14. OVERWHELM RESISTANCE WITH SPEED AND SUDDENNESSYou start by making slow moves to set the pace to which your rival adjusts, then exploit to win the war quickly.15. CONTROL THE DYNAMICYou're in control. Be assertive. Zugzwang, navigate your opponent by forcing him to move, directly into your area of defense. The only downside to control might be not admitting that you have it.16. HIT THEM WHERE IT HURTSEverything has a center of gravity. Take a hold of it and unbalance the remaining structure, cutting supply lines, belief systems and chains of command.

31. DESTROY FROM WITHINTroy's walls were unbreakable, their archers well-seasoned and devestatingly accurate, but it was the Trojan horse that they willingly let inside the city, mistaking it for a gift, that crushed them. Do not attack a fortification with full force, use deception and destroy from within.32. DOMINATE WHILE SEEMING TO SUBMITPeaceful non-aggression can be more effective, than any act of violence. Your animosity is subtle. While your opponent feels in control, since you don't appear to be eager for power, you covertly fight for your cause.

17. DEFEAT THEM IN DETAILDivide large units and they're easier targets. When your enemies are on the defensive, they will try to unite and face you with their full force. You do not allow them such strength.18. EXPOSE AND ATTACK YOUR OPPONENT'S SOFT FLANKDisorient your rival, make him drop his guard through indirection, then deliver a powerful blow to his exposed and vulnerable side.19. ENVELOP THE ENEMYEnclosing the opponent does a number on his mental well-being. Feeling trapped they will retreat, if they can.

PART IV OFFENSIVE WARFARE

8. PICK YOUR BATTLES CAREFULLYSome battles you can win, but at too high a cost. Make your battles worth your time and resources. Your energy is limited. Don't waste it.9. TURN THE TABLESIn history defenders are more often victorious, than attackers. Stay calm and turn the situation into your favor.10. CREATE A THREATENING PRESENCEMake them believe they cannot win and they will retreat. To scare them means to break them. But be careful. Your opponent may call your bluff, if you're unwilling to back up your words with action. Don't merely bark.

12. LOSE BATTLES BUT WIN THE WARIt wasn't obvious until it was too late. Determine the bullseye, plan to the end and confuse your opponent leaving him unable to read your actions, since they don't seem to have a connection.13. KNOW YOUR ENEMYKnow thyself and know thy rival. One of the greatest skills in war, as in seduction as in business is the ability to read people. Master non-verbal communication, hide your observations and devise the most effective tactics based on your insights.

33. SOW UNCERTAINTY AND PANIC THROUGH ACTS OF TERRORYou can be the change you want to see in the world and in popularizing this sentiment with your help good may triumph over evil. (Or vise versa)

23. WEAVE A SEAMLESS BLEND OF FACT AND FICTIONMisinform your opponent, make him see upside down, while you see what is at all times. Make a weak spot look strong, make a strong spot look weak.24. TAKE THE LINE OF LEAST EXPECTATIONGreat advantage comes from not meeting your opponent's expectations. Others have a mental model of you based on past experiences, stories and conflict.25. OCCUPY THE MORAL HIGH GROUNDYou're good, your opponent is evil. You create an us versus them dynamic, demonize the other and present your side as the virtuous one.

PART II ORGANIZATIONAL (TEAM) WARFARE

PART III DEFENSIVE WARFARE

1. DECLARE WAR ON YOUR ENEMIESYou cannot swing a sword without knowing what to hit with it. It's you against the world and it's you against yourself. Fight your inner demons.2. DO NOT FIGHT THE LAST WARWhat has worked in the past, may not work again. Forget the past. Adapt to current times, ever-changing, ever-evolving.3. AMIDST THE TURMOIL OF EVENTS, DO NOT LOSE YOUR PRESENCE OF MINDYou have to stay alert, when everyone else is in uproar. Do not be intimidated by chaos. Do not panic. You seek out the conflict reacting swiftly, when the opportunity presents itself.

PART V  UNCONVENTIONAL (DIRTY) WARFARE

4. CREATE A SENSE OF URGENCY AND DESPERATIONOnce you come face to face with death, you eliminate life's non-essentials. You overcome trivialities we foolishly care about every day taking our lives for granted.

28. GIVE YOUR RIVALS ENOUGH ROPE TO HANG THEMSELVESSome individuals are inherently self-destructive. You let your adversaries end themselves as active agents in their own demise.29. TAKE SMALL BITESIn order to avoid confrontation, people will give you more leeway and give in to small demands. With short attention spans they repeat mistakes, allowing your power to grow, as you play for time.30. PENETRATE THEIR MINDSWords are weapons. Articulate and profound communication, the precise expression of valuable ideas, can lift you out of poverty, make powerful friends

11. TRADE SPACE FOR TIMEFrustrate them by fighting on your terms. This is classic Sun Tzu's Art of War material. The enemy gives you chase you retreat. The enemy retreats you pursue. It's all about the advantage that determines the end result.

(The book encourages readers to cultivate a strategic mindset and apply these principles judiciously to achieve their goals.)

PART I SELF-DIRECTED WARFARE

20. MANEUVER THEM INTO WEAKNESSOutsmart the opponent, avoiding an advantageless direct attack, through calculated moves, which grant you greater control over the situation at hand.21. NEGOTIATE WHILE ADVANCINGNegotiate, willing to come to a win-win arrangement, but keep moving focusing on your organization's progress. You avoid immediate conflict, while furthering your interests.22. KNOW HOW TO END THINGSShow humility in victory and let fresh wounds heal. It's in your best interest that everyone accepts the outcome, comes to terms with it and moves on.

26. DENY THEM TARGETSGuerrilla warfare works best on the minds of large armies, tiring and starving the enemy, using nature to your advantage by letting them freeze in the cold or dry up in the sun. When your rival is ready to fight, frustrate him through your absence.27. SEEM TO WORK FOR THE INTERESTS OF OTHERS WHILE FURTHERING YOUR OWNMake strategic alliances that benefit you. Do not hesitate to do favors for those who will be of help in the future. As you treat others kindly and generously, you put them in your debt.

5. AVOID THE SNARES OF GROUPTHINKYou want a chain of command you can rely on. You are the General, but you cannot have your head everywhere. Put remote systems and loyal leaders into place that will guarantee the desired outcome.6. SEGMENT YOUR FORCESIt's on you to know, when to unite and when to divide your army. Slow, but strong or fast and precise.7. TRANSFORM YOUR WAR INTO A CRUSADE281 BC Hannibal arranged competitive war games to demonstrate how far his men would go to join the upcoming fight, to show what they were made of. This is a lesson in leadership.

The 33 Strategies Of War (Summary Every Chapter)

The third in Robert Greene's bestselling series is now available in a pocket sized concise edition. Following 48 Laws of Power and The Art of Seduction, here is a brilliant distillation of the strategies of war to help you wage triumphant battles everyday. Spanning world civilisations, and synthesising dozens of political, philosophical, and religious texts, The Concise 33 Strategies of War is a guide to the subtle social game of everyday life. Based on profound and timeless lessons, it is abundantly illustrated with examples of the genius and folly of everyone from Napoleon to Margaret Thatcher and Hannibal to Ulysses S. Grant, as well as diplomats, captains of industry and Samurai swordsmen.

philosophy

Philosophy

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

strategy

Strategy

books

Books

politics

Politics

Robert Greene is an American author of books on strategy, power, and seduction. He has written six international bestsellers, including The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, The 33 Strategies of War, The 50th Law, Mastery, and The Laws of Human Nature.

Similar ideas

#5 THE COMMAND & CONTROL STRATEGY