1. Never Outshine the Master
Make those above you feel superior. Stay humble.
2. Never Put Too Much Trust in Friends, Use Enemies
Friends can turn on you. Sometimes, enemies are more reliable.
3. Conceal Your Intentions
Keep your plans under wraps. Don’t let people figure you out.
4. Always Say Less Than Necessary
The more you talk, the more likely you’ll say something stupid.
5. So Much Depends on Reputation – Guard It With Your Life
Your reputation is your power. Protect it fiercely.
6. Court Attention at All Costs
Stand out. If they’re not noticing you, you don’t exist.
7. Get Others to Do the Work for You, but Always Take the Credit
Delegate. Let others sweat, but claim the reward.
8. Make Other People Come to You – Use Bait if Necessary
Force others to play on your terms. Don’t chase.
9. Win Through Actions, Never Through Argument
Words are cheap. Show them through results.
10. Infection: Avoid the Unhappy and Unlucky
Negativity is contagious. Keep your distance from the miserable.
11. Learn to Keep People Dependent on You
Make yourself indispensable. Power comes from being needed.
12. Use Selective Honesty and Generosity to Disarm Your Victim
A little honesty can lower defenses. Use it sparingly.
13. When Asking for Help, Appeal to People’s Self-Interest
Don’t rely on their mercy. Frame your request around what they gain.
14. Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy
Gather intel while acting friendly. Knowledge is power.
15. Crush Your Enemy Totally
Leave no room for retaliation. Destroy them completely.
16. Use Absence to Increase Respect and Honor
Don’t be too available. People value what’s scarce.
17. Keep Others in Suspended Terror: Cultivate an Air of Unpredictability
Being predictable makes you vulnerable. Keep them guessing.
18. Do Not Build Fortresses to Protect Yourself – Isolation is Dangerous
Stay connected. Isolation weakens you.
19. Know Who You’re Dealing With – Do Not Offend the Wrong Person
Gauge your opponents carefully. One wrong move can be deadly.
20. Do Not Commit to Anyone
Stay free from obligations. Commitment limits your options.
21. Play a Sucker to Catch a Sucker – Seem Dumber Than Your Mark
Let others underestimate you. Play the fool to deceive.
22. Use the Surrender Tactic: Transform Weakness into Power
Sometimes, surrendering gives you leverage. Choose your battles.
23. Concentrate Your Forces
Focus your energy on one goal. Scattered efforts lead to weakness.
24. Play the Perfect Courtier
Master the art of diplomacy and flattery to get ahead.
25. Recreate Yourself
Constantly reinvent to stay relevant and powerful.
26. Keep Your Hands Clean
Let others do the dirty work. Protect your image at all costs.
27. Play on People’s Need to Believe to Create a Cult-like Following
Exploit people’s need for faith and certainty. Become their savior.
28. Enter Action with Boldness
Hesitation is a killer. Move boldly, or don’t move at all.
29. Plan All the Way to the End
Always anticipate the finish line. Don’t get lost in the moment.
30. Make Your Accomplishments Seem Effortless
Never let them see you sweat. Make success look easy.
31. Control the Options: Get Others to Play with the Cards You Deal
Force people into choices that favor you. Limit their options.
32. Play to People’s Fantasies
People want to believe in the dream. Sell them what they want.
33. Discover Each Man’s Thumbscrew
Everyone has a weakness. Find it and use it to your advantage.
34. Be Royal in Your Own Fashion: Act Like a King to Be Treated Like One
Carry yourself with confidence and authority. People will follow.
35. Master the Art of Timing
Don’t rush or delay. Strike when the moment is perfect.
36. Disdain Things You Cannot Have: Ignoring Them is the Best Revenge
Don’t waste energy on what you can’t control. Indifference kills.
37. Create Compelling Spectacles
Dazzle them with visuals. People are won over by what they see.
38. Think as You Like, but Behave Like Others
Don’t stand out for the wrong reasons. Blend in when needed.
39. Stir Up Waters to Catch Fish
Agitate your enemies to throw them off balance.
40. Despise the Free Lunch
Nothing is truly free. Reject handouts—they come with strings attached.
41. Avoid Stepping Into a Great Man’s Shoes
Forge your own path. Don’t live in someone else’s shadow.
42. Strike the Shepherd and the Sheep Will Scatter
Eliminate the leader, and the rest will fall apart.
43. Work on the Hearts and Minds of Others
Persuasion beats force. Win people over emotionally.
44. Disarm and Infuriate with the Mirror Effect
Reflect people’s actions back at them. It throws them off.
45. Preach the Need for Change, but Never Reform Too Much at Once
People resist radical change. Introduce it slowly.
46. Never Appear Too Perfect
Flaws make you relatable. Perfection breeds envy and hate.
47. Do Not Go Past the Mark You Aimed For; In Victory, Learn When to Stop
Know when to quit. Overreach leads to downfall.
48. Assume Formlessness
Adapt to every situation. Rigidity breaks; flexibility endures.