Looking for a priceless source of knowledge that will help you get ahead in life and business? We have rounded up the list of 48 laws and rules from “The 48 laws of Power” with the best quotes and lines from the book that will help you attain the ultimate power and success.
The 48 Laws of Power (1998) is a non-fiction book by American author Robert Greene. The book is a New York Times bestseller, selling over 1.2 million copies in the United States; it is popular with prison inmates and celebrities.
What is the 48 laws of power book about?
Power is an integral part of our societies and lives. In “The 48 Laws of Power”, Robert Greene distills 3,000 years of history into 48 laws to help us understand how we can masterfully acquire power and avoid being manipulated or crushed by others.
Every law has one thing in common: an interest in total domination. To Greene, power is amoral. It’s a game. A social game. To master it, you must be able to study and understand people and always take the most indirect route to power.
Also See: Most Powerful Quotes
“The 48 Laws of Power” is a handbook and insight into the various indirection arts.
The book includes 48 pieces of wisdom from men and women across a variety of cultures that all share a common thread. It is a priceless source of knowledge for those seeking to get ahead and be powerful in life.
Also, read our post on Easter Philosophy quotes and The Art Of War Quotes that will lead you to success.
Best List of 48 Laws Of Power
- Rule 1: Never outshine the master.
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Rule 2: Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies.
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Rule 3: Conceal Your Intentions.
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Rule 4: Always say less than necessary.
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Rule 5: So much depends on reputation, guard it with your life.
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Rule 6: Court attention at all costs.
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Rule 7: Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit.
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Rule 8: Make other people come to you, use bait if necessary.
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Rule 9: Win through your actions, never through argument.
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Rule 10: Infection: Avoid the unhappy or the unlucky.
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Rule 11: Learn to keep people dependent on you.
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Rule 12: Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim.
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Rule 13: When asking for help, appeal to people’s self interest, never their mercy or gratitude.
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Rule 14: Pose as a friend, work as a spy.
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Rule 15: Crush your enemy totally.
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Rule 16: Use absence to increase strength and honor.
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Rule 17: Keep others in suspended terror, cultivate an air of unpredictability.
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Rule 18: Do not build a fortress to protect yourself, isolation is dangerous.
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Rule 19: Know who you’re dealing with, do not offend the wrong person.
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Rule 20: Do not commit to anyone.
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Rule 21: Play a sucker to catch a sucker, seem dumber than your mark.
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Rule 22: Use the surrender tactic: transform weakness into power.
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Rule 23: Concentrate your forces.
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Rule 24: Play the perfect courtier.
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Rule 25: Re-Create Yourself.
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Rule 26: Keep your hands clean.
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Rule 27: Play on people’s need to believe to create a cult like following.
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Rule 28: Enter action with boldness.
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Rule 29: Plan all the way to the end.
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Rule 30: Make your accomplishments seem effortless.
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Rule 31: Control the options, get others to play with the cards you deal.
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Rule 32: Play to people’s fantasies.
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Rule 33: Discover each man’s thumbscrew.
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Rule 34: Be royal in your own fashion. Act like a king to be treated like one.
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Rule 35: Master the art of timing.
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Rule 36: Disdain things you cannot have, ignoring them is the best revenge.
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Rule 37: Create compelling spectacles.
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Rule 38: Think as you like but behave like others.
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Rule 39: Stir up waters to catch fish.
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Rule 40: Despise the free lunch.
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Rule 41: Avoid stepping into a great man’s shoes.
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Rule 42: Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.
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Rule 43: Work on the hearts and minds of others.
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Rule 44: Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect.
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Rule 45: Preach the need to change, but never reform too much at once.
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Rule 46: Never appear too perfect.
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Rule 47: Do not go past the mark you aimed for. In victory, know when to stop.
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Rule 48: Assume formlessness.
- You can also download free version of 48 laws of power pdf over here.
Famous 48 Laws Of Power Quotes About Success
The book is full of wise words of wisdoms and valuable life lessons inspired from the philosophies of those such as Sun Tzu, Machiavelli and Henry Kissinger.
Also See: Self Made Quotes
These deep quotes will help you reach pinnacle of success and be confident about your moves. These essential “rules” are a set of behaviors, attitudes, and strategies you might use to “play the power game.”
Greene knows how to use power effectively to increase your business potential and he explains it in detail.
