Nat Eliason Summary The 50th Law by Robert Greene

“…your fears are a kind of prison that confines you within a

limited range of action. The less you fear, the more power you
will have and the more fully you will live.”
“We became anxious for our livelihoods, the future of our
families and children, our personal health, and the aging process.
Instead of a simple, intense fear of something powerful and real,
we developed a kind of generalized anxiety. It was as if the
thousands of years of feeling fear in the face of nature could not
go away— we had to find something at which to direct our
anxiety, no matter how small or improbable.”
“Understand: we are all too afraid— of offending people, of
stirring up conflict, of standing out from the crowd, of taking
bold action. For thousands of years our relationship to this
emotion has evolved— from a primitive fear of nature, to
generalized anxiety about the future, to the fearful attitude that
now dominates us. As rational, productive adults we are called
upon to finally overcome this downward trend and to evolve
beyond our fears.”
“There are no Alps and no obstacles that can stand in the way of
a person without fears.”
“And the people who practice the 50th Law in their lives all
share certain qualities— supreme boldness, unconventionality,
fluidity, and a sense of urgency— that give them this unique
ability to shape circumstance.”
“IN MY VIEW… IT IS BETTER TO BE IMPETUOUS THAN
CAUTIOUS, BECAUSE FORTUNE IS A WOMAN, AND IF
YOU WISH TO DOMINATE HER YOU MUST BEAT HER
AND BATTER HER. IT IS CLEAR THAT SHE WILL LET
HERSELF BE WON BY MEN WHO ARE IMPETUOUS
RATHER THAN BY THOSE WHO STEP CAUTIOUSLY.
—Niccolò Machiabelli”

Intense Realism
“YOU MUST FEARLESSLY ACCEPT THESE
CIRCUMSTANCES, EVEN EMBRACE THEM. BY
FOCUSING YOUR ATTENTION ON WHAT IS GOING ON
AROUND YOU, YOU WILL GAIN A SHARP
APPRECIATION FOR WHAT MAKES SOME PEOPLE
ADVANCE AND OTHER FALL BEHIND.”
“…the greatest danger you face is your mind growing soft and
your eye getting dull.”
“People can be full of book knowledge and crammed with
information but have no real sense of what’s going on around
them. It is in fact a function of character and fearlessness.”
“What you see determines what you think and how you act. The
moment you believe in some cherished idea that you will hold
on to no matter what your eyes and ears reveal to you, you are
no longer a realist.”
Exercises in realism:
● Take opportunities to be more curious and open, explore
the truth. Imagine you don’t know anything.
● Expand yourself so you know the complete terrain. Expose
yourself to different ideas, go outside of your comfort zone.
● Dig deeper, get to the roots. “When you do not get to the
root of a problem, you cannot solve it in any meaningful
manner. People like to look at the surfaces, get all
emotional and react, doing things that make them feel
better in the short term but do nothing for them in the long
term.”
● Look ahead, beyond the present, get a better perspective.
“It is a law of power, however, that the further and deeper
we contemplate the future, the greater our capacity to shape
it according to our desires… If you have a long-term goal
for yourself, one that you have imagined in detail, then you
are better able to make the proper decisions in the present.
You know which battles or positions to avoid because they
don’t advance you towards your goal.
 ● Judge people by their actions, not words.
● Assess yourself realistically.

