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.

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.

StoryShot #6: Wage War on Your Enemies

Life is a never-ending battleground, and we can never win such wars unless we know who our adversaries are. In our world, individuals are deceptive and evasive. They disguise their true motives and claim to be on your team, so you need to figure out what they’re up to. You should learn to recognize your opponents and draw them out. You must identify them by looking for signals and patterns of antagonism.

Your enemies offer your life meaning, motivation, and drive, but don’t look for enemies in the wrong places; look for enemies within yourself. Find out what’s preventing you from achieving your goals. If you have skeptics, disregard them and use your accomplishment to prove them incorrect.

Xenophon led Greek mercenaries into Persian territory in 401 BC. When their captain died, and the enemy encircled them, they had no choice but to form a cohesive force and battle. 

The soldiers’ morale was shattered. They had low morale and began fighting one another. Xenophon brought them together and defeated the inner adversary.

The greatest retaliation is an enormous success. Don’t make enemies all the time, pick battles whenever you want, and do not make everybody your adversary.

Life is a conflict and a battle, and you will be confronted with horrible situations, damaging relationships, and risky activities regularly. Your destiny and prosperity will be determined by how you approach or handle such challenging situations. Your enemies are not other people; they are you. You are to blame if you fail to comprehend situations effectively.

StoryShot #7: Act Submissive to Win in the End

In your professional life, you will come across a variety of foes. Competitors vying for the same clients you are, going up against you in negotiations, informing customers of your flaws, and doing whatever they can to “position” themselves as the best option other than you.

Even if you are diligent, honest, cautious, and courteous, you will face these adversaries. This lifestyle provides you an advantage over your adversaries even before the combat begins.

If you are fair and honest with everybody, your foes will find it difficult to make any charge stick. You start strong if you have nothing to conceal or be embarrassed about, and you’re far more inclined to come out on top.

Mahatma Gandhi organized a 200-mile procession as a nonviolent protest against an enforced Salt Tax, which the authorities deemed innocuous and allowed. The march was a huge success, with thousands of people marching in favor of Indians but against the British. It was too late for the administration to derail the passive-aggressive action. Nonviolent non-aggression can be more successful than violent acts.

Other scenarios, such as engaging with an untrustworthy employee, will necessitate a calm, careful approach. Even the most cunning and compulsive of liars have periods of inattention. Track-covering is a full-time task that requires a lot of concentration; the liar will make a mistake at some point. Pay special attention to the times when they are entirely unaware. When they’re not conversing, dishonest people often let their guards down, and observing them may teach you a lot. Their slips will direct you to where you may get the proof you need to take effective action.

StoryShot #8: Assert Dominance

Preventing adversaries from attempting to attack you is the greatest approach to combat them. Develop a dominant reputation.

Uncertainty is often preferable to overt potential danger. If your adversaries are never sure how much it will cost them to meddle with you, they would not want to figure it out.

During the American Civil War in 1862, Stonewall Jackson intimidated George McClellan by laying out all of his adversaries’ shortcomings.

 Unpredictability, insanity, and unexpected and brazen aggressiveness are all frightening. Sow uncertainty in your opponent’s head and encourage his paranoia. They will withdraw if they fear they can’t win. To frighten them is to destroy them. But be cautious. If you don’t support your statements with action, your adversary may notice your deception.

StoryShot #9: Overwhelm Your Adversaries with Speed

Use of speed will give you unlimited leverage in a world where many individuals are hesitant and too cautious. Attacking first, before your adversaries have a chance to think or adapt, causes them to become agitated, imbalanced, and prone to errors.

In 1218, Genghis Khan used this strategy to defeat his adversary. He divided his troops for flexibility, deliberately lost little fights, and then turned to major and quick strikes that the opponent hadn’t seen coming.

Begin by making slow movements to determine the tempo your opponent adjusts, then capitalize on that opportunity to win the war rapidly.

StoryShot #10: Hit Your Enemies Where it Hurts

Everyone has a weak point. Study your opponents to find their weakness, something that keeps them together. When you hit them there, the agony will be exacerbated. Find out what the opposing side values, then attack there.

Publius Scipio captured Nova Carthago, the Carthaginian stronghold in Spain, in 209 BC. Scipio destroyed Hannibal’s army’s crucial supply routes. Within five years, Scipio had conquered Carthage, putting an end to Hannibal’s rule.

Everything has a gravitational center. Take control of it and use it to destabilize the remaining organization by disrupting supplies, ideologies, and leadership chains.

StoryShot #11: Negotiate but Keep Advancing

You should keep pushing forward before and throughout discussions, applying constant pressure and forcing the opposing side to agree to your conditions. The more you receive, the more worthless compromises you may make. Develop an image of being harsh and unyielding so that people are wary of you even before meeting you.

Philip II of Macedonia, Alexander the Great’s father, came to power in 359 BC, but Athens refused to acknowledge him.

He preached peace and wealth as he expanded his kingdom, persuading other Greek cities to launch an offensive on the Persians.

Dialogue, but keep pushing forward and concentrate on your firm’s success.

You will stay out of imminent controversy while advancing your goals.

Final Summary and Review of The 33 Strategies of War

It’s critical to understand that you’re constantly at war, whether with friends, foes, or employees. Most individuals don’t like to accept it since it might be socially isolated. Everybody, however, has opponents in life and has deceived someone dear to them at some point. These realities depict human nature. People must be bold and clever to meet the problems they confront. They must always keep their long-term objectives in mind. Instead of engaging in a battle that might bring hurt or devastation, 

It’s more vital to have a thorough grasp of your foe than to become enraged or sentimental during a fight.

In the book, Robert Greene draws a remarkable parallel between our regular life and the periods of war. In essence, he claims that we are continuously at odds.   And he is entirely accurate in his assessment.

In both the retail and the employment market, competition is becoming increasingly fierce. And, since you won’t be able to fluff off your colleagues vying for the promotion that is rightly yours, you’ll have to eliminate them gracefully. The book is cunning, subtle, and full of deceptive strategies that can help you drop your opponent’s guard.

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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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