Law of Power*

Always make those above you feel comfortably superior.
In your desire to please or impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents
Or your might accomplish the opposite – inspire fear and insecurity.
Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power

….Law no. 1 – Never outshine your master - Power – Robert Greene



I read the above lines over and over again. Can’t believe my eyes !
I was in the middle of discussing my strategy for my department with my friend when he reminded me that this time I have to change my strategy in dealing with my superior. I have to be wise this time and manage my talk, my word, every single thing. He knew that it would be a nightmare for me to act like that but have no other choice that was the only way to win the game. Be a politician in the corporation world.

He reminded me of my two years in prison several years ago, how my superior felt insecure because of me, how my superior tortured me like hell, before finally he got fired because of his dumbness and everybody realized who’s the cause of all the matters in the office.

I’m lucky that I have friend who reminds me to watch my step, to prevent me from another “killing fields”.

But I think GOD has His own plan. He sent me to that “Killing Fields” to felt the suffer, to taught me to be wise. Or (my favorite things) to finish the unfinished life of my past life, something that I have to pay in my life.

I bought that book the day before Bali Bombing. It was my last day in Manila, after attended Asia customer service workshop of my company, when I decided to buy that book. Brought it at home and put it in my library without opened the plastic cover.

I let the book shined his “new” cover to others book in my bookshelves. Until last night, when I saw that book, suddenly I felt the desire to read that book and stunned with the statement of “Never Outshine Your Master”.

I haven’t finish the first chapter, my little daughter told me that I slept like a baby last night, even I slept earlier than her.

I was in a rush this morning, when I spot that orange book at my bed .. and the feeling of gratefulness spread.

I don’t want my life ended like Fouquet, just because of the insecurity feeling of his Master.

When the evening began, Fouquet was at the top of the world,
By the time it had ended, he was at the bottom
Voltaire, 1694 – 1778
*Written on the way to the office

Comments

Xun said…
Thanks for the very kind comments on my blog.

It feels unreal every time I read your blog. It is filled with suspense, ambiguities, mysteries ... Why? It is far from the mundane life I am familiar with, kids, petty concerns and joys ...
Really ? Maybe because I reflected my thought into it.

But all that I write are based on my day to day experience, something that made me contemplate.

Like "Law of Power", I was in that difficulty time, and just realized my fault when I read that book.

Or like the story about someone that I met who reminded me to write something more seriously. The man is my husband family, the only one who understand and appreciate my "writing". But the truth is the story that I want to write is something against tradition and am afraid to write and make the ending...

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