Self Reliance, Make Everything You Own

“WHEN YOU WORK FOR OTHERS, YOU ARE AT THEIR
MERCY. THEY OWN YOUR WORK; THEY OWN YOU.
YOUR CREATIVE SPIRIT IS SQUASHED. WHAT KEEPS
YOU IN SUCH POSITIONS IS A FEAR OF HAVING TO
SINK OR SWIM ON YOUR OWN. INSTEAD YOU SHOULD
HAVE A GREATER FEAR OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO
YOU IF YOU REMAIN DEPENDENT ON OTHERS FOR
POWER. YOUR GOAL IN EVERY MANEUVER IN LIFE
MUST BE OWNERSHIP, WORKING THE CORNER FOR
YOURSELF. WHEN IT IS YOURS TO LOSE-YOU ARE
MORE MOTIVATED, MORE CREATIVE, MORE ALIVE.
THE ULTIMATE POWER IN LIFE IS TO BE COMPLETELY
SELF-RELIANT, COMPLETELY YOURSELF.”
“We will often package this as the opposite— that by working
for others, being dutiful, fitting in, or subsuming our personality
to the group, we are being a good person. But that is our fear
speaking and deluding us. If we give in to this fear, then we will
spend our lives looking outward for salvation and never find it.
We will merely move from one dependency to another.”
The Blueprint of Self Reliance:
1. Reclaim your dead time.
● “Remember: your bosses prefer to keep you in dependent
positions. It is in their interest that you do not become
self-reliant, and so they will tend to hoard information. You
must secretly work against this and seize this information
for yourself.”
2. Create little empires
● “Keep in mind the following: what you really value in life
is ownership, not money. If ever there is a choice— more
money or more responsibility— you must always opt for
the latter. A lower-paying position that offers more room to
make decisions and carve out little empires is infinitely
preferable to something that pays well but constricts your
movements.”
3. Move higher up the food chain
● Your goal in life must be to always move higher and higher
up the food chain, where you alone control the direction of
your enterprise and depend on no one. Since this goal is a
future ideal, in the present you must strive to keep yourself
free of unnecessary entanglements and alliances. And if
you cannot avoid having partners, make sure that you are
clear as to what function they serve for you and how you
will free yourself of them at the right moment.
4. Make your enterprise reflect your individuality
● Understand: you are one of a kind. Your character traits are
a kind of chemical mix that will never be repeated in
history. There are ideas unique to you, a specific rhythm
and perspective that are your strengths, not your
weaknesses. You must not be afraid of your uniqueness and
you must care less and less what people think of you.
“Finally, do not be taken in by the culture of ease. Self-help
books and experts will try to convince you that you can have
what you want by following a few simple steps. Things that
come easy and fast will leave you just as fast.”
“THERE IS A TIME IN EVERY MAN’S EDUCATION
WHEN HE ARRIVES AT THE CONVICTION THAT…
IMITATION IS SUICIDE… THAT THOUGH THE WIDE
UNIVERSE IS FULL OF GOOD, NO KERNEL OF
NOURISHING CORN CAN COME TO HIM BUT THROUGH
HIS TOIL BESTOWED ON THAT PLOT OF GROUND
WHICH IS GIVEN TO HIM TO TILL. – Ralpha Waldo
Emerson”

Optimisim, turn shit into sugar

“In places like the hood or in any kind of materially
impoverished environment, the response to hardship is much
different. There, bad things happening assume a kind of
normality. They are part of daily life. The hustler thinks: “I must
make the most of what I have, even the bad stuff, because things
are not going to get better on their own.”
“When things are going well, that is precisely when you must be
concerned and vigilant. You know it will not last and you will
not be caught unprepared. When things are going badly, that is
when you are most encouraged and fearless. Finally you have
material for a powerful reversal, a chance to prove yourself.”
“We generally believe there are only a few such golden chances
in life, and most of us are waiting for them to cross our path.
This concept is extremely limited in scope. It makes us
dependent on outside forces.”
“Many of us have had the following experience: we find
ourselves in an urgent, difficult situation. Perhaps we have to get
something done in an impossibly short amount of time, or
someone we had counted on for help does not come through, or
we are in a foreign land and must suddenly fend for ourselves.
In these situations, necessity crowds in on us. We have to get
work done and figure out problems quickly or we suffer
immediate consequences. What usually happens is that our
minds snap to attention. We find the necessary energy because
we have to. We pay attention to details that normally elude us,
because they might spell the difference between success and
failure, life and death. We are surprised at how inventive we
become. It is at such moments that we get a glimpse of that
potential mental power within us that generally lies untapped. If
only we could have such a spirit and attitude in everyday life.”
“If we look for more— information, outside people to help us—
it won’t necessarily lead to anything better; in fact the waiting
and the dependence makes us less creative. When we go to work
with what is there, we find new ways to employ this material.
We solve problems, develop skills we can use again and again,
and build up our confidence. If we become wealthy and
dependent on money and technology, our minds atrophy and that
wealth will not last.”
“Most people wait too long to go into action, generally out of
fear. They want more money or better circumstances. You must
go the opposite direction and move before you think you are
ready. It is as if you are making it a little more difficult for
yourself, deliberately creating obstacles in your path. But it is a
law of power that your energy will always rise to the appropriate
level.”
Keys:
● Make the most of what you have
● Turn all obstacles into openings, into opportunities
● Look for turning points
● Move before you are ready
Keep Moving: Calculated Momentum
“DON’T GIVE OTHERS THE CHANCE TO PIN YOU
DOWN; KEEP MOVING AND CHANGING YOUR
APPEARANCES TO FIT THE ENVIRONMENT. IF YOU
ENCOUNTER WALLS OR BOUNDARIES, SLIP AROUND
THEM. DO NOT LET ANYTHING DISRUPT YOUR FLOW.”
“Life has a particular pace and rhythm, an endless stream of
changes that can move slowly or quickly. When you try to stop
this flow mentally or physically by holding on to things or
people, you fall behind. Your actions become awkward because
they are not in relation to present circumstances. It is like
moving against a current as opposed to using it to propel you
forward.”
Keys:
● Mental flow, stay curious, don’t let your knowledge be
confined to one area or category.
● Emotional flow, do not dwell on feelings, you must learn to
forget what emotions stand in your way.
● Social flow, be able to easily move between different
groups, do not stay stuck to a tribe, and trust the people you
work with.
 ● Cultural flow, move culture forward, do not be locked into
one archaic form of expression.

