Elevate yourself above the battlefield: There is a difference between strategy and tactics. Strategy is the art of managing a large-scale operation (e.g., an army or the direction of your life). In contrast, tactics is the things you’re doing right now. Greene says that we are, “Most of us in life are tacticians, not strategists.” Meaning that we don’t stop to consider the whole battlefield. We get preoccupied with the small daily battles. Take the higher ground. Observe your life above the battlefield. This will help you better frame your campaign.

Napoleon Bonaparte said it approximately two centuries ago: “Place your hand inside a velvet glove.” To be a rational person is not about having a sterile brain absent from emotions. It’s about achieving harmony between your emotions and your way of thinking.Hope for us all: To keep going with our long-term aim. The author offers two notions: First, to learn about people who were able to attain mastery. People like Leonardo da Vinci, Marcus Aurelius, Anton Chekhov. To use their accomplishments as fuel for our project. Secondly, to utilize the maker’s mindset. When we work on our goal, we should feel excitement and energy. Repress our ego and become exceptionally practical. This is the last chapter, and it’s about taking the themes of the previous chapter to an even higher level. Secrecy came naturally to John le Carré, and there were some secrets that he fought fiercely to keep, nowhere more so than in his private life. Seemingly content in his marriage, the novelist conducted a string of love affairs over four decades. To keep these relationships secret, he made use of tradecraft that he had learned as a spy: code names and cover stories, cut outs, safe houses and dead letter boxes. The first branch – the month of January – will help you figure out your life’s tasks. This is the most important decision in your life because it will give you direction. Allow you to arrange all other areas in your life in a way that best suits your mission.

When we realize that others don’t care about us – because they really don’t – we feel lonely and misunderstood.

Success!

Opening in 1963 New York, to Renaissance Florence, to the birth of theatre in fifth-century Athens, and the Sex Pistols shattering Thatcherite Britain - take your seat for the history of performance. Officially, we disapprove of deception. Good people are forthright, frank, honest. They tell the truth, whether it's in their interest or not. Lies and masquerades, on the other hand, are the preserve of cowards and con artists. Or at least, that’s the official line. Carefully considering all of your interactions with others, will ensure that you’re always in a favorable spot. Always ready to outmaneuver your opponents. Before we dive in: If you're into topics about mischievous, power, crime, and money I turn books into video essays on these topics, and I'll be releasing more summaries on this subreddit if everyone wants them.