“What good is it to have the greatest dream in the world if others reap the benefits and the glory? Never lose your head over a vague, open-ended dream—plan to the end.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“Never waste valuable time or mental peace of mind on the affairs of others - that is too high a price to pay.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“In a world growing increasingly banal and familiar, what seems enigmatic instantly draws attention. Never make it too clear what you are doing or about to do. Do not show all your cards. An air of mystery heightens your presence; it also creates anticipation—everyone”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“So much of power is not what you do but what you do not do—the rash and foolish actions that you refrain from before they get you into trouble.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“Do not commit to any side or cause but yourself. By maintaining your independence, you become the master of others -- playing people against one another, making them pursue you.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“Your predictability gives them a sense of control. Turn the tables; be deliberately unpredictable.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“If, for example, you are miserly by nature, you will never go beyond a certain limit; only generous souls attain greatness.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“An emotional response to a situation is the single greatest barrier to power, a mistake that will cost you a lot more than any temporary satisfaction you might gain by expressing your feelings.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“Make people depend on you for their happiness and prosperity and you have nothing to fear. Never teach them enough so that they can do without you.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“Never be distracted by people’s glamorous portraits of themselves and their lives; search and dig for what really imprisons them.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“When you meet a swordsman, draw your sword: Do not recite poetry to one who is not a poet.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“The key to power, then, is the ability to judge who is best able to further your interests in all situations. Keep friends for friendship, but work with the skilled and competent.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“The unfortunate sometimes draw misfortune on themselves, they will also draw it on you. Associate with the happy and fortunate instead.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“It is much more powerful to get others to agree with you through your actions, without saying a word. Demonstrate, do not explicate.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com
“Be wary of friends—they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. They also become spoiled and tyrannical. But hire a former enemy and he will be more loyal than a friend, because he has more to prove.”— Robert Greene, amazon.com