Man, the 48 Laws of Power highlighted two things primarily for me:

1. There's a game and you better be playing.
2. I realized how tone deaf I was in the ways of manipulation. I really didn't realize the lengths that some people go to secure power and the level of nuance they calculate to do it.

I don't know if you always should get the attention at all costs. I think I vaguely remember "never out shine the master" sort of bit in the book. It's been a really long time though.