- “He who poses as a fool is not a fool.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“What has worth is worth paying for.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“The human tongue is a beast that few can master.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“All masters want to appear more brilliant than other people.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“It is not much good being wise among fools and sane among lunatics.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“By acknowledging a petty problem, you give it existence and credibility.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Fools say that they learn by experience. I prefer to profit by others’ experience.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“You cannot repress anger or love, or avoid feeling them, and you should not try.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
Top 48 Laws Of Power Quotes About Money
The 48 Laws of Power examines 48 key steps to understanding how to use and enforce your power.
- “By paying your own way you stay clear of gratitude, guilt, and deceit.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Be lavish with your money and keep it circulating, for generosity is a sign and a magnet for power” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Never waste valuable time, or mental peace of mind, on the affairs of others—that is too high a price to pay.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“If, for example, you are miserly by nature, you will never go beyond a certain limit; only generous souls attain greatness.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Despise the free lunch judgement. What is offered for free is dangerous-it usually involves either a trick or a hidden obligation.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
48 Laws Of Power Quotes By Robert Greene
- “For the future, the motto is, “No days unalert.” ― Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Lord, protect me from my friends; I can take care of my enemies.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“You cannot spend your life worrying about the petty feelings of others.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Keep your friends for friendship, but work with the skilled and competent.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Be the master of your own image rather than letting others define if for you.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“There is nothing more intoxicating than victory, and nothing more dangerous.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“You yourself must learn to master your emotions, and never be influenced by anger.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“When you meet a swordsman, draw your sword: Do not recite poetry to one who is not a poet.” ― Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Never assume that the person you are dealing with is weaker or less important than you are.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Many a serious thinker has been produced in prisons, where we have nothing to do but think.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Power cannot accrue to those who squander their treasure of words.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“You have more to fear from friends than from enemies. If you have no enemies, find a way to make them.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Half of your mastery of power comes from what you do not do, what you do not allow yourself to get dragged into.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“If you are unsure of a course of action, do not attempt it. Your doubts and hesitations will infect your execution.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Appearing better than others is always dangerous, but most dangerous of all is to appear to have no faults or weaknesses.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Never be distracted by people’s glamorous portraits of themselves and their lives; search and dig for what really imprisons them.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Be wary of friends—they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. They also become spoiled and tyrannical.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Any mistakes you commit through audacity are easily corrected with more audacity. Everyone admires the bold; no one honors the timid.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“If you want to turn people down, it is best to do so politely and respectfully, even if you feel their request is impudent or their offer ridiculous.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Do not leave your reputation to chance or gossip; it is your life’s artwork, and you must craft it, hone it, and display it with the care of an artist.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“When you show yourself to the world and display your talents, you naturally stir all kinds of resentment, envy, and other manifestations of insecurity.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Do not accept the roles that society foists on you. Re-create yourself by forging a new identity, one that commands attention and never bores the audience.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Hide your intentions not by closing up (with the risk of appearing secretive, and making people suspicious) but by talking endlessly about your desires and goals-just not the real ones.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“If you make a show of going against the times, flaunting your unconventional ideas and unorthodox ways, people will think that you only want attention and that you look down upon them.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Reputation is the cornerstone of power. Through reputation alone you can intimidate and win; once it slips, however, you are vulnerable, and will be attacked on all sides.” ― Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“Envy creates silent enemies. It is smart to occasionally display defects, and admit to harmless vices, in order to deflect envy and appear more human and approachable. Only gods and the dead can seem perfect with impunity.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“To succeed in the game of power, you have to master your emotions. But even if you succeed in gaining such self-control, you can never control the temperamental dispositions of those around you. And this presents a great danger.” ― Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended and sphinxlike.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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“One sincere and honest move will cover over dozens of dishonest ones. Open-hearted gestures of honesty and generosity bring down the guard of even the most suspicious people.” – Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power
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Summary And Analysis Of The 48 Laws of Power?
Summary of Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power is a self-help book offering advice on how to gain and maintain power, using lessons drawn from parables and the experiences of historical figures.
Power depends on the relationship between a person and those he or she seeks to control.
Don’t forget to read self inspirational quotes and self motivational quotes for daily positive reminders to start your day!
Why did they ban The 48 Laws of Power?
The book has been banned by several US prisons. The ban was categorized as a security measure, accompanied by a brief explanation. Prison officials feared the books, Jensen said, could show inmates “how to control people, how to get people to do exactly what you want them to do.”
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