“Lions circle the hesitant prey.”

The 48 Laws of Power, Law 28, Enter Action with Boldness

Like all predators, lions possess an acute ability to detect hesitation, a skill that ensures their survival in the wild.

In much the same way, humans, shaped by millennia as hunter-gatherers, have developed an instinct for identifying weakness in others.

This instinct is most evident in how humans react to displays of vulnerability.

When people hesitate, showing a willingness to back down or compromise too quickly, especially in early encounters, they awaken a predatory instinct in others, bringing out the lion even in people who are not necessarily bloodthirsty.

We instinctively perceive such individuals as easy prey: people we can manipulate, dominate, or exploit.

Just as a lion circles its hesitant target, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, others sense the opportunity and begin to close in.

The dynamic is clear: everything depends on perception.