Machiavellianism has acquired an undeserved bad reputation in recent centuries. It has become synonymous with lying, cheating, stealing, defrauding, and murdering. It is true that Machiavelli did discuss the use of these harsh tactics, among many other, less abrasive ones. In his superb book, The Prince, he told us that he had known Popes, kings, queens, generals, and many other powerful and prestigious people. All of them, he observed, resorted to unsavory methods at one time or another to attain their lofty positions or to stay in them. He described many methods used by powerful people for attaining their life's goals. He did not, however, describe what those goals should be. We must decide for ourselves what our goals in life are to be, he assured us. Machiavelli simply advised us on how to accomplish those goals, whatever they may be. Whether you want to be an elementary school teacher, a corporate CEO, a good mother, a humble parish priest, or a comfortable retiree, you need to have a plan for achieving your ambitions. Selecting your goals is your strategy. The methods by which you achieve your self-selected goals are your tactics. Machiavelli described many tactics. During our seances, Machiavelli told me that, while living on earth, he knew nothing about the scientific discoveries that would come into existence in the 500 years after his death. From the afterlife, he had followed the advances in knowledge and updated his teachings to include them. He whispered his provocative new teachings into my mind as I eagerly took notes on my laptop. Once you have considered them, the ideas presented in this book are self-evident. You only get one ride on Life's Carousel. One day your life will, unfortunately, end. On your deathbed, you do not want to look back on a life of wasted moments and unexplored possibilities. No matter how old you are or how long you expect to live, there is not a moment to waste. The purposes and meaning of life are in the living of it, moment by moment. On Ends and Means: The ends usually justify the means. On Evil: Is Machiavellianism just another name for "evil?" No. This book suggests that there is no such thing as "evil" and "Machiavellianism" is just a name for Machiavelli's ideas. The very concept of "evil" is a balloon full of hot, stale air, ready to pop at the tiniest pin-prick of rational thought. On Human Nature: Trust in human nature. Expect those around you to lie, sue, cheat, deceive, ridicule, criticize, double-deal, blackmail, injure, equivocate, obfuscate, and - occasionally - murder. Expect those around you to be lazy, late, immature, self-centered, slow to pay, short-sighted, and vain. Your opponents will not play fairly (and, probably, neither will you). On Leadership: Have you ever wondered how brilliant generals - like Caesar, Washington, or Grant - turn a series of defeats into a final triumphant victory? By leaving some of their soldiers to die on the battlefield while they themselves made their escape. Only those who survive their defeats have an opportunity to march in the victory parade later. On Luck: Luck is the shuffle of the cards. Luck is bird shit in your hair. Luck is the Lotto machine picking the numbers that you have been playing every week for five years - making you a millionaire. Luck is the Lotto machine picking your numbers - on the only day in five years that you forgot to buy your ticket. Luck is inadvertently running a stop sign at sixty miles per hour - when there is no cop around to write you a citation. Luck is inadvertently running a stop sign at sixty miles per hour - hitting a school bus filled with fourth-graders broadside. Corruption: Where corruption is possible, there corruption will be found.