Aggression, know when to be bad

“As Fifty had learned, talent and good intentions are never
enough in this world; you need to be fearless and strategic.”
“If you indicate you’ll do anything to avoid trouble, that’s when
you get in trouble.”
Types of situations where you’ll need to be aggressive:
● Aggressors. Don’t fight them head on, subvert them, go
behind their back, don’t let them know you’re fighting back
until it’s too late.
● Passive Aggressors. Take bold, uncompromising action
against them. Don’t play their games, don’t subvert them,
be fearless and direct in your combat with them and you’ll
send them running.
● Unjust situations. Play the fox, design strategies to win
over public support without being blatant about your
intentions to upend the situation. You must be willing to do
whatever it takes to defeat the enemy.
● Static situations. If a situation has become static, ignore the
rules and make your own. There is power to be had in
instigating a new order.
 ● Impossible dynamics. Terminate the relationship, leave the
job, don’t fight a battle that can’t be won.

Authority, lead from the front

“IN ANY GROUP, THE PERSON ON TOP CONSCIOUSLY
OR UNCONSCIOUSLY SETS THE TONE. IF LEADERS
ARE FEARFUL, HESITANT TO TAKE ANY RISKS, OR
OVERLY CONCERNED FOR THEIR EGO AND
REPUTATION, THEN THIS INVARIABLY FILTERS ITS
WAY THROUGH THE ENTIRE GROUP AND MAKES
EFFECTIVE ACTION IMPOSSIBLE.”
“FOR IT IS A GENERAL RULE OF HUMAN NATURE
THAT PEOPLE DESPISE THOSE WHO TREAT THEM
WELL AND LOOK UP TO THOSE WHO MAKE NO
CONCESSIONS. – Thurydides”
Four roles you must perform:
● The Visionary: “You must play this visionary role with
some dramatic flair, like Edison who was a consummate
performer and promoter. He would give dazzling
presentations of his ideas, and stage events to get on the
front page of newspapers. Like Moses describing the
Promised Land, he could paint an alluring picture of the
future that his inventions would help create. This drew in
money from investors and inspired his researchers to work
even harder. Your own level of excitement and self-belief
 will convince people that you know where you are going
and should be followed.”
● The Unifier: “A group needs a centripetal force to give it
unity and cohesion but it is not enough to have that be you
and the force of your personality. Instead it should be a
cause that you fearlessly embody… This cause elevates
your group above others. It has a quasi-religious aura to it,
a kind of cult feeling. Now, to fight or doubt you from
within is to stand against this cause and seem selfish. The
group, infused with this belief system, will tend to police
itself and root out troublemakers.”
● The Role Model: “Operating with a mission statement is an
effective way of softening your image and disguising the
extent of your power. You are seen as more than just a
leader; you are a role model, instructing, energizing, and
inspiring your lieutenants. In crafting this team, look for
people who share your values and are open to learning. Do
not be seduced by a glittering résumé. You want them near
you, to absorb your spirit and ways of doing things. Once
you feel they have the proper training, you must not be
afraid to let go of the reins and give them more
independence. In the end, this will save you much energy
and allow you to continue focusing on the greater strategic
picture.”
 ● The Bold Knight: “You keep your group marching and on
the offensive. This will excite them and give them a feeling
of movement. You are not taking unnecessary risks, but
simply adding a dash of aggression to your normally staid
group. They become used to seeing you out in front and
grow addicted to the excitement you bring with each new
campaign.”

Connection, know your environment from the inside

out
Keys:
● Crush all distance. You must have access to people at all
levels in the organizaton you wish to control.
● Open informal channels for criticism and feedback.
● Reconnect with your base. “You have a base of power— a
group of people, small or large, which identifies with you.
This base is also mental— ideas you had when you were
younger, which were tied to powerful emotions and
inspired you to take a particular path. Time and success
tend to diffuse the sense of connection you have to this
physical and mental base… Know your base and work to
reconnect with it.”
● Create the social mirror. “You view your work from inside
your mind, encrusted with all kinds of desires and fears.
 They see it as an object; they see it as it is. Through their
criticisms you can get closer to this objective version and
gradually improve what you do.”

