To some people the notion of consciously playing power games — no matter how indirect — seems evil, asocial, a relic of the past.

They believe they can opt out of the game by behaving in ways that have nothing to do with power.

Only a minority can succeed at the game of life, and that minority inevitably arouses the envy of those around them.

Once success happens your way, however, the people to fear the most are those in your own circle, the friends and acquaintances you have left behind.

When your own reputation is solid, use subtler tactics, such as satire and ridicule to weaken your opponent while making you out as a charming rogue.

The fate of those who do not make others dependent on them:

Sooner or later someone comes along who can do the job as well as they can — someone younger, fresher, less expensive, less threatening.

It is never prudent to prattle on about yourself or call too much attention to your actions.

You stir up enough envy among your peers to induce treachery and backstabbing.

Be careful in trumpeting your own achievements, and always talk less about yourself than about others.

Once you have a solid base of respect, ridiculing your opponent both puts him on the defensive and draws more attention to you, enhancing your own reputation.

[Conceal intentions with false sincerity]

Espouse a belief in honesty and forthrightness as important social values.

Do this as publicly as possible.

Emphasize your position by occasionally divulging some heartfelt thought - though only one that is meaningless or irrelevant.

How to think critically:

(mental models and logical fallacies)

Whenever possible, confirm the "facts."

"Fact-checkers are just fake authorities anointed by the media, according to fact-checkers." — @naval

Authorities can make mistakes.

Don't fall for the "arguments from authority fallacy."

"In science there are no authorities; at most, there are experts." — Carl Sagan

Survival of the fittest argument.

Always think of multiple explanations for an argument.

Then think of tests to disprove each explanation.

Whatever remains has a better chance of being right than simply sticking with the first idea.

Two mental models that fit here:

Occam's Razor: When faced with multiple explanations pick the simpler.

Hanlon's Razor: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." In other words, there can be honest mistakes.

People feel superior to the person whose actions they can predict.

If you show them who is in control by playing against their expectations, you both gain their respect and tighten your hold on their fleeting attention.

"He who has never sinned is less reliable than he who has only sinned once." - @nntaleb

The Internet rewards unique people.

Find your unique combination of skills, interests, and personality traits.

I call this a Personal Monopoly.

Become the only person in the world who does what you do.

Then, tell the world by sharing your knowledge.

Thanks to @Calalouf for her beautiful drawings.

As you build your Personal Monopoly, don’t just focus on yourself.

Focus on what the world wants too.

Think like an investor.

Find a small and growing market that only a few people write about. Then, learn everything you can about it, and share the best of what you learn.

A Personal Monopoly is a unique intersection of skills, knowledge, and personality that nobody else can compete with.

Personal monopolies aren't found — they're made.

Global markets increase the upside of having a Personal Monopoly, but also make it harder to create one.

The process of building a Personal Monopoly is the process of becoming yourself.

The sweet spot is finding an idea that looks specific to others, but still diverse enough to express the many shades of who you are, where you excel, and what you want to achieve.