once i started reading this brilliant little book, i couldn’t put it down. it was just that good. a deceptively simple read, well-organized and layered with historical references throughout, in the style of the other books robert greene has written (and i’ve read them, too). i love history. it really drew me in.

i think it took me awhile to finish it because there were certain parts that i kept re-reading, almost in disbelief: for some strange reason, all of it seemed to echo something in me that i already knew to be true but somehow hadn’t expressed. and here it was, in 33 shades of action-packed decisiveness and strategy—how to win your battle, whatever it may be. it doesn’t matter what you’re talking about or who you’re talking to. look beneath the surface of the simplest conversation, and it’s like there’s shrapnel flying everywhere and you’re storming the beach at normandy.

none of it means much of anything if you don’t incorporate it into your life.

every example had a different style. that stuck with me. with a little objectivity and a lot of insight, i began to look at my world differently all over again. i’m already goal-oriented and aggressive but after this book, i began to rethink my approach and how i could hone it—whether it’s getting a pair of boots i found on ebay or obtaining a bank loan from my credit union or calling a so-called nemesis on her bullshit.

my point is, i was thinking this way anyway. we all are. the difference is that now that i’ve read the book and analysed the process, i can strengthen it and ultimately better my situation.