So much power is not what you do but what you do not do—the rash and foolish actions that you refrain from before they get you into trouble.
Quote - “So much power is not what you do but what you do not do—the rash and foolish actions that you refrain from before they get you into trouble.” - 48 Laws of power.
Law 29 - Plan all the way to the end.
Judgement: The ending is everything. Plan all the way to it, taking into account all the possible consequences, obstacles, and twists of fortune that might reverse your hard work and give the glory to others. By planning to the end you will not be overwhelmed by circumstances and you will know when to stop. Gently guide fortune and help determine the future by thinking far ahead.
So, if you're a nerd like myself, you're probably familiar with the show The Money Heist.
This show is a great example of this law, with its planning, execution, finding loopholes in our thinking, and constantly having backup plans in case things don't go as planned.
So, if you haven't seen the show, I'll give you some background information.
The story of Money Heist revolves around elaborate heists orchestrated by the Professor, who steals money from banks and has a code not to harm anyone in the process. Money Heist season 1 follows the job at the Royal Mint of Spain, and season 2 focuses on robbing the Bank of Spain. Both heists see the Professor call the shots as his team of robbers with city-themed code names attempt to stick to the intricate plans.
Before the Professor was involved in any heists, the idea to attempt them came from his father. The Professor's father was a criminal who told him about his plan for the perfect heist, which became the inspiration for the Royal Mint of Spain heist years later.
The Professor and his team take five months to construct and go over the plan for the job. The present-day setting of the story comes during the actual heist itself, as Money Heist shows the complications that come with it. Although the heist is a success, the Professor's team loses few members in the process.
Now back to the quote:
Through this quotation, the author Robert Greene wishes to express a simple message: we as humans spend so much time dreaming about the notion that we forget that our actions and inaction have an equal impact on the outcome.
We fail to consider the mistakes we will make during the process; we are so enamored with the work and the pay that we forget to consider whether someone will benefit from our labor. We, as humans, live in the future, with large homes and supercars, and we forget about the costs we will suffer along the way.
So in order to make any big decision, small or big. You must ask yourself few question.
Am I being reasonable right now?
If someone is attempting to entice me into something, is it with large sums of money or something else?
What is the cost, in terms of time or money, that I will incur?
Is it important for me ?
How would this benefit me in the long run?
“Unhappy endings are much more common than happy ones—do not be swayed by the happy ending in your mind.” - Robert Greene