Trump 101- The Way to Success

Trump 101: The Way to Success

Donald J. Trump and Meredith McIver

Wiley. Hardcover (208 pages), CD and MP3

This book is a collection of Donald Trump's brand of wisdom and inspiration as an introduction of sorts to Trump University. His advice from a long and successful career is distributed along the themes names in his chapter titles below in the table of contents. The book is designed to help readers maximize all of their various potentials in the real world. As Mr. Trump states on the inside dust cover flap:

"Being successful in business requires much more than hard work and good ideas. You have to be persistent, tough, confident, curious, flexible, passionate, patient, and in love with what you're doing..."

I think he's right. I like his no-nonsense style - no treading softly on eggshells. One of the best things he teaches here is that you can be tough without being nasty, and it is a very useful skill. Each section of writing is brief yet filled with information - short and to the (sharp) point. There is no arrogance, but there is no wasted time in this book. It is practical and I like it. The other feature that I like is that Mr. Trump encourages readers to work at the jobs best suited to them and then to be as successful in their own mind as they can be. He does not suggest that everyone must become a billionaire in order to succeed. There is a respectful and happy place for each of us and our own brand of success in the world.

One piece of Trump advice is particularly important: you must work enough to have a grasp of your industry and be able to work it. He says:

"If you really want to succeed in business, you have to work at it every day. I do. The big time isn't for slackers. When you work at it, an amazing thing occurs: You accumulate an incredible body of knowledge in your area of expertise and develop the uncanny ability to make the right calls consistently. Getting to this level is an awesome achievement; it's the essence of success."

I agree. I also know that when you begin to work hard and improve your success quotient, your friends and family will often look at you strangely and frequently try to hold you back. DON'T LET THEM! Keep a determined and proactive attitude without becoming a workaholic. Continuing to work when your productivity falls amounts to wasting time, so taking time out to refresh and rejuvenate is certainly saving time.

Many Trump-style ideas and lessons have helped me toward a success of my own making, and now I want to apply them all. This is a very worthwhile book and investing in its purchase will be lucrative for readers who want to succeed.

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

Chapter 1. Don't Waste Your Life On Work You Don't Love: Passion Will Help You Do Better.

Chapter 2. Set the Bar High: Make People OoH and Aah.

Chapter 3. Think Trump Scale: Bigger Is Better.

Chapter 4. Tough It Out: Be Persistent.

A Very Special Week (Plus) in My Life (Monday).

Chapter 5. Without Knowledge, You Don't Stand a Chance: Gain and Use Information to Your Advantage.

Chapter 6. You're Fired! Words No One Wants To Hear-Or Say.

Chapter 7. The Proof Is In the Doing: Learn By Doing and Taking Risks.

Chapter 8. Your Gut Is Your Best Advisor: Listen to Your Instincts.

A Very Special Week (Plus) In My Life (Tuesday).

Chapter 9. Personalize Your Pitch: Know Who you're Addressing.

Chapter 10. Surround Yourself with beauty: Enhance Every Aspect of Your Life.

Chapter 11. Negotiate to Win: Use Diplomacy.

Chapter 12. Think on Your Feet: It's The Fast Track to Success.

A Very Special Week (Plus) In My Life (Wednesday).

Chapter 13. Work with People You Like: It Sure beats Working with Enemies.

Chapter 14. Where There's A Will, There's a Win: Think Positively.

Chapter 15. Swim Against the Tides: the Comfort Zone Can Pull You Under.

Chapter 16. Money Is Not Always the Bottom Line: It can be A Scorecard, Not the Final Score.

A Very Special Week (Plus) In My Life (Thursday).

Chapter 17. Learning Is Exciting: Each New Project Is An Adventure.

Chapter 18. See the Whole Picture: Put Be Prepared for the Picture to Change.

Chapter 19. Wait for the Right Pitch: Business Success Is All About Patience and Timing.

Chapter 20. Avoid Fixed Patterns: Be Open and Flexible.

A Very Special Week (Plus) In My Life (Friday).

Chapter 21. Speed Kills-The Competition: get Right to the Point.

Chapter 22. Do More-Always Do More: Constantly Try to Top Yourself.

Chapter 23. Leaders St the Pace: Fin Your Working Tempo.

Chapter 24. Results Matter More Than Routes: Let People Follow Their Own Paths.

A very Special Week (Plus) In My Life (Saturday/Sunday).

Chapter 25. Approach your Work As An Art Form: Work Brilliantly.

Chapter 26. Keep Your Mind In the Game: Pay Attention and Stay Focused.

Chapter 27. It Takes Courage to Persist: business Pressures Never Stop.

Chapter 28. Join the Explorers' Club: Learn About the Mysteries of Life.

A Very Special Week (Plus) In My Life: A New Baby! (Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday).

Chapter 29. Confidence Is a Magnet: It Will Draw People to You.

Chapter 30. Keep Your Momentum Rolling: But Never Lose control.

Chapter 31. Is the Problem a blip or A Catastrophe? Expect Problems and Keep Moving Forward.

Chapter 32. Reach Within to Rise Above: But Temper Your reach with Reality.

Chapter 33. Concentrate on the Target, Not on the Weapon: Focus on What Matters Most.

Appendix A: The Trump Organization At A Glance.

Appendix B: The Trump Store.

Index.