Related: 8 Signs That Your Friend Is Your Frenemy LAW 16 Crush him, not only in body but in spirit. More is lost through stopping halfway than through total annihilation: the enemy will recover and will seek revenge. (Sometimes they have learned this the hard way.) If one ember is left alight, no matter how dimly it smolders, a fire will eventually break out. LAW 15Īll great leaders since Moses have known that a feared enemy must be crushed completely. There is no occasion that is not an opportunity for artful spying. Ask indirect questions to get people to reveal their weaknesses and intentions. In polite social encounters, learn to probe. Use spies to gather valuable information that will keep you a step ahead. This law of power tells that knowing about your rival is critical. He will respond enthusiastically when he sees something to be gained for himself. Instead, uncover something in your request, or in your alliance with him, that will benefit him, and emphasize it out of all proportion. If you need to turn to an ally for help, do not bother to remind him of your past assistance and good deeds. WHEN ASKING FOR HELP, APPEAL TO PEOPLE’S SELF-INTEREST, NEVER TO THEIR MERCY OR GRATITUDE A timely gift – a Trojan horse – will serve the same purpose. Once your selective honesty opens a hole in their armor, you can deceive and manipulate them at will. Open-hearted gestures of honesty and generosity bring down the guard of even the most suspicious people. This law of power is all about sincere and honest move that will cover over dozens of dishonest ones. USE SELECTIVE HONESTY AND GENEROSITY TO DISARM YOUR VICTIM Never teach them enough so that they can do without you. Make people depend on you for their happiness and prosperity and you have nothing to fear. The more you are relied on, the more freedom you have. To maintain your independence you must always be needed and wanted. Never do yourself what others can do for you. In the end, your helpers will be forgotten and you will be remembered. Not only will such assistance save you valuable time and energy, but it will also give you a godlike aura of efficiency and speed. Use the wisdom, knowledge, and legwork of other people to further your own cause. GET OTHERS TO DO THE WORK FOR YOU, BUT ALWAYS TAKE THE CREDIT Use mystery to beguile, seduce, even frighten LAW 7 Mystery and uncertainty create anticipation – everyone will want to know what comes next. Never make it too clear what you are doing or about to do. Then stand aside and let public opinion hang them. Meanwhile, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their own reputations. Always be alert to potential attacks and thwart them before they happen.
Through reputation alone you can intimidate and win once it slips, however, you are vulnerable and will be attacked on all sides. SO MUCH DEPENDS ON REPUTATION – GUARD IT WITH YOUR LIFE. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.
Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. Even if you’re saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike. This law of power says that when you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Guide them far enough down the wrong path, envelop them in enough smoke, and by the time they realize your intentions, it will be too late. Without a clue as to what you are up to, they cannot prepare a defense. Keep people off-balance and in the dark by never revealing the purpose behind your actions. Related: 25 Qualities Of A Good Man That Separate The Best From The Rest LAW 3 If you have no enemies, find a way to make them. In fact, you have more to fear from friends than from enemies. But hire a former enemy and he will be more loyal than a friend because he has more to prove. NEVER PUT TOO MUCH TRUST IN FRIENDS, LEARN HOW TO USE ENEMIESīe wary of friends-they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. Make them appear more brilliant than they are – and you will attain the heights of power. In your desire to please or impress them do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite – inspire fear and insecurity. Always make those above you feel comfortable in their sense of superiority.