This article explores Law 41: Avoid Stepping Into A Great Man’s Shoes from the 48 Laws of Power book. This is mainly for those tired of living in someone else’s spotlight. Feeling like you’re stuck under high expectations from a famous parent or someone super accomplished can be frustrating.
Constantly comparing yourself and feeling like you’re not measuring up is no fun. But guess what? You deserve to have your own identity, make your own path, and achieve your own successes without being overshadowed by someone else.
In this article, we’re here to guide you on how to build your very own name and identity. We’ll help you break free from the past, even if it’s not your own, and conquer that figurative, overbearing father figure. You have the power and potential to gain recognition by doing things your way. It’s high time to step out of their shadow and create a legacy that’s truly, uniquely yours.
Law 41: Avoid Stepping Into A Great Man’s Shoes
What happens first always appears better and more original than what comes after. If you succeed in a great man or have a famous parent, you must accomplish double their achievements to outshine them. Do not get lost in their shadow or stuck in the past not of your own making: Establish your own name and identity by changing course. Slay the overbearing father, disparage his legacy, and gain power by shining your own way.
Robert Greene
Key Insights
The Heavy Load of Legacy
In today’s world, we’re all about celebrating famous people’s legacies. But what happens when you’re born into that spotlight or mentored by someone legendary? Sure, it has its perks, but it also puts some big expectations on your shoulders. People might expect you to be like your famous parent or mentor.
There lies the problem. To get power, you need to say goodbye to the past and say hello to a bright future. It’s your time to shine. It’s hard to make your mark when someone before you is big and strong. They’ve already taken up all the space. You need to find places where no one’s been yet, like open spots in culture. You can be the first and most important person to shine in these places.
Remember, we’re not talking about taking down your folks or mentors. Instead, it’s about breaking free from their huge expectations and making your destiny.
This takes guts, determination, and a love for adventures. In stories and legends, heroes often have to outshine their influential mentors, and that’s when they truly shine.
Ancient Kings and Their Surprising Fate: A Tale of Renewal and Power
Did you know the kings faced a rather unusual fate in ancient kingdoms like Bengal and Sumatra? After ruling for a while, they were executed. But why?
This wasn’t just a ritual – it was to stop the king from becoming too powerful. Some kings tried to create a permanent order that favored them and their families over everyone else, even their own sons.
Once the king was no longer a threat, he was worshipped as a god. This allowed a fresh, youthful order to take charge and lead the way.
Generation Clash: The Simplest Trick to Break Free from the Past
Sometimes, escaping the past is as easy as making the young folks question the old ways. It’s a classic showdown between generations.
John F. Kennedy wanted to do things differently. He ensured everyone knew he was nothing like the previous president, Eisenhower, or the 1950s. Instead of playing golf, which old folks liked, he played football at the White House. His government felt young and full of energy, unlike Eisenhower’s more serious one.
Kennedy figured out young people often clash with older generations because they want to create their own space in the world and don’t like living in the shadow of their parents.
Stand Out by Using Symbols
Sometimes, when you want to show you’re not like the ones before you, you need to do something symbolic or unique, like Louis XIV, the French king. He didn’t want to be like the old kings, so he built a big new palace called Versailles instead of using the old one.
But Louis XIV did even more. He didn’t wear a crown or sit on a throne like the old kings. He made his own special way of being powerful with unique symbols and ceremonies. He made the old ways look silly and old-fashioned.
Augustus, the new Roman leader after Julius Caesar, knew something important. Caesar was a renowned general, a show-off who entertained people and had a thing with Cleopatra – a larger-than-life guy.
But Augustus didn’t want to copy Caesar. He wanted to be his own kind of leader. He decided to be simple and serious, not flashy like Caesar. He wanted to show that you can be strong without being loud.
While everyone remembered how Caesar was so big and loud, Augustus chose to be calm and strong. He proved that you don’t need to be flashy to be powerful.
The critical lesson is this: don’t copy exactly what the one before you did. If you want to be even better, you must show your differences. Make your own style and symbols to stand out.
