The 48 Laws of Power in Practice

Law 34: Be Royal in Your Own Fashion. Act Like a King to be treated like one.

The way you carry yourself will determine how you are treated. Act like royalty or act common, and you will be treated as such.

Application –

As a leader, you may think you'd want to be friends with your subjects, and be like the people you lead. But think again.

Look at successful leaders in the world. Steve Jobs, founder of Apple was a visionary that people respected. But he also asked for the impossible and his employees reported he was a bully. Barack Obama came across as a down-to-earth and compassionate leader. However, he was not afraid to use his power, at times making unpopular decisions. Other presidents used their bravado to get into the position, making you wonder how they even got there.

What these powerful people all have in common is self-confidence and knowing how to wield their power. They have high standards and make bold demands. If someone in power pretends they do have privilege, that becomes a mockery to the average person. Think of the struggles that normal people need to face; feeding their families and budgeting their money. How would it feel if a rich person said they knew exactly what they were going through? 

I Reject Your Rejection –

My good friend from childhood had been dating for a while with no luck. Dating apps can often be more quantity than quality. One day, she had a great date with someone she liked a lot, who was intelligent and had a great career. She was optimistic about what it could turn into.

On their third date, he took her to an amazing restaurant where they had a great conversation. Then after she gets home, still on cloud nine, she sees a new message from him. She could hardly believe what she saw. He told her that he was very sorry but he had to end things with her. There was someone else he had gone on dates with before he met her and things were starting to get more serious. He explained that he wasn't a player, so he thought this was the right thing to do.

Think of all the reactions that someone could have in that situation. Some people would be understandably confused and have a lot of questions. Others may get upset and message back something emotional. I would personally recoil and try to forget I ever met this guy (what does that say about my attachment style I wonder). Universally, rejection is hard to take.

But my dear friend did none of those things. Her message back to him was even more unexpected. "You will never be as happy with her...you'll be back!" She is not the prettiest, smartest, or most successful, but this girl always acted royal. He was so impressed with her confidence that he ended things with the other girl instead. Their courtship continued without a hitch, and they ended up having a picturesque wedding years later.