The Monkey and the Cap Seller: A Lesson in Knowing When to Stop
Hey, everyone! Today, we’re diving into one of the classic lessons from Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power – Law 47: “Do Not Go Past the Mark You Aimed For; In Victory, Learn When to Stop.” Or as I call it, the “Victory Hangover” rule. It’s when you’re on a high, winning big, and you think, “Why stop now?” Then... things start to go downhill. Let’s bring it home with a story that nails this lesson – the story of the monkey and the cap seller. If you’ve heard it, stay with me, because I bet you haven’t heard it like this! So, the story goes like this: A cap seller was walking through a village with a basket of caps. He got tired and took a nap under a tree. But when he woke up, he saw the basket empty – all the monkeys in the tree had taken the caps and were sitting up there, wearing them! The thrill of victory... but when do you stop? Being a clever guy, the cap seller figured out that the monkeys loved copying him. So he took his own cap off and threw it on the ground. S...