Trump 101: The Way to Success

I listened to Trump at the Learning Annex Real Estate Expo in New York two months ago, and was a little dissappointed with his speech because he spent a lot of time bragging about how smart he was and very little time teaching us his secrets. He did give us ten tips but did not really elaborate on them. Therefore, when I first saw this book Trump 101, I didn't expect that I would like it. I thought it would be just another tool to show off his wealth and smartness, but I am glad I was wrong. This is a very concise yet powerful and inspirational book. It introduces and very well explains 33 secrets of his success, including passion, thinking big, setting high standards, living with excellence, working hard, doing a lot of preparation before going into a deal, being confident and thinking positively, etc. These are very practical advice so you can apply it in your real life instantly. To make the best of this book, you should not read it lightly. You really have to think deeply about your life and your business approach and digest the book thoroughly with your mind and heart. For anyone who is thinking of running a business, this is a great coach. I myself have been considering starting my own business lately and Trump has definitely pointed me into the right direction: To be successful, you have to do what you really love, not just what makes money. If you do what you love and do it well, money will follow. A lot of the time people are caught up in jobs or businesses just for the money itself. However, you will soon lose your passion and then likely the money too. Remember something very true that Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki both believe in, the biggest asset in your life is time, and don't waste it on work you don't love!

Issued quietly, and overshadowed by the near-simultaneous release of Trump's collaborative effort with Richard Kiyosaki ("Why We Want You to Be Rich"), this book is a refreshing contrast in practicality. No doubt it is designed to be an introductory text for students of Trump University. As such, it is sure to motivate those individuals as well as a number of casual readers and potential Apprenti who come across it. Unlike the one-note litany of the Trump-Kiyosaki book, this offering contains a variety of affirmations with suggestions on how to implement them in one's life. It does not emphasize being rich, per se. Being successful in one's own eyes, yes. Being satisfied with one's job and status, yes. But nowhere does the author reference the intention of amassing a fortune larger than a U.S. state budget. Of course, the sidebars focusing on Trump initiatives around the world and the author's personal stories about mega-deals and celebrity friendships all imply that being wealthy is definitely a nice thing. We would expect nothing less. Trump's advice is conveyed in short chapters that are easy to digest. Each one concludes with "Coach Trump" prompts for action and further contemplation. Scattered throughout the text are excerpts from a week of his daily schedule, a popular feature in past Trump books. This week's diary is special because it includes the birth of Barron William Trump in early 2006. So what does he give us here? The same type of guidance that you hear him give in interviews and on "The Apprentice." Donald is nothing if not consistent. Being a well-read individual himself, he always emphasizes going above and beyond expectations, especially where education is concerned. Given his position in the business world and society at large, he's worth listening to. This book is Donald Trump's answer to all those people who run up to him in person and ask him for advice. We can almost hear his standard answer: You want some advice? Read the book. Or: run the risk of becoming a disaster.

This is not a deep book. But if you keep in mind that this is Trump 101 and not Trump 475, you may really like it. The book is intended to introduce Trump University, but it does not beat this into the ground. Instead, it's more like having coffee every day for a month with Donald Trump in which he talks to you about important principles for success. Mostly, this book is about attitude. Thirty-three (33) short, easy-to-read chapters are as inviting and encouraging as they are interesting and entertaining. From "Don't waste your life on work you don't love," to "stay focused on what matters most or you could be expelled," Trump encourages positive, forward-thinking, informed, realistic, and focused energy. "Energy," he says, "is the key to accomplishment. Harness your energy and you will have the ability to achieve your goals." Above all he emphasizes (1) learning your area of interest "inside out" and (2) hard work. My personal favorite quote from the book is this: "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." Highly autobiographical, this book comes across as informational, inspirational, and even warm. A large number of pictures of Trump buildings and personal shots punctuate the book. The book is a great place to start or even to come back to for success basics. Personally, I wish he'd talked a bit about the bankruptcy woes of his casino business; he does talk about his "lowest point" when he was $9 billion in debt, sloshing through a downpour for 15 blocks at 3:00 A.M. to meet with "a bevy of international bankers to whom I owed money." It's all a general description, but it is still interesting and helps you feel like he's not just spouting theory. The book doesn't come to any conclusion, it just stops. Even so, it's a great book, well worth the read. For a 101 reader, it is excellent.

Finally, after releasing the God awful "How to Think Like a Billionaire", Trump hits his stride in "Trump 101". I'd say Trump 101 is the best since "The Art of the Deal", which was excellent. This book is very good. Trump 101 crystalizes The Donald's advice. There is almost no filler in this book. In a nutshell, what I learned from Trump 101 is that you need to have tremendous passion, drive and work ethic to really make it. You will not be dissapointed in this book, I promise!!

Before reading this book, I was told about trumps ego-centric style of writing. How he always talks about his success and vaguely says how you can do the same. Well this book is different. Now don't get me wrong there are examples of his success but in this book he gives you straight to the point advice. Each chapter is another piece of advice which can be integrated into many different fields from real estate to running a company to working in a company. I love the short chapters because I could only read at short intervals and I wasn't left hanging during a long text filling chapter. Plus he also give you an insight in to a week in his life which is not too informative but interesting. It kind of gives you an idea of what you would go through at trump status. Anyway I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to pick trumps brain and learn some different ways to succeed.