Think Like a Champion: An Informal Education in Business and Life (13 page)

There’s another reason I like to use the word tempo. Tempo also refers to the game of chess; it’s a turn to move in chess in relation to the number of moves required to gain an objective. Note that it refers to gaining an objective. We all know that chess is a game of strategy. So is business. Think about that—and develop a tempo starting today.

—SAMUEL GOLDWYN

I
f you see every day as an important day for your future and a special day just because you have it, you will be amazed at how productive and energetic you will be. It’s the best way to be at your best at all times. Ever say to yourself, “what a great day!”? Say it to yourself today, right now, and see how your enthusiasm level begins to improve.

That’s the first step, and it helps if you’re already doing something you love doing. Things just work out better that way, and you won’t have to work very hard at creating momentum or enthusiasm. But no matter how well you’ve done, you can always do more and do better. That’s how I avoid complacency and how I maintain a high level of productivity.

For example, after I’d finished Trump Tower and it became a great success, I knew it was just the beginning, and I was right. I kept moving forward and later built Trump World Tower at the
United Nations Plaza, which became another sensational success, critically and personally.

Maybe I thrive on challenges, but the most significant challenges are the ones you give to yourself. I don’t need to impress anyone at this point, but I do need to satisfy my own goals and ideals. For example, The Trump Hotel Collection has taken The Trump Organization international in a short amount of time. It was a natural extension of our brand in the luxury sector of the hotel industry, and Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric have taken the concept worldwide. It has been exciting to see the growth and success of this collection, and it didn’t happen because I was already satisfied with my achievements. I didn’t put a limit on my own horizons.

Don’t ever think you’ve done it all already or that you’ve done your best. That’s just a shortcut to undermining your own potential. Unless you’ve already kicked the bucket, there’s still a lot more you can do. We’ve all been around know-it-alls who remind me of the cynics who know the price of everything and the value of nothing. Avoid that trap by realizing your own potential and the intrinsic value of things, including your own efforts to make the day a great one for yourself—and others.

One task assignment on
The Apprentice
had the teams giving a techno expo for senior citizens. Part of the theme was to give back, so the assignment was given at Trump Place on the Hudson River, where I have donated a large park to the city of New York. As a reward, in keeping with our theme of giving back, the winning team went to a children’s hospital to give presents and spend some time with the kids. Afterwards, the team members commented that while working with the seniors was a high, seeing the smiles on the children was the bonus. They’d been allowed to better their best effort, and their sincerity was obvious. Everyone had a great day. So do more, be more, give more—and everyone will benefit.

—OSCAR WILDE

S
oon after
The Apprentice
premiered and was a hit show, I became a popular choice for television commercials. I turned a lot of them down, and I did a few, but one for Visa always remains in my memory. It was funny and I was allowed to display a self-deprecating attitude that I think took people by surprise. The surprising thing is that I’m more humble than people might think. I’m humble enough to be grateful, for one thing, and I still have a sense of humor about myself.

In this commercial, called “Rooftop,” I am shown on top of Trump Tower holding my Visa card when a gust of wind blows it out of my hand and down many scores of floors to the street below, which happens to be Fifth Avenue. Then I’m seen rummaging through a Dumpster in search of my lost card, and when a well-dressed passerby on Fifth Avenue sees me emerge from the bottom of the Dumpster, she indignantly remarks, “and I thought he was doing so well!”

The idea of the ad was to show that I was learning about the security my Visa card could provide to me. The effect was that I’m a guy who would go through a Dumpster to make sure of it.

That sums up a lot about how I can be, which makes me a lot like everyone else, if you think about it. The part I like about some of the things I’ve done, when I look back, is that I’m not afraid to be seen as human, because I am. What would you do? What would I do? There’s a lot we all have in common. Not that it was necessarily due to the protection the card offers—so the second lesson is that you should know what a product has to offer you to begin with. It could save you a visit to a Dumpster.

I remember being asked why I would appear on a popular national television show (
Saturday Night Live
) dressed in a pastel yellow suit in a skit called “Trump’s House of Wings” accompanied by singing chickens. My answer is, “why not?” I will admit I nixed the idea of appearing in a chicken costume but the yellow suit I got in replacement wasn’t exactly a step up. But it was a memorable skit and everyone had fun.

