The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

These are my notes from The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. Each one contains a core idea from the book that stood out. The goal of writing my notes this way is that each could be it's own independent idea with the need for the specific context within the book.

Mold Yourself Like Clay

The greatest task you’ll ever engage in is taking control of the process. It’s a moral obligation most people choose to neglect. Remake who you are. Work on evolving yourself up. Take pleasure in forming and molding your character like clay. When you decide to take control of the process, you gain a lot of power, stopping others from molding you into the person they want you to be and instead molding your character into who you want to become.

A Reputation Is Built by One Quality

Your reputation will always precede you. Erwin Rommel, a German general, had a reputation for cunning and deceptive maneuvering. When people heard he was coming through the desert during WW2, the British would evacuate even if they outnumbered his troops 5:1. Reputation is a form of leverage—requiring energy to build but paying dividends after it has been built. A good reputation is built around one quality that sets you apart. This point of differentiation allows your reputation to spread like wildfire because people will begin to talk about you. Allow your reputation to do the work for you by making it so simple it becomes a “business card” that gets stuck in people’s minds.

Emotional Osmosis

We pick up on the emotions and behaviors of others. The 5 chimps theory states that we become the 5 people that are closest to us. No one understood this better than Napoleon. He surrounded himself with people that possessed the qualities he admired most, like Talleyrand. Napoleon saw the way he was with other people—his wit and charm—and tended to keep him close, enjoying and picking up on his qualities while he ruled. The people around you will inflict you with their gravities. Avoid people that possess your defects at all costs. Be around people that reinforce the positive assumptions.

Effortless Difficulty Creates Magic

The events that repeatedly leave us in awe are ones that are acts of god: lightning in the sky, floods, sunsets, and vast views. There is a certain type of gracefulness they embody. In 1528, Baldassare Castiglione captured this principle in his book The Book of the Courtier. He called it sprezzatura, which is the capacity to make difficult things easy. The artist of the Renaissance kept their work hidden from the world as they created it. The principle of sprezzatura gave each piece a magical effect—presenting a sense of ease and beauty, all of the effort that went into their creation was hidden from the world. This is what magic is: created from hours of work to perfect the sleight of hand needed for it to appear effortless and evoke awe.

Involve Others in the Process

A statue was being sculpted when an unskillful artist put a hole in the figure’s leg. Piero Soderini, the mayor of Florence, believed they had wasted money on the statue. Michelangelo believed it could be salvaged and got to work. As he was putting the finishing touches on the statue, Soderini came to judge it. He believed the nose was too big. Michelangelo realized he was standing with the wrong perspective but rather than argue with him, he had Soderini come stand below him on the scaffolding. With his chisel in hand, he grabbed some dust that layed on a plank and let it fall on him. Having Soderini approach it from the right perspective, he then believed the nose was fine. Michelangelo only made it appear as if he’d done something. He made him feel a part of the process.

The Value of Inaction

What price does action carry? We have convinced ourselves that we need to be in motion. Action often appears the only way to triumph. Real value in action is a result of what you do not do. Your actions only drive substantial value when you have the mental bandwidth to overcome the obstacles you face. What you don’t allow yourself to get dragged into is the most important factor for how you maintain valuable action. Nietzsche said, “The value of a thing sometimes lies not in what one attains, but in what one pays for it—what it cost us.” The best investors realize this is critical to making leveraged decisions. Introduced during the 2000 Berkshire Hathaway Annual meeting, Charlie and Warren gave a name to their strategy of inaction: sit on your ass investing. Many of the best investors only make 1-3 investments per year. They use inaction as a way to combat action bias and do-something syndrome to create value with the actions they do take. Don’t waste valuable time and peace of mind.

Rhythm and Timing

When events unfold, rhythm and timing are critical. When you control the patterns and pace, you determine how the events unfold. Franklin Roosevelt understood the need for particular orders and timing. After he was elected to office, he went radio silent — the nation was in suspense as the economy was headed for a meltdown. Roosevelt refused to meet with the sitting president and said nothing about his plan. He didn’t reveal his cards, heightening the nation's anxiety. As soon as he was sworn into office though, Roosevelt went to work—putting the pieces of his plan into place rapidly. This became known as the "Hundred Days," which was a monumental moment that altered the country's sentiment. It's less about what you do that matters than how you do it.

Measure Your Actions by Long-Term Effects

Every action causes a reaction. The short-term reaction is irrelevant. You may win an argument with someone. In the short-term, they agree. Over time, we revert back to our old habits and because of that agreement people eventually grow to resent you long-term. Each action that evokes an emotion is like planting a seed. You should engage in activities with others that will allow the sentiment they hold for you to grow into a strong oak while avoiding situations that will eventually create weeds in the long run. It’s always best if everyone gets what they want. People are more open to persuasion that way.