The Laws of Humana Nature — Part 1

Below are some of the notes and quotes from the book The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene:

• “Pleasure isn't in the fulfillment, but in the pursuit." -- Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
• I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people - Sir Isaac Newton
• Win through your actions, not your words.
• The years teach much which the days never know - Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “The true spirit of conversation consists more in bringing out the cleverness of others than in showing a great deal of it yourself; he who goes away pleased with himself and his own wit is also greatly pleased with you. Most men … seek less to be instructed, and even to be amused, than to be praised and applauded” — Jean de La Bruyère.
• Your task is simple: instill in people a feeling of inner security. Mirror their values; show that you like and respect them. Make them feel you appreciate their wisdom and experience. Generate an atmosphere of mutual warmth.
• Winning arguments is rarely worth the effort.
• It is always better to praise people for their effort, not their talent.
• Gratitude is the best antidote to envy.
• Having a sense of purpose, a feel for your calling in life, is a great way to immunize yourself against envy. You are focused on your own life and plans, which are clear and invigorating. What gives you satisfaction is realizing your potential, not earning attention from the public, which is fleeting. You have much less need to compare. Your sense of self-worth comes from within, not from without.
• It is worth cultivating moments in life in which we feel immense satisfaction and happiness divorced from our success or achievements.
• Any success that we have in life inevitably depends on some good luck, timing, the contributions of others, the teachers who helped us along the way, the whim of the public in need of something new. Our tendency is to forget all of this and imagine that any success stems from our superior self.
• Success has an irresistible pull to it that tends to cloud our minds.
• Remember: the gods are merciless with those who fly too high on the wings of grandiosity, and they will make you pay the price.