Pericles: How to Succeed in Politics by Being Different
When Pericles (Greek politician and general during the Golden Age of Athens) wanted to start his political career, he noticed something important. Most influential leaders in Athens were friends with the rich and important people, and Pericles liked that, too. But he made a surprising choice – joining the regular folks and supporting democracy.
It wasn’t because he personally loved democracy. It was because he wanted to be noticed. So, he became a man of the everyday people. Instead of competing with many great leaders in a crowded place, he chose to stand out where no one was doing what he was doing.
Velázquez: The Artist Who Dared to Be Different
When the painter Diego de Velázquez began his career, he knew he couldn’t paint as nicely as the famous Renaissance artists who came before him. So, he decided to paint in a way that, at that time, looked a bit rough and unusual. It was a style that hadn’t been seen before.
Velázquez was really good at this new style. Some people in the Spanish court liked it because it showed they were breaking away from the old way of doing things. Most people are scared to change things so much, but secretly, they admire those who can make significant changes and make culture feel fresh again.
That’s why stepping into new territory can give you much power and respect.
The Trap of Copy-Paste Thinking: A Roadblock to Power
There’s a stubborn silliness that keeps cropping up in history. It’s a significant roadblock to grabbing power: The belief that if the person before you succeeded by following steps A, B, and C, you can achieve the same success by mimicking their every move. It’s like trying to use a cookie-cutter approach.
This might look like a quick and easy path for folks not feeling too creative. It’s like taking the shortcut because it feels safe and doesn’t require much effort. But here’s the deal: every situation has twists and turns, and no two cases are exactly alike.
So, don’t get caught in the copycat trap. Success demands adaptability and thinking outside the box!
MacArthur’s Rule: Burn the Playbook and React on the Fly
When General Douglas MacArthur took charge of American forces in the Philippines during World War II, he got a book filled with rules and tricks that worked for past commanders.
MacArthur asked how many copies of this book were around. The helper said there were six. MacArthur said, “Well, get all six copies and burn them – every single one. I won’t be stuck doing what others did before. When there’s a problem, I’ll decide immediately – without waiting.”
MacArthur’s lesson is clear: Forget about the past and train yourself to handle situations as they come without being held back by what others did.
How Alexander the Great Defied His Famous Father to Make His Mark
Alexander the Great didn’t get along with his father, King Philip of Macedonia. He didn’t like how his dad ruled, behaved, and what he had achieved. Alexander wanted to be completely different from his dad. He aimed to be brave, quiet and focused on becoming famous. He didn’t like that his dad had already taken over a big part of Greece, so he was determined to do even better.
Alexander showed his disagreements with his dad in many ways. He once tamed a wild horse that even the people who worked for his dad couldn’t handle. He didn’t stop there – he challenged his dad and even made fun of him in front of others. When his dad was murdered, Alexander took over and made it clear he was in charge. He was tough on anyone who tried to go against him in Greece.
Here’s the exciting part: Alexander didn’t become more like his dad as he got older. Nope, he was all about doing things differently and trying to be even more successful. He set his sights on taking over Persia, something his dad never managed to do.
Even after he conquered Persia, Alexander didn’t relax and stop. Nope, he kept on expanding his empire into India. Who knows how far he would’ve gone if it wasn’t for his tired soldiers! This story teaches us that to stand out from a successful father, you need to be bold, do your own thing, and keep reaching for big goals. Don’t just rely on your father’s achievements – make your own!
How to Use the Legacy of a Famous Predecessor to Your Advantage
What if you could use the fame of someone famous before you to help you get to the top? Well, Napoleon III did just that. He used the name and story of his famous great-uncle, Napoleon Bonaparte, to become the leader of France. But here’s the catch: he did things differently once in charge. He made it clear that his leadership would be unique and didn’t let people expect him to do precisely what Bonaparte did.
Sometimes, the past has good stuff that you should totally use. It’s silly to ignore valuable qualities just because you want to be different. Even Alexander the Great understood this. He picked up some practical skills from his dad, especially when organizing an army, which helped him.
Trying to be completely different from the person who came before you just for the sake of it can make you look like a kid and, honestly, a bit out of control. Unless you have good reasons for what you’re doing, of course.