48 Laws of Power

1.  Never outshine the master, make them look good.
2. Never put too much trust in friends, learn to use enemies. Why? Friends will envy. Hire enemies, they will try to prove themselves to you.
3. Conceal your intentions. Keep them in the dark so nobody has any clue of you.
4. Say less than necessary. Vague and intimidating.
5. Reputation, guard with your life. It is power.
6. Court attention. Stand out.
7. Other's work, take credit.
8. Make others come to you, Use bait to lure them in.
9. Win through actions not argument.
10. Infection is unhappy and unlucky.
11. Learn to keep people dependent.
12. Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm people.
13. Asking for help - appeal to self interest, never mercy or gratitude.
14. Pose as a friend, work as spy.
15. Crush your enemy totally.
16. Use absence to increase respect and honour. Create value through scarcity.
17. Keep others in suspense, cultivate air of unpredictability. Predictable - they can control you.
18. Do not build fortress to protect, isolation is dangerous. Cut off from information.
19. Know who you're dealing with. Do not offend wrong person.
20. Do not commit to anyone, do not take sides.
21. Play dumb, let them feel smart and therefore unsuspicious.
22. Surrender tactic, time to recover.
23. Concentrate on your forces.
24. Perfect courtier, power and political dexterity.
25. Recreate yourself.
26. Keep your hands clean: efficiency etc
27. Play on people's need to believe therefore cult-like following (enthusiasm).
28. Enter action with boldness, not unsureness / timid.
29. Plan all the way to the end, strategic planning.
30. Make accomplishments seem effortless, with ease. 
31. Control options, give others the choice in my favour.
32. Play to people's fantasies, manufacture romance.
33. Discover men's weakness: insecure, secret pleasure...
34. Royal in own fashion, like King. Respect (regal, powerful)
35. Art of timing, no hurrying. Stand back, strike fierce.
36. Disdain things you can't have. Ignore them. No interest. 
37. Create compelling spectacles, aura of power.
38. Think as you like, behave as others. Go with tide or they think I look down on them therefore resentment.
39. Stir up waters to catch fish. Calm, make enemies angry / off-balance.
40. Despise the free lunch. Trick or hidden obligation, guilt, deceit, no cutting corners.
41. Avoid stepping into a great man's shoes. Shadow and establish own-self.
42. Strike sheppard, sheep will scatter. Trouble has leader, therefore neutralise the influence.
43. Work on hearts and minds. Seduce to my directions on their desire, intellect and fear. 
44. Disarm with mirror effect. Mirror enemies. Mock / humiliate. Seduce with shared values.
45. Preach the need for change. NO extreme reform because revolt. Gentle improvement.