Think Like a Champion: An Informal Education in Business and Life

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by Robert Kiyosaki

 

 

 

O
ne of the benefits of working with Donald is observing him in action in real life. Over the years, I have gotten to know the real Donald, as well as the “celebrity Donald.” I have found he is the same person . . . In fact he is actually bigger in real life than his celebrity.

Working with him, I have observed him thinking, then listened to his thoughts become words and his thoughts and words become actions. In most instances, his thoughts, words, and actions are the same. Maybe this is why he is direct and blunt. He can be blunt because his thoughts, words, and actions are integrated, congruent, operating as one.

Many of us know people who are, actually, three people. They think one thing, say something else, and do not do what they say
or
think. I have observed these kinds of people, who are really three people, achieve limited success and live conflicted lives.

In early 1980, I lost my first major business. Losing everything was as horrible as you might expect. Losing everything gave power to the loser in me. Worst of all, I had lost confidence in myself. I knew what I had to do, but for some reason I simply did not do what I knew I had to do. My personal battle between 1980 and 1990 was to gain power over my own thoughts. To regain power
over my thoughts, I began reading and listening to great thoughts from great people . . . and then made those thoughts mine. Slowly but surely, my business life began to turn and I began to win again.

In 1987, just after the stock market crashed, I came across Donald’s book
The Art of the Deal
. My wife Kim and I put aside everything we were doing and read that book. As the world was crashing down, we had the opportunity and benefit—through Donald’s thoughts, words, and actions—to see the world of business. By 1994, Kim and I were financially free. In our quiet moments, Kim and I often discuss how Donald’s book inspired us to go on, even though the world was crashing down around us.

In 1997, reading his book
The Art of the Comeback
verified for us that we were following the thoughts of a great man. Very few people will talk publicly, much less write, about their mistakes, their lessons, and their comeback.

In 2004, Kim and I met Donald for the first time. Obviously he did not know who we were, yet he was extremely gracious and we thanked him for sharing his thoughts through his books.

In late 2006, Donald and I published our book,
Why We Want You To Be Rich: Two Men, One Message.
Fueled by our shared concern for people and our desire to teach, Donald and I collaborated on this book, predicting much of the financial chaos 2008 would bring.

It is an honor to write this Foreword for his book,
Think Like a Champion
, because teaching me to think like a champion is the gift Donald has given my wife and me . . . a gift he shares with the world . . . a gift more valuable than money.

I
would like to thank my chief assistant, Rhona Graff, for her dedication and focus throughout the process of putting this book together, and to my co-author Meredith McIver for her thoughtful work.

Working with the Vanguard Press team has been a great experience, and I’d especially like to thank Roger Cooper,Vice President and Publisher, Georgina Levitt, Associate Publisher, and Amanda Ferber, Publishing Manager, for their enthusiasm and very professional work. To Janet Saines of The Perseus Books Group, a special thank you.

O
ver the years, I have watched many people aspire to success. I am one of them, and while I haven’t peaked yet, I’ve had a good share of success already. So I’m often asked what my “secrets” to success are. I don’t think they’re secrets, but every one of us needs to have a formula that works for him or her personally.

This collection of writing is an indication of the thought process that I believe can lead people to success. It has worked for me. It’s another side to my personality—the more reflective side that reveals my sources and how I apply them to the big picture that is life. The persona you so often see via the world media is someone who is outgoing, confident, sometimes brash—but honest. One reason people like me is because I’m blunt. One reason people don’t like me is because I’m blunt. But one reason I’m successful is that I can cut through nonsense quickly and get to the core of things.

Think Like a Champion
is an example of that approach to life and business. I take a topic, think about it, dissect it, and put it back into a formula that becomes what I believe is solid advice. I have always relished putting time and energy into digging below the surface of a problem and coming up with a unique and effective answer.

While I was in school, my father, Fred C. Trump, would send inspirational quotes to me every week. Many of them were about
leadership, how to be a champion in life. I learned a lot from them and I still refer to them, so they are included here for you.

I was fortunate to have a mentor in my life like my father, and I hope these writings will prove to be helpful to you. I would like to dedicate this book to the memory of my father and all that he taught me. I would hope that sharing these thoughts with you will provide you with guidance as well as inspiration.

—ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

A
fter the election in November of 2008, I was interviewed by Dominic Carter of New York 1 (who has recently, as of late 2009, gone through a great deal with spousal abuse) on his program called “Inside City Hall.” New York 1 is an all-news program that is popular in New York City, and Dominic has a dynamic television presence. He describes me as “a man not known for keeping his opinions to himself,” and we covered some interesting topics.

Dominic asked about the election and I was honest about it. McCain was in an almost impossible situation. Bush had been so incompetent that any Republican would have a hard time unless they could bring back Eisenhower. Bush was a disaster for the country as well as for the Republican Party.

Then he asked me about Barack Obama. I told him that Barack will need to be a great president because we’re in serious
trouble as a country. It hasn’t been this way since 1929. So he doesn’t have much choice—he will simply
have
to be great, which he has a very good chance of being.

What he has done is amazing. The fact that he accomplished what he has—in one year and against great odds—is truly phenomenal. If someone had asked me if a black man or woman could become president, I would have said yes, but not yet. Barack Obama proved that determination combined with opportunity and intelligence can make things happen—and in an exceptional way.

He is not walking into an easy or enviable situation. As of October of 2008, the U.S. government reported a $237 billion deficit. The good news is that Obama seems to be well aware of the situation. His comments have led me to believe that he understands how the economy works on a comprehensive level. He has also surrounded himself with very competent people, and that’s the mark of a strong leader. I have confidence he will do his best, and we have someone who is serious about resolving the problems we have and will be facing in the future.To me that is very good news.