My notes on everything psychology related.
Law 44: Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect The Mirror Effect is about using people’s narcissism against them. And, as Greene shows, there are many variations of this technique. You should decide which one to use based on your objective. By mirroring people’s actions and sentiments, you can gain their trust. The skill involved … Read more
Avoid stepping into a great man’s shoes Don’t step into the shadow of the past. When you’re trying to fill the shoes of those who came for you, you will likely fail. Throughout history, there have been many examples of men who had the wisdom of finding their own area of competence, rather than emulate … Read more
Law 40: Despise the Free Lunch Don’t fall for “free” gifts. There is a saying in business, “if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.” Things that are offered for free have hidden strings attached that might be much more valuable that the product. When people play free games, or log into … Read more
Law 38: Think as You Like, but Behave like Others If you feel irritated by the absurd remarks of two people whose conversation you happen to overhear, you should imagine that you are listening to the dialogue of two fools in a comedy. The man who comes into the world with the notion that he … Read more
Law 36: Disdain the things you cannot have: ignoring them is the best revenge You should never make it apparent that you have been unable to attain something that you want. It is much wiser to treat what you secretly want with disdain, as this will bring it closer to you. The Fox and the … Read more
Law 35: Master the Art of Timing Space we can recover, time never. Napoleon Bonaparte, 1769-1821 Being in a hurry will make it seem that you lack self-control. Don’t rush. Be a student of time, learn how to master it by being patient and striking at the right moment. Mr. Shih had two sons: one … Read more
Law 34: Be Royal in your own Fashion, Act like a king to be treated like one Don’t be too humble. You will be treated the way you treat yourself. You will be thought of the way you think of yourself. Project confidence and a regal demeanor and others will respect you for it. If … Read more
Law 31: Control the options: get others to play with the cards you deal For the wounds and every other evil that men inflict upon themselves spontaneously, and of their own choice, are in the long run less painful than those inflicted by others. -Niccolò Machiavelli It is wiser to avoid exerting strength if you … Read more
Law 29: Plan all the Way to the End “Look to the end, no matter what it is you are considering. Often enough, God gives a man a glimpse of happiness, and then utterly ruins him.” – The Histories, Herodotus When planning, take everything into account. Since the ending is all that matters, you should … Read more
Law 28: Enter Action with Boldness Don’t do anything halfheartedly. Being doubtful and hesitant will inevitably sabotage your project. Be audacious, everyone admires the bold, and no one cares for the timid. When you act timidly, those that are bolder will encircle you. And when you lack confidence, you will be unable to overcome obstacles … Read more