One number you didn’t see on
Saturday Night Live
and one I liked a lot, as well, was about a romance novelist who was a real estate tycoon who lived in a skyscraper on Fifth Avenue. There were just too many skits and that one got cut. But I think I made a fine example of the possibilities of romance novels that can be based on fact. I have a great romantic streak and I live very happily and romantically in my Fifth Avenue apartment.

When I appeared on the Emmy Awards and sang the Green Acres theme with Megan Mullally, I know a lot of people were surprised, but we had fun. The same thing happened when I got into the ring and took a challenge from Vince McMahon of Wrestlemania. That was a stretch for a real estate developer, but it was definitely a new experience and one I enjoyed.

Here’s my point: Don’t be afraid of taking chances. Go for having a good time, because in the process a lot of other people just might have a good time, too. My theory is: Take your work seriously, take yourself less seriously. It’s a great recipe for some good times and great memories.

—ANDY WARHOL

B
usiness is about making money. It’s about the bottom line.The sooner you realize that, the sooner you’ll get a grasp about what business is. I’m very often surprised by people who think business is something else. They come in with lofty ideas and philanthropic purposes that have absolutely no place in a business meeting. It’s a waste of everyone’s time.

I remember when a group of businessmen wanted to build an atrium on the ground floor of 40 Wall Street. It was a beautiful idea. They wanted to make 40 Wall Street the downtown equivalent of Trump Tower, except they forgot about something. What would they do with the steel columns that support a seventy-two-story building? That rather major structural component never entered their minds. I hope they didn’t take it personally when I pointed out their oversight.

Business is business. For example, if you get fired, there’s usually a number behind it, and that can take the personal affront right out of it. Businesses have to watch out for their bottom line or they won’t be in business for very long. Don’t get worked up. If you do, you might be taking it the wrong way. It isn’t always easy, but try to be objective.

I learned early on that business can be completely impersonal even when you’re dealing with human beings. One banker I was dealing with was so indifferent that he was literally like a machine. When a machine says no, it’s very tough. There’s no negotiating possible. I remember writing that you’d be better off dealing with a killer with real passion than with an institutional type who has no emotion and just wanted to go home at 5 o’clock. Sometimes we run into brick walls like that. Our only recourse is to find another way around it, which I did. But I got a good insight into how impersonal business can be.

I’d rather be personable. It also works better, provides more options for everyone, and allows for more creativity. It can require more energy, but I can tell you the results will be worth it. It still strikes me as funny that I suddenly became very popular after I started firing people every week on national television. People really liked me for that. Or so I thought. What it was is that they were seeing the real person behind the famous name. They see that I can be tough but that I try to be impartial. I’m also a bit of a teacher. I’ve always been this way, but it was never seen before except by my employees. I’m personable, but I can be all business. Believe me, it’s a formidable combination.

I have to be careful not to blow people away, because if you cross me personally and professionally, I’ll have a double whammy waiting for you. I don’t enjoy being vicious, but sometimes in self-defense it becomes necessary. I don’t like the double standard, as in, whatever I do is okay and whatever you do isn’t okay, or vice
versa. If you treat me a certain way, then I can treat you that way, too. Some people call that the old “an eye for an eye” approach, but I call it playing fair. Sometimes the only way to deal with a bully is to punch him back. Let them know who they’re dealing with. Fair play is fair play—and once again, don’t take it personally.

It’s wise to be circumspect, and some people just say “get yourself out of the picture” first in order to see the big picture. Don’t take personally what is not meant personally. A lot of times people misdirect their anger, and if you take it personally, you’ll become a punching bag for angry darts. I’ve had people say totally off-the-wall things to me, which I can now deflect, knowing that about 90 percent of the time their comments have next to nothing to do with me.You have to develop a thick skin, and keep your own positive wavelength going at all times.

Be tough, be smart, be personable, but don’t take things personally. That’s good business.

—ALBERT EINSTEIN