Robert Greene Quotes Page 4

“The problem is that we humans are deep conformists.”

“The time that leads to mastery is dependent on the intensity of our focus.”

“The truth is that creative activity is one that involves the entire self – our emotions, our levels of energy, our characters, and our minds.”

“The very desire to find shortcuts makes you eminently unsuited for any kind of mastery.”

“There are two kinds of failure. The first comes from never trying out your ideas because you are afraid, or because you are waiting for the perfect time. This kind of failure you can never learn from, and such timidity will destroy you.

The second kind comes from a bold and venturesome spirit. If you fail in this way, the hit that you take to your reputation is greatly outweighed by what you learn. Repeated failure will toughen your spirit and show you with absolute clarity how things must be done.”

“Too many people believe that everything must be pleasurable in life.”

“Value learning over money.”

“You cannot have everything in the present. The road to mastery requires patience and sacrifice.”

“You have a destiny to fulfill.”

“You must avoid at all cost the idea that you can manage learning several skills at a time.

You need to develop your powers of concentration, and understand that trying to multitask will be the death of the process.”

“Your thoughts will tend to revolve around what you value most.”

“Anger and impatience will draw you into rash actions that will cut off your options.”

“Arm yourself with prudence, and never completely lay down your arms, not even for friends.”

“As Xenophon said, your obstacles are not rivers or mountains or other people; your obstacle is yourself.”

“Being attacked is a sign that you are important enough to be a target.”

“Decide which fights to avoid and which are inevitable.”

“Desperate people will risk anything in a fight. This gives them a huge advantage. They have nothing to lose.”

“Establish a frightening reputation. People will back off from you, treating you with respect and a little fear.”

“Events in life mean nothing if you do not reflect on them in a deep way, and ideas from books are pointless if they have no application to life as you live it.”

“Everything in life can be taken away from you and generally will be at some point. Your wealth vanishes, the latest gadgetry suddenly becomes passé, your allies desert you.

But if your mind is armed with the art of war, there is no power that can take that away. In the middle of a crisis, your mind will find its way to the right solution. Having superior strategies at your fingertips will give your maneuvers irresistible force.”

“In a divided world, power will come from keeping your own group united and cohesive.”

“In order to separate yourself from the pack, to harness a speed that has devastating force, you must be organized and strategic.”

“It is your own bad strategies, not the unfair opponent, that are to blame for your failures. You are responsible for the good and bad in your life.”

“Keep yourself restless and unsatisfied.”

“Life has more meaning in the face of Death.”

“Lose battles, but win the war. Grand strategy is the art of looking beyond the present battle and calculating ahead. Focus on your ultimate goal and plot to reach it.”

“Once people see you as a fighter, they will approach you with a little fear in their hearts.”

“Our successes and failures in life can be traced to how well or how badly we deal with the inevitable conflicts that confront us in society.”

“Seem to work for the interests of others while furthering your own.”

“The best way to motivate people is not through reason but through emotion.”