The 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene Analysis and Summary

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Introduction

We imagine the world to be a pleasant place where we may all live peacefully. However, a fight is raging behind the polished personas and phony grins. We have adversaries in politics, art, business, and even at home—enemies who will stop at nothing to defeat us.

This book will help you win in daily skirmishes including those with your bosses, clients, family and friends. It provides you with the knowledge needed to control your abilities to effectively get an edge over others.

Robert Greene’s Perspective

Robert Greene has a degree in classical studies and is the author of several bestselling books, including The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and Mastery.

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StoryShot #1: Don’t Get Stuck in the Past

You can’t use the same tactic to win two separate battles. You must adjust your strategy depending on the current adversary and the situation.

Since our minds are tied to preconceptions and recollections of past accomplishments, we frequently fail terribly. No great leader has ever won several conflicts by employing the same tactics. That is why, before initiating a battle, you must clear your thoughts. Take note of the primary factors that contributed to your success, but don’t mindlessly follow them. Always keep in mind the present situation and make necessary adjustments.

Miyamoto Musashi is considered one of the most deadly Samurai warriors in history because he used to change up his combat style and techniques on a regular basis to keep his adversaries wondering.

Moves that were advantageous in earlier successful maneuvers are frequently ineffective in new initiatives. It’s almost as if you’re conversing with distinct individuals.

You can’t honestly expect two individuals to grasp what you’ve said in precisely the same manner. They will interpret the same message differently because they have distinct personalities. As a result, you must tailor your approach to the essence of the individual in front of you.

Nothing stays the same in the world. Change is the only constant thing. It is critical for your existence in this world to be adaptable and respond according to the circumstances.

StoryShot #2: Train Your Mind to Withstand Challenges

When we are stressed, our brains tend to go haywire. We tend to overreact when confronted with criticisms, decisions to make, and unanticipated challenges. Worse, we have an emotional reaction.

For example, there’s a distinction between how you act next to your partner and how you behave at work. You’ll lose your cool, insult someone, and possibly desire to injure someone if you allow your emotions to get the better of you. 

It’s critical to be calm when you’re under duress, or someone is attempting to push you from your comfort zone. You cannot afford to express the facts, which is what you honestly would like to say. Regardless of the situation, you must fight these emotions emerging from within by maintaining your calm, being resolute, and being confident.

In the siege of Copenhagen in 1801, Lord Nelson defied his delirious commander, maintaining a cool head in a tumultuous circumstance. Lord Nelson destroyed the Danish fleet by disobeying his general’s orders and viewing the battleground for what it was.

When adversity strikes, learn to take a break from the commotion on the battleground for a moment. Calm your thoughts so that you can make the best decision possible. 

StoryShot #3: Get out of your Comfort Zone

Freedom is the reason you delay and never do anything worthwhile. You waste your spare time and then moan that you don’t have enough of it. You choose Television and social media as companions rather than reading books or getting out with like-minded folks. This is because you have far too many alternatives and too much time to waste.

People responsible for three children, a dog, and a sick grandfather, for example, will not act like this. Such people are not allowed to be free. At least not in the broad sense of things; they can’t do whatever they like.

Fyodor Dostoevsky was well aware that his time was running out. Faced with his impending execution, he made the most of his time by making each of his masterpieces as if it were his final.

Getting yourself out of your comfort zone entails the destruction of all bridges. Putting oneself in a position where the repercussions are too significant to ignore. Things like: ditching social media forever to concentrate on your endeavors; shunning all touch with your toxic relationship to find a new relationship; resigning from your job to focus entirely on your startup.

It seems brutal, and it may not be the greatest tactic to use in some circumstances. However, it’s something to think about if you’re often complaining about not having sufficient time to do the things that matter to you.

According to studies, having many alternatives can result in over-selection, which means lower-quality selections and, in some cases, not choosing at all.

For example, if you want to get a bottle of yogurt and there are 20 flavors to choose from, the sheer number of options may overwhelm you and cause you to step away. And we see this sort of conduct pretty frequently in our daily lives. When there’s a lot of stuff going on, people don’t always do much.

Remove certain items from your life. Instill a feeling of urgency in your life. Set deadlines for yourself. This will inspire you and force you to complete the task at hand.

StoryShot #4: Work with a Team to Achieve a Course Bigger than Yourself

When it comes to achieving milestones, motivation and enthusiasm are essential. However, after a time, you begin to feel gloomy. Weary sensations overwhelm your existence if there are no success signals, which might lead to quitting the undertaking.

When we, as individuals, do not perceive immediate benefits that are advantageous to our existence, we tend to give up. We are inherently selfish. 

We may not express all of these thoughts, but we are certainly considering them. We’re concerned about our basic survival. This is how our brain is wired to ensure our survival. Because what we’re doing isn’t yielding quick results, our minds will re-evaluate and wish to stop conserving energy for other, more effective jobs.

You need to construct a message, not just chase the dollar bill, to get others interested when there are obstacles. You should rally them around a common goal. Make them compete for a concept.

Hannibal organized competitive war games in 281 BC to showcase how far his troops would go to engage in the upcoming battle and prove their worth. This is a lesson on leadership.

Passion, grit, and determination will only go you so far. However, you must have a deep conviction in a mission greater than yourself to keep fighting.

StoryShot #5: Choose your Battles Wisely

The primary reason we screw up is because of our ego. We have a strong desire to be recognized and valued by everyone. That is why we select battles and fight them out to the very finish, no matter what it takes. Someone in the department might say nasty stuff about you that you do not like, and you immediately get into a fight over it. You throw yourself into a conflict to maintain your flawless reputation without thinking about the consequences.

When confronted with an adversary, withdrawing is not always a show of weakness. It’s the polar opposite. This implies that you are in command of your emotions. You gain essential time this way — time to reflect, reorganize your ideas and develop a superior offensive strategy.

Winston Churchill once said that we can never achieve our goals if we halt and throw stones at every dog that barks. The issue now is to figure out which dogs don’t just bark but bite.

Every day, we come across things that we don’t like. You will waste valuable energy if you respond angrily to everything wrong around you.

Avoiding confrontation is frequently the wisest course of action. At least for the time being, refrain from defending your stance. Allow them to celebrate little successes while you prepare your soldiers for the main battle.

Hostility is generally met with more aggression. They believe it is their responsibility to safeguard their ego at any cost. That, however, should not be the case. Choose your conflicts carefully and focus your efforts on those worth fighting.

The 33 Strategies of War Quotes

Rating

We rate this book 4.3/5.

Disclaimer and Editor’s Note

This article was first published in 2020. It was updated in April 2022.

The content is an unofficial summary and analysis.

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