Think Like a Champion: An Informal Education in Business and Life (5 page)

—PEARL S. BUCK

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.

—ARISTOTLE

C
hampions 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 strive 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.

—PABLO PICASSO

P
icasso 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.

Here’s why. Artists are known for their dedication to their ideals, to their muse—whatever that might be—and for their perseverance in getting things just right. Those are admirable traits to possess. They will go to great lengths to achieve the desired result. In 2005, a Beethoven manuscript was discovered in a library, and he made so many changes and scratches on it that there were holes punctured through the pages in some places. This work was found
to be done toward the end of his life, so he wasn’t a novice at writing music at that point. That’s just how he worked—he was a perfectionist who wouldn’t settle for less than his best. He didn’t need to impress anyone—except himself. That’s a good way to be, whether you’re a businessperson or a musician.

Compete with yourself to be the best you can be.

That’s the mindset of entrepreneurs—they know that competing with others might possibly lower their own standards. That may sound tough, but it’s the truth. You have to have your own vision and stick with it. Picasso definitely had his own way of seeing things that certainly worked to his advantage, artistically and financially. Don’t be afraid of being unique. It’s like being afraid of your best self.

Back to Picasso’s statement about art being a lie. One take on that is that the arts very often make the difficult look effortless. How hard is it to put paint on a canvas? Easy if you don’t know what you’re doing. A little more complex if you do know what you’re doing. In my first book,
The Art of the Deal,
I chose the title for those very reasons. Anyone in business knows that negotiating and making deals requires a lot of background work. People don’t see me doing that part, but it doesn’t mean I don’t do it. For example, when people see the beautiful marble in Trump Tower, they see that it looks fantastic, but they usually have no idea what I went through personally to achieve the end result. No one cares about the blood, sweat, and tears that art or beauty can require. It’s the end result that matters.

Art is also representational. In other words, it’s not life, but it’s about life. It can point to truths that we might not notice in our busy daily lives. It gives us a reflection. When I do a deal, it’s a reflection of my astuteness as a businessman. I strive for a comprehensive approach, much as an artist would. No matter what your field is, you can learn a lot by emulating that approach as much as possible.