--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When it comes to power, outshining the…" description: "\"When it comes to power, outshining the master is perhaps the worst mistake of all.\" — Robert Greene" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/robert-greene-498_failure_when-it-comes-to-power-outshining-the-ma_1482409.png" --- # When it comes to power, outshining the master is perhaps… ![“When it comes to power, outshining the master is perhaps the worst mistake of all.” quote by Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/robert-greene-498_failure_when-it-comes-to-power-outshining-the-ma_1482409.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/robert-greene-498_failure_when-it-comes-to-power-outshining-the-ma_1482409.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/robert-greene-498_failure_when-it-comes-to-power-outshining-the-ma_1482409.png) > “When it comes to power, outshining the master is perhaps the worst mistake of all.” [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Surpassing a mentor can provoke backlash, making humility and strategic timing essential for lasting influence. **In simple terms:** Outshining a mentor invites danger. Key Takeaway Balance ambition with humility. Themes power mentorship strategy Mood cautious strategic Type self-help political When to use this quote - career advancement - organizational leadership - political maneuvering Key Concepts political science psychology Questions to Reflect On - When is it safe to surpass a mentor? - How can one gain respect without overt competition? A Different Perspective Risk of alienating allies if not managed carefully. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) ## Related quotes > [The worst mistake anyone can make is being too afraid to make one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-worst-mistake-anyone-can-make-is-being-too-afraid-to-make-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The worst mistake I made was that stupid, suburban prejudice of anti-Semitism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/the-worst-mistake-i-made-was-that-stupid-suburban-prejudice-of-anti/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [Sometimes you get players who think it is not important to work, and this is their worst mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-mancini/sometimes-you-get-players-who-think-it-is-not-important-to-work-and/) [Roberto Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-mancini/) > [“The worst mistake I ever made has become the best thing I ever did. - Darius Wainwright”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayne-fresina/the-worst-mistake-i-ever-made-has-become-the-best-thing-i-ever-did/) [Jayne Fresina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayne-fresina/) > [The worst mistake is not to make any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/the-worst-mistake-is-not-to-make-any/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [I'm a father. If my son jumped on a boy in a backyard, it would have been the worst mistake he made that day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrus/i-m-a-father-if-my-son-jumped-on-a-boy-in-a-backyard-it-would-have/) [Tyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrus/) > [The worst mistake you can make is walking away from someone who actually stood there and waited for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda/the-worst-mistake-you-can-make-is-walking-away-from-someone-who/) [Amanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda/) > [You were my worst mistake. Looking into your eyes made me realize you were fake.~~~](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-were-my-worst-mistake-looking-into-your-eyes-made-me-realize-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Since we're being brutally honest here you were the worst mistake I've ever had the pleasure of making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/since-we-re-being-brutally-honest-here-you-were-the-worst-mistake-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The worst mistake is to not make ANY!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-worst-mistake-is-to-not-make-any/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“In my experience, a castaway’s worst mistake is to hope too much and to do too little.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/in-my-experience-a-castaway-s-worst-mistake-is-to-hope-too-much-and/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [The worst mistake a woman can make is to emulate a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalia-kills/the-worst-mistake-a-woman-can-make-is-to-emulate-a-man/) [Natalia Kills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalia-kills/) > [One of the worst mistake you'll make is walking away from the person that stood there and waited for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-worst-mistake-you-ll-make-is-walking-away-from-the-person/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The worst mistake you can ever make is holding on to something not worth holding on to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-worst-mistake-you-can-ever-make-is-holding-on-to-something-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I will be your greatest regret and your worst mistake...ever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-chable/i-will-be-your-greatest-regret-and-your-worst-mistake-ever/) [Ana Chable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-chable/) ## More by Robert Greene > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [I'm afraid I'm just too intense to have soft ideas, you know, about what to read when you're trying to pass the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/i-m-afraid-i-m-just-too-intense-to-have-soft-ideas-you-know-about/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [You are facing death and danger and competition, but at any moment, you can decide to have a fearless mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/you-are-facing-death-and-danger-and-competition-but-at-any-moment-you/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [Let me spell it out: with the psychotic boss, nothing you do is ever quite right. 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It was flexible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/let-us-call-this-quality-the-original-mind-this-mind-looked-at-the/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) [Explore all 511 Robert Greene quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... 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(p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When it comes to power, outshining the master is perhaps the worst mistake of all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Greene" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/when-it-comes-to-power-outshining-the-master-is-perhaps-the-worst/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Failure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/when-it-comes-to-power-outshining-the-master-is-perhaps-the-worst/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/robert-greene-498_failure_when-it-comes-to-power-outshining-the-ma_1482409.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/robert-greene-498_failure_when-it-comes-to-power-outshining-the-ma_1482409.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/robert-greene-498_failure_when-it-comes-to-power-outshining-the-ma_1482409.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When it comes to power, outshining the master is perhaps the worst mistake of all.” — Robert Greene", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Robert Greene", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When it comes to power, outshining...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/when-it-comes-to-power-outshining-the-master-is-perhaps-the-worst/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/when-it-comes-to-power-outshining-the-master-is-perhaps-the-worst/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```