By  taking a shape, by having a visible plan, you open yourself to attack.  Instead of taking a form for your enemy to grasp, keep yourself  adaptable and on the move. Accept the fact that nothing is certain and  no law is fixed. The best way to protect yourself is to be as fluid and  formless as water; never bet on stability or lasting order. Everything  changes.

The  moment of victory is often the moment of greatest peril. In the heat of  victory, arrogance and overconfidence can push you past the goal you  had aimed for, and by going too far, you make more enemies than you  defeat. Do not allow success to go to your head. There is no substitute  for strategy and careful planning. Set a goal, and when you reach it,  stop.

Appearing  better than others is always dangerous, but most dangerous of all is to  appear to have no faults or weaknesses. 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.

Everyone  understands the need for change in the abstract, but on the day-to-day  level people are creatures of habit. Too much innovation is traumatic,  and will lead to revolt. If you are new to a position of power, or an  outsider trying to build a power base, make a show of respecting the old  way of doing things. If change is necessary, make it feel like a gentle  improvement on the past.

Law 44: Disarm and Infuriate With The Mirror Effect

The  mirror reflects reality, but it is also the perfect tool for deception:  when you mirror your enemies, doing exactly as they do, they cannot  figure out your strategy. The Mirror Effect mocks and humiliates them,  making them overreact. By holding up a mirror to their psyches, you  seduce them with the illusion that you share their values; by holding up  a mirror to their actions, you teach them a lesson. Few can resist the  power of the Mirror Effect.

Coercion  creates a reaction that will eventually work against you. You must  seduce others into wanting to move in your direction. A person you have  seduced becomes your loyal pawn. And the way to seduce others is to  operate on their individual psychologies and weaknesses. Soften up the  resistant by working on their emotions, playing on what they hold dear  and what they fear. Ignore the hearts and minds of others and they will  grow to hate you.

Trouble  can often be traced to a single strong individual — the stirrer, the  arrogant underling, the poisoner of goodwill. If you allow such people  room to operate, others will succumb to their influence. Do not wait for  the troubles they cause to multiply, do not try to negotiate with them —  they are irredeemable. Neutralize their influence by isolating or  banishing them. Strike at the source of trouble and the sheep will  scatter.

What  happens first always appears better and more original than what comes  after. If you succeed a great man or have a famous parent, you will have  to accomplish double their achievements to outshine them. Do not get  lost in their shadow, or stuck in a past not of your own making.  Establish your own name and identity by changing course. Slay the  overbearing father, disparage his legacy, and gain power by shining in  your own way.