“Fortune is a woman, and it is necessary, if you wish to keep her under, to beat and coerce her.”Niccolò Machiavelli · Principele · 1532 · capitolul 25
Luck doesn't reward gentleness; it rewards the bold who strike while the moment lives.
The image is deliberately shocking: Machiavelli argues that fortune favors the impetuous, not the cautious. A young officer who attacks unexpectedly wins a battle a prudent general would never have attempted. The metaphor also exposes the brutal mindset of the era and deserves a critical reading.
Why it matters Useful when hesitation costs you: a career opportunity, a hard decision. It reminds you that rare openings reward boldness, not waiting.