by Donald Trump
An achievement is a bondage.
It obliges one to a higher achievement.
—ALBERT CAMUS
Give Your Higher Self a Chance
When the achiever achieves, it’s not a plateau, it’s a beginning. Achievers move forward at all times—they have anticipation for their next deal and have another goal immediately lined up. It’s enthusiasm that can’t be fabricated—it’s either there, or it’s not. Achievers go for the challenge, so the next deal is what they’re thinking about. They have an obligation to themselves to best themselves. That’s living in the highest realm.
Your higher self is in direct opposition to your comfort zone. An indication of life is growth, and signs of growth have to be there.You’ve heard people refer to a city as vibrant, and what that means is that it’s growing and it’s lively—it is not stagnating. See yourself as a city if you must, with all the inner and outer workings necessary to keep yourself thriving and efficient.
There are so many “fine lines” in life that when people say life is an art, they’re not too far off. I’ve said before that I see my work as an art form, and that’s one reason why. We all know that fine line between something great and something extraordinary. Sometimes it’s almost imperceptible, or impossible to define.What makes da Vinci’s Mona Lisa so exceptional? There are millions of different answers, but it mesmerizes people. It’s mysterious and brings us to another realm, a different dimension.
Our higher selves can serve to transport us to becoming visionaries. The word visionary evokes a lot of images and definitions, some even being a “castle-builder” or a Don Quixote. It often connotes someone who is idealistic. There is nothing wrong with that as long as it’s contained within reason.Visionaries move the world along into new dimensions. Look at Bill Gates, for example, in technology; or Mark Burnett in reality TV; or Pablo Picasso, Stravinksy, and other greats of the twentieth century. They were groundbreakers who followed their own instincts and led us in new directions.
Our higher self will often lead us into new waters, and for a good reason. No one wants to spend their life treading water just to keep from going under. That is futile and disheartening. Sometimes we do things to build up experience and stamina to prepare us, but it’s to prepare us for something bigger. Always know you could be on the precipice of something great—that’s being connected to your higher self. It’s also a good way to keep those negative thoughts far away.
Sometimes our goals aren’t necessarily concrete. Sometimes it’s a feeling of something great that will happen, and so we’re open to it. That doesn’t mean we sit around waiting for something to just happen—very often it happens while we’re working away on something else. Being industrious can be a magnet for new ideas, while idleness and inertia can be magnets for negativity.
One of the worst fears we can have is the fear to attempt something. That can leave you feeling bereft for no particular reason except that maybe you will have missed your purpose. There is always the possibility of failure, but there is a greater chance of success if you actually try to do something versus doing nothing. I wasn’t sure I’d be a success on the radio, but I went for it and my program on Clear Channel was a big hit. But I had to take the chance first to find out.
Life can be an adventure of the best sort if you will give your higher self a chance. We all have something unique to offer. Our work is to find out what that is and to work at it with a passion. So don’t tread water. Get out there and go for it.
Experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing.
—OSCAR WILDE
Wisdom
I remember reading a short book that was entirely based on the question: What does wisdom mean to you? People from every profession, every walk of life, and every possible background contributed their thoughts. All these people had been successful. The answers were diverse, but I realized they tended to have a few common denominators: experience, integrity, and knowledge.
I was relatively young when I read this book, and in fact I can’t remember the title of it. It was left on a table in the library at school so I just happened upon it. I understood the emphasis on knowledge, and could see the value of experience even though I hadn’t had much yet, so what stood out the most to me was integrity. Very often it was combined with the value of reputation, and I think that’s when my approach to a quality brand name was in gestation.
My father had already established a strong brand name in the outer boroughs of New York City as a developer, and people knew his work would have an inherent quality to it. They wouldn’t have to guess or feel they were taking a chance if it had the Trump name on it. That’s how he built his reputation. When I went into business for myself, I made a point to establish a reputation that bankers and other professionals would be comfortable with, and I knew that eventually my integrity as a businessman would be intact. People are more apt to want to work with you if they feel they can trust you—an important consideration especially if one wants financial backing for projects.
Whether you are a full- or part-time student now is a good time to think about your future, whether it’s brand new or a new beginning. Make certain things your guideposts. It’s a good sign you’re reading this because that means you are serious about your education and gaining knowledge. That’s something that was emphasized to me as a student, and I made a greater effort to learn everything I could in order to gain wisdom.
What was pointed out—and what I fully realized later—is that wisdom comes as a result of several factors: one being experience, and one being knowledge. It’s something you can’t teach someone else—you have to achieve it on your own. It also has to do with insight, which comes with experience as well.