Mastery, respect the process

“THE FOOLS IN LIFE WANT THINGS FAST AND
EASY-MONEY, SUCCESS, ATTENTION. BOREDOM IS
THEIR GREAT ENEMY AND FEAR. WHATEVER THEY
MANAGE TO GET SLIPS THROUGH THEIR HANDS AS
FAST AS IT COMES IN. YOU, ON THE OTHER HAND,
WANT TO OUTLAST YOUR RIVALS. YOU ARE
BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR SOMETHING THAT
CAN CONTINUE TO EXPAND.”
“MOST PEOPLE CAN’T HANDLE BOREDOM. THAT
MEANS THEY CAN’T STAY ON ONE THING UNTIL
THEY GET GOOD AT IT. AND THEY WONDER WHY
THEY’RE UNHAPPY. —50 Cent”
“More often than not our jobs are something that we endure; we
live for our time off and dream of the future. We are not
engaged in the daily activity of the job with our full mental
powers because it is not as exciting as life outside work.”
“When we look at those who stand out in history, we tend to
focus on their achievements. From such an angle, it is easy for
us to be dazzled and see their success as stemming from genetics
and perhaps some social factors. They are gifted. We could
never reach their level, or so we think. But we are choosing to
ignore that telling period in their lives, when each and every one
of them underwent a rather tedious apprenticeship in their field.”
“Understand: the real secret, the real formula for power in this
world, lies in accepting the ugly reality that learning requires a
process, and this in turn demands patience and the ability to
endure drudge work.”
Developing the proper relationship to mastery and the process:
● Progress through trial and error.
● Master something simple. Develop a pattern of confidence
through the parts of your life that you take control over.
● Intenralize the rules of the game. “With a deepening
knowledge of these rules you can begin to maneuver them
for your purpose… Knowing how it works, you can take it
apart— for good.”
● Attune yourself to the details. “Often when you begin a
project of any kind, it is from the wrong end. You tend to
think first of what you want to accomplish, imagining the
glory and money it will bring you if it succeeds. You then
proceed to make this concept come to life. But as you go
forward you often lose patience, because the small steps to
get there are not nearly as exciting as the ambitious visions
in your head.”
 ● Rediscover your natural persistence. “First, you must
understand the role that your energy level plays in
mastering a process and bringing something to completion.
If you take on added goals or new tasks, your focus will be
broken up and you will never attain what you wanted in the
first place… Second, try breaking things up into smaller
blocks of time. You have a large goal, but there are steps
along the way, and steps within the steps.”
“Try to look at boredom from the opposite perspective— as a
call for you to slow yourself down, to stop searching for endless
distractions.”

Self Belief, Push beyond your limits

“PEOPLE FOLLOW THOSE WHO KNOW WHERE THEY
ARE GOING, SO CULTIVATE AN AIR OF CERTAINTY
AND BOLDNESS.”
“If you are dependent on their judgments for your sense of
worth, then your ego will always be weak and fragile.”
“Understand: people will constantly attack you in life. One of
their main weapons will be to instill in you doubts about
yourself— your worth, your abilities, your potential. They will
often disguise this as their objective opinion, but invariably it
has a political purpose— they want to keep you down.”
Strategies for pushing past yours and society’s limits:
 ● Defy all categories. Don’t let yourself be shunted into
something where people can have expectations.
● Constantly reinvent yourself. “Consistency is an illusion
anyway— each passing day brings changes within you.
You must not be afraid to express these evolutions.”
● Subvert your patterns. “What often prevent us from using
the mental fluidity and freedom that we naturally possess
are the physical routines in our lives. We see the same
people and do the same things, and our minds follow these
patterns. The solution then is to break this up.”
● Create a sense of destiny. “Having supreme confidence
makes you fearless and persistent, allowing you to
overcome obstacles that stop most people in their tracks. It
makes others believe in you as well. And the most intense
form of self-belief is to feel a sense of destiny impelling
you forward.”
● Bet on yourself. “You must always be prepared to place a
bet on yourself, on your future, by heading in a direction
that others seem to fear.”

The Sublime, confront your mortality

“He realized that the key in life is to always be willing to walk
away. He was often surprised that in doing so, or even feeling
that way, people would come back to him on his terms, now
fearing what they might lose in the process. And if they didn’t
return, then good riddance.”
“To accomplish this is remarkably simple. It is a matter of
looking inward and seeing death as something that you carry
within. It is a part of you that cannot be repressed. It does not
mean that you brood about it, but that you have continual
awareness of a reality that you come to embrace. You convert
the terrified, denial-type relationship to death into something
active and positive— finally released from pettiness, useless
anxieties, and fearful, timid responses.”