In a world that often seems chaotic and unpredictable, the words of Robert Greene stand as beacons of insight and motivation.
Greene, a renowned author known for his deep exploration of power, strategy, and human nature, has a unique ability to distill complex ideas into memorable and impactful quotes.
His work spans a variety of themes, including the intricacies of power dynamics, the path to mastery, and the art of seduction, each providing a unique lens through which we can view and better understand our lives.
Each quote has been carefully selected to provide you with a powerful dose of wisdom and encouragement.
Whether you are seeking guidance in your professional life, looking for personal growth, or simply in need of a spark of inspiration, Greene’s words have the power to provoke thought, challenge perceptions, and motivate action.
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Top 20 best quotes by Robert Greene according to readers
Here are Robert Greene’s most popular quotes according to Goodreads users (which we all know are avid readers):
- “When you show yourself to the world and display your talents, you naturally stir all kinds of resentment, envy, and other manifestations of insecurity… you cannot spend your life worrying about the petty feelings of others”
- “LAW 4: Always Say Less Than Necessary. When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike. Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.”
- “If you are unsure of a course of action, do not attempt it. Your doubts and hesitations will infect your execution. Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness. Any mistakes you commit through audacity are easily corrected with more audacity. Everyone admires the bold; no one honors the timid.”
- “Keep your friends for friendship, but work with the skilled and competent”
- “Do not leave your reputation to chance or gossip; it is your life’s artwork, and you must craft it, hone it, and display it with the care of an artist.”
- “LAW 46: Never Appear Too Perfect. Appearing better than others is always dangerous, but most dangerous of all is to appear to have no faults or weaknesses. Envy creates silent enemies. It is smart to occasionally display defects, and admit to harmless vices, in order to deflect envy and appear more human and approachable. Only gods and the dead can seem perfect with impunity.”
- “LAW 25: Re-Create Yourself. Do not accept the roles that society foists on you. Re-create yourself by forging a new identity, one that commands attention and never bores the audience. Be the master of your own image rather than letting others define if for you. Incorporate dramatic devices into your public gestures and actions – your power will be enhanced and your character will seem larger than life.”
- “Never assume that the person you are dealing with is weaker or less important than you are. Some people are slow to take offense, which may make you misjudge the thickness of their skin, and fail to worry about insulting them. But should you offend their honor and their pride, they will overwhelm you with a violence that seems sudden and extreme given their slowness to anger. If you want to turn people down, it is best to do so politely and respectfully, even if you feel their request is impudent or their offer ridiculous.”
- “Think of it this way: 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.”
- “Many a serious thinker has been produced in prisons, where we have nothing to do but think.”
- “…But the human tongue is a beast that few can master. It strains constantly to break out of its cage, and if it is not tamed, it will tun wild and cause you grief.”
- “LAW 38: Think As You Like But Behave Like Others. If you make a show of going against the times, flaunting your unconventional ideas and unorthodox ways, people will think that you only want attention and that you look down upon them. They will find a way to punish you for making them feel inferior. It is far safer to blend in and nurture the common touch. Share your originality only with tolerant friends and those who are sure to appreciate your uniqueness.”
- “Never waste valuable time, or mental peace of mind, on the affairs of others—that is too high a price to pay.”
- “The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.”
- “Lord, protect me from my friends; I can take care of my enemies.”
- “There is nothing more intoxicating than victory, and nothing more dangerous.”
- “Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter”
- “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.”
- “When our emotions are engaged, we often have trouble seeing things as they are.”
- “person who cannot control his words shows that he cannot control himself, and is unworthy of respect.”
My 30 Favorite Robert Greene Quotes
After reading almost all of his works and also watching every interview or podcast of his, here is my list that is different than the general consensus:
- “Never whine, never complain, never try to justify yourself.”
- “I just know who I am and what’s comfortable for me and I don’t personally do things in life because others do it or because that’s what society tells me I should do.”
- “Those qualities that separate us are often ridiculed by others or criticized by teachers… But anything that is peculiar to our makeup is precisely what we must pay the deepest attention to and lean on in our rise to mastery.”
- “Hasty climbers have sudden falls.”
- “The best way to neutralize our natural impatience is to cultivate a kind of pleasure in pain – like an athlete, you come to enjoy rigorous practice, pushing past your limits.”
- “The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.”
- “If the happiness and prosperity of other people depend on you, you have nothing to fear anymore.”
- “Do not leave your reputation to chance or gossip; it is your life’s artwork, and you must craft it, hone it, and display it with the care of an artist.”
- “Be as fluid as water, do not give your enemies anything solid to attack.”
- “Life goes by very fast. And the worst thing in life that you can have is a job that you hate, and have no energy and creativity in.”
- “Become the curator of life. Edit, leave out the junk. But when you find something worth keeping, treasure it.”
- “Never take your position for granted and never let any favors you receive go to your head.”
- “Increase your power and your image will gain reliability.”
- “Everyone has to defend himself.”
- “In general, obstacles force your mind to focus and find ways around them. They heighten your mental powers and should be welcomed.”
- “Let go of your need for comfort and security. Creative endeavors are by their nature uncertain.”
- “Do not struggle against your vulnerabilities, or try to repress them, but put them into play.”
- “You have to learn how to master your art and then how to master the art of selling yourself.”
- “The moment people feel they know what to expect from you, your spell on them is broken.”
- “Masters are those who by nature have suffered to get to where they are.”
- “You must not be afraid of your uniqueness and you must care less and less what people think of you.”
- “What you do not react to cannot drag you down in a futile engagement.”
- “Make the mind tougher by exposing it to adversity.”
- “You must learn when to leave. Create value through scarcity.”
- “The ultimate power in life is to be completely self-reliant, completely yourself.”
- “You’re a freak. You’re weird. You’re different. But to embrace it — that’s the power.”
- “Mastery comes to those who immerse themselves fully in the process.”
- “The essence of strategy is to choose what not to do.”
- “Always look at the bigger picture, think long-term, and strategize accordingly.”
- “One must be cunning and deceitful to achieve great things.”