I realize now when I can assess a situation quickly that it’s a result of wisdom I’ve gained through a variety of experiences. It’s a bit like being able to trust your instincts because you’ve had a good record of successes. It’s very hard for me to just give you this wisdom—you have to get there yourself. But these pointers were helpful to me as a student, and they are worth thinking about.
Another way to gain wisdom is to read about the greats in history and those in your specific field of interest. I learned a great deal by reading about Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, and people who had been in pivotal places in world history. They had to be very equipped to deal with what they were handed. Their situations may have been a matter of fate, destiny, and timing, but they had the experience and wisdom to deal effectively with their circumstances. Imagine having many thousands or even millions of people affected by your actions and decisions, and you will have an inkling of the immense responsibility these people had. It can make our problems seem small in comparison, and it can enlarge our minds in order to comprehend a bigger picture of duty and competence.
I remember realizing back in school that two things in particular seemed to shape the world as I knew it then—war and nature. Nature is a powerful force and so is war. It changes the landscape of countries and cultures, and nature can just plain change the landscape. So I spent time studying wars and their impact on where we are today in civilization. That’s a big assignment and I’m by no means an expert, but it is worth spending some time to know how and why we are where we are today.
One book that I would suggest to you, because it is valuable for business and managerial strategies, is The Art of War by Sun Tzu. This was apparently written in the sixth century BC and is a study of military strategy. It has been influential to leaders for many centuries, and General Douglas MacArthur studied it as well as other famed military strategists throughout history. It may sound like an unusual business school recommendation, but believe me, it isn’t. It’s valuable and worth your time.
By comparison, another famed book is Machiavelli’s The Prince, which is more about political conflict and the qualities necessary for leadership than war or business, but its emphasis on power becomes a negative factor. Ethics and integrity seem to get lost somewhere in the shuff
le, and therefore the word Machiavellian has become a pejorative term. It’s a better use of your time to read The Art of War.
There are many roads to wisdom and many wonderful books to educate us on our way. I’m sure you’ll discover your own favorites, but the first step is to take the time to read and learn in the first place. In the long term, this will save you time because you will be learning from people who have already been faced with serious issues and who have been victorious. Remember, you need knowledge and experience first. Wisdom will come provided you give it a chance to develop. First things first, and you will be pleased at what will follow. The achievement of wisdom will be all yours.
If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.
—PEARL S. BUCK
The More You Learn, the More You Realize What You Don’t Know
I remember when a friend was studying history and he spent a long time on World War II. I mentioned that he must be an expert after the amount of time he’d spent on it, and he replied, “It only made me realize how much I didn’t know. Because in order to understand WWII, you have to go back to WWI. So now I’m studying WWI, and I’m sure I’ll have to go further back to understand how WWI came about. It will be a never-ending process.” This guy was a real scholar, but he mentioned that studying history had made him very humble—because he knew he’d never know it all no matter how much he studied.
I always remember what this guy said, about learning how much he didn’t know, and how every time you learn one thing, it leads to another thing and so on. He went on to become a highly respected historian, but I can assure you that he isn’t resting on his many laurels. The humility that studying history has given him keeps him young and eager to learn more, no matter how erudite he is considered to be. He’s a great example of remaining a student—every day is another opportunity to learn something new.
Sometimes we are so zealous to become successful that we forget about what is significant.The background for success should include some intrinsic values as well as monetary values. We should be aware of our culture and other cultures, our history and their history, and we should not live in what has been termed “a cultural vacuum.” Someone once said that not knowing history was like being a leaf that didn’t know it was part of a tree. That’s an interesting visual and it applies to many people. We are individually responsible for our education, and that applies whether you’re in school or not.
If I sound tough on this subject, I am. I see no value whatsoever in believing ignorance to be an attribute. It isn’t. It’s good to start each day by saying to yourself, “What can I learn today that I didn’t know before?” It opens you up to more information and net worth as an individual. Why live restricted lives due to lack of knowledge when there are so many resources available to us today?
Another interesting aspect of history is that it will lead us to seeing that we are all a part of it. History isn’t just in the past—it’s happening now. How can you know what you’re a part of if you don’t know what it is to begin with? The world didn’t start with your birth, and it won’t end with your death either. That doesn’t mean you’re not a part of the scheme of things. To the contrary, it means that you are.
Back to the leaf image. What if you know you are a leaf, but you’re not sure what a tree is? I’d say the best thing to do is to find out what a tree is. It’s pretty simple. It reminds me of an Apprentice task that’s enough of a challenge to set the apprentices out to discover and research some things before they jump in to the task at hand.
