The 48 Laws of Power

Never waste valuable time, or mental peace of mind, on the affairs of others—that is too high a price to pay.

Impatience, on the other hand, only makes you look weak. It is a principal impediment to power.

As Lincoln said, you destroy an enemy when you make a friend of him.

Nothing is stable in the realm of power, and even the closest of friends can be transformed into the worst of enemies.

A sharply defined enemy is a far stronger argument for your side than all the words you could possibly put together.

An understanding of people’s hidden motives is the single greatest piece of knowledge you can have in acquiring power.

If your superior is a falling star, there is nothing to fear from outshining him. Do not be merciful—your master had no such scruples in his own cold-blooded climb to the top. Gauge his strength. If he is weak, discreetly hasten his downfall: Outdo, outcharm, outsmart him at key moments. If he is very weak and ready to fall, let nature take its cou

Power is a game—this cannot be repeated too often—and in games you do not judge your opponents by their intentions but by the effect of their actions.

For the future, the motto is, “No days unalert.” Nothing should catch you by surprise because you are constantly imagining problems before they arise. Instead of spending your time dreaming of your plan’s happy ending, you must work on calculating every possible permutation and pitfall that might emerge in it. The further you see, the more steps ah