Before he was a presidential candidate, hosted “The Apprentice” on TV, or became known as “The Donald,” Donald Trump was a sometimes spectacularly successful New York-based businessman who spoke at an event I attended in the city.
Back then, he wasn’t nearly the bombastic — a word that seems like it could have been invented especially for him — figure you see today. He was loud and opinionated, no doubt, but he kept his remarks focused on business, a place he had legit street cred. Trump spoke in general terms about success and the mindset he believed was required to achieve it.
His messaging ranged from the motivational . . .
- Stay focused, and don’t lose your momentum.
- Think big. Do the big job.
- Create your own luck by working harder than the competition.
- To be a winner, you have to think like a winner. See yourself as victorious.
to the practical . . .
- Go with your gut, as long as there’s some real intelligence behind the decision.
- Enjoy your work. Never quit.
and didn’t shy away from confrontation . . .
- A little paranoia, if it means watching your back, isn’t a bad thing.
- Get the best people and trust them, but watch them closely
- Get even.
Trump was then, as he is now, a larger-than-life character who can bring the bitter with the better. Either way, he can teach us things, on both the positive and negative side of the ledger.
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