I was listening to some Europeans once and they seemed to agree that Americans didn’t seem to know their roots. Of course, their roots go back for many more centuries than ours and may be easier to decipher because many of us have ancestors from different countries. But it gave me a reason to think about what they said, and I realized in many cases they were right. I recently went to Scotland, as my mother’s side of the family is of Scottish ancestry, and I’ve spent time studying that country and therefore my heritage. It could even explain why I love golf so much—it originated in Scotland.
I found that I enjoyed learning about Scotland and it has broadened my horizons as well as my interests as a businessman. I am building a golf course in Aberdeen, Scotland, that will be spectacular, and I very much enjoyed my visit and meeting the people from that culture and country. I also realized I still have a lot to learn, which will no doubt lead me into more interesting ventures as well as adventures.
Take my advice and never be a know-it-all. First of all, it’s impossible to know everything, and second of all, it’s just no fun—for you or anyone else. And third, you will be missing out on some great adventures. So remember to think big by expanding your horizons at the same time you’re expanding your net worth. That’s what significant success is about.
For what is the best choice, for each individual, is the highest it is possible for him to achieve.
—ARISTOTLE
Think Like a Champion
Champions are born and champions are made. One definition of a champion is someone who shows marked superiority. Another definition is someone who is a winner of first prize or first place in competition. We’ve all heard of Olympic champions, and we’ve probably all seen a few on television. What comes to mind when I see their amazing ability is the amount of training they have endured, the sacrifices they’ve made, and the courage they’ve had to have to get where they are. Those are some of the attributes of a champion.
They also wanted to achieve something special. Ordinary wouldn’t be enough for someone who has the mindset of a champion. Champions think big. Champions work in a big-time way. Champions are focused. Champions are disciplined. Come to think of it, champions think like champions. As Jack Dempsey said, “A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t.” Let’s hope that applies to you.
When I’m having an especially tough day, I often think it’s like a race and I’d better have the endurance to get through it. Somehow the endurance will surface, because I don’t want to wind up feeling beaten. Billie Jean King said, “Champions take responsibility. When the ball is coming over the net, you can be sure I want the ball.” I understand what she was talking about, because I’m the same way in that respect.
I have a box at the U.S. Open every year because I love to watch those champions go at it. You can learn a lot from watching the experts, whether you’re interested in sports, the arts, or whatever. One thing they all have in common is the same mindset: They want to win, they want to be the best. Not the runner-up, but the best. That’s a very important thing to consider. I’ve seen very talented people fail because deep down I think they were afraid of winning. Winning comes with a responsibility. Champions rise to that responsibility. Search yourself carefully to make sure you’re ready and capable. If you’re not, do something about it. It’s an important element of success.
Most of you know that I’m a golfer. I’ve always said that golf is a brain game, which it is, but it is a demanding sport technically and is a game of finesse.You cannot play golf halfheartedly and expect to get anywhere with your game.You have to concentrate and you have to have patience. As the legendary golfer Bobby Jones said, “It is nothing new or original to say that golf is played one stroke at a time. But it took me many years to realize it.” We win in our daily lives by being careful with every day, by having a champion’s view of each moment.
Let’s take a look at Aristotle’s quote at the beginning of this essay. That is self-scrutiny at its highest. It really is the best choice to go for the highest achievement possible. Why set your goals too low? Did you ever hear a child saying they want to be nothing when they grow up? They are full of dreams and plans, and rarely are they mediocre aspirations.They want to be presidents, doctors, astronauts, scientists, and so on. They’re on the right track and have the right mindset. If you need to, bring yourself back to when you had high achievement as a goal. Not everyone can be the world champion at something, but you can st
rive to be the best you can be. That’s the first step—and a daily responsibility.
Champions go the extra mile. We all know when we’ve done just enough and when we’ve really exerted ourselves. Make an effort to exert yourself—every day. Don’t fail because you never allowed yourself to get started! Don’t avoid success because you think the responsibility might be too much—just focus and get going! You’d be surprised at what intelligent effort can produce. Alexander Graham Bell said something that I always remember: “Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” Pay attention to these things and you will be on your way to thinking like a champion—and becoming one.
Art is a lie which makes us see the truth.
—PABLO PICASSO
I View My Work as an Art Form
Picasso was not only a great artist, he was also a good businessman. He knew the value of his work and he didn’t make excuses for it. He told a story once about someone who visited his studio, stood in front of a painting, and asked him, “What does it represent?” Picasso’s response was, “Two hundred thousand dollars.” He was telling the truth and in no uncertain terms. Picasso obviously viewed his art as a business, which it was. I view my business as an art, which it is. You should view your work that way, too.