did not adapt to the circumstances. They didn't build walls. They did not want to conquer new lands, nor did engaging in the gold trade give rise to corruption. Meanwhile, Athens prospered through constant reforms. Sparta fell behind and collapsed. Don't fight the change. When you catch yourself in the futile attempt to resist a new order, remember that you not only missed the opportunity to predict it, but also to adapt to it in time.

You have to be antifragile. As Bruce Lee said, and this is the final statement: "You must be formless, formless, like water. When you pour water into a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When If you pour water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. The water can drip and crash, my friend.