Trump: How to Get Rich

Read Carl Jung

I find reading psychology and self-help books useful. Carl Jung’s theories fascinate me and keep my mind open to my own—and the collective—unconscious.

Reading his books can also be a good form of self-defense.

There’s a lot we don’t know about ourselves. Likewise, there’s a lot we may not know about everyone else. Jung used the word psyche to refer to both the conscious and the unconscious processes. (That’s where the word psycho comes from, by the way.) I first became aware of Jung through an acquaintance who had endured some extreme ordeals, yet he remained calm. I couldn’t fathom where he got this sort of grace under fire demeanor, so I asked him, and he told me that Jung’s ideas kept him centered.

My friend put it like this: Donald, I’ve learned from my experiences. As a safety factor, I very often see other people as a revolver that could be pointed at me. They are the gun. I, however, am the trigger. So I speak and tread carefully. It’s an effective visual aid to avoid conflicts, as I was unwittingly among people who were actually psychos underneath their dignified personas. We never know what will trigger another person’s killer instinct. It can be something that happened when they were five years old. So avoid being the trigger, and the revolver will not be a threat.

This synopsis of his philosophy made such an impact on me that I immediately started reading about Carl Jung. I’m glad I did, because it helped me in my business as well as in my personal life. We are all evolving human beings, and being aware of this gave me a big boost toward maturity. It also made me less inclined to be surprised by so-called aberrant behavior. I have to stress that I am not cynical, but I am aware. I hate being in situations where I’m asking myself,How could this have happened? This reminds me of my favorite quote from Napoleon about being surprised: A good leader shouldn’t be.

You have to know yourself as well as know other people to be an effective leader. For me, reading the work of Carl Jung was a step in the right direction. If someone had told me in business school that studying psychology would be important for financial success, I would not have believed it. My friend’s story changed that, and I am grateful to him for such cogent advice. The relatively small number of hours I’ve spent reading Jung have been more than worth it. Start with his autobiography,Memories, Dreams, Reflections, and you will be in for a fascinating time while simultaneously fine-tuning your intuition and instincts. You will also gain a technique for seeing into—versus reading into—the people around you. Believe me, this will serve you well on many levels.

The word persona has an interesting root. It comes from the Latin word meaning mask. This, however, is not derogatory. It’s necessary. Each of us has a persona. We need it for survival. It’s the face we put on for public use, and it can be intentional or unconscious. For example, a salesman who has lost his entire family in an accident is, naturally, devastated. But to work effectively with his customers, he must appear cheerful and confident. That’s part of his persona. It’s a survival device.

The only danger is when people become their personae. That means something has been shut off somewhere along the line, and these people will end up hiding behind the false personality that works professionally. As I am very much in the public eye, this hit home and I gave it considerable thought. Fortunately, I am aware of my public side as well as my private side, and, while I’m not one for hiding much, I know there are several dimensions in which I operate. That’s one reason I feel at home at The Trump Organization. The people I work with day in and day out know I’m not entirely a glam guy. They see how hard I work. One person said I am very much like a Mormon, which I took as high praise.

Anyway, reading Jung will give you insights into yourself and the ways in which you and other people operate.

Have an Ego

As you know, this rule has been easy for me to follow. But hear me out—I’ve got a good reason for it.

Having a well-developed ego, contrary to popular opinion, is a positive attribute. It is the center of our consciousness and serves to give us a sense of purpose. I remember saying to someone, Show me someone with no ego and I’ll show you a big loser. I was trying to stir things up and provoke a reaction, but I later realized the basic idea is on target.

The ego works to keep our conscious and unconscious aspects in balance. Too much either way can be detrimental. No ego means very little life force, and too much means a dictatorial personality. Keep your ego in a healthy balance, for your own well-being as well as for those around you. Strive for wholeness. It’s an intelligent approach to life and business.

Understanding how egos work can be a great tool. Did you ever notice how you can deflate an opponent by simply saying, Yeah, whatever you say …? By doing this, you are gently assuming a no-ego position, which disarms the other person while at the same time taking the wind out of their sails. It gives you the peace of mind necessary to allow you to concentrate on something more important than dealing with someone who is playing God.

Sometimes, rather than confronting a tyrant or a psycho directly, it’s more effective to keep the knowledge to yourself and proceed accordingly, behind the scenes.

We’ve all heard the saying that knowledge is power. The intelligent use of that power is crucial in the business world, and it’s just as important in your personal life. Your mind can build castles—just make sure the foundations are in place first. You, and the people around you, will be grateful for that.

Keep Critics in Perspective

In any job, you will be criticized at some point. Let’s face it: Nobody but a total masochist wants to be criticized.

There is constructive criticism, and then there is destructive criticism. Here’s how to assess both types:

1. First of all, consider the source. Should this person’s opinion even matter to you?

2. If it does matter to you, take a few minutes to consider whether anything helpful can result from the criticism. Others can often see things that we have overlooked. Use their keen eyes to your advantage.

3. Critics serve their purpose. Sometimes they serve a larger purpose, and sometimes they serve their own purpose.American Idol judge Simon Cowell can be critical of the performers on the program, but he’s fair and he’s honest, and I don’t think American Idol would work without him. Simon was nice enough to compliment The Apprentice in an interview. I think it’s absolutely fantastic, he told the Daily News. I think [Trump] is superb on the show. He’s not hamming it up. He’s just playing himself and that’s very hard to do on television. As I said, Simon is a fair and honest critic, and I am a fan of his.

4. Everyone has an opinion. In most cases, it’s not worth the paper it’s written on.

5. If the opinion is worth the paper it’s written on, and it’s written in a paper people are buying and reading, then realize that if people didn’t find you interesting enough for public consumption, they wouldn’t be taking the time to criticize you. Think of their criticism as a compliment, proof of your significance.

Homework Is Required and There Will Be a Test

People who think achieving success is a linear A-to-Z process, a straight shot to the top, simply aren’t in touch with reality. There are very few bona fide overnight success stories. It just doesn’t work that way.

Success appears to happen overnight because we all see stories in newspapers and on TV about previously unknown people who suddenly become famous. But consider a sequoia tree that has been growing for several hundred years. Just because a television crew one day decides to do a story about that tree doesn’t mean it didn’t