Learn to Think on Your Feet BY DONALD TRUMP
Learn to Think on Your Feet
BY DONALD TRUMP
I’ve already spoken about complacency and how it can ruin your
chances for success. It’s the same as being in a rut and deciding
to stay there. That’s why I like to advise people to live on the
edge—it’s the opposite of complacency, and the same as thinking
on your feet.
Ever notice how your senses are heightened when you are in
challenging situations? It’s like having an adrenalin rush that gives
you extra energy. If you see every day as a challenge, you’d be surprised how
efficient you can become and how much can be accomplished. People often say
they “hit the street running,” which
is another way of saying they did their prep work and were ready.
One of the most obvious lessons on The Apprentice is for the
candidates to learn to think quickly. They are under a time constraint to finish their
assignments, and as we’ve noticed, it’s important that they have a Plan B in line.
If Plan A doesn’t work,
they’re prepared for it and they won’t lose much time. They are
19
learning to think ahead, to be prepared, and to cover their bases.
These are basic ingredients for success in business.
When I started out in business, I spent a great deal of time re-searching
every detail that might be pertinent to the deal I was interested in making,
and I still do the same today.
People often comment on how quickly I operate, which is true.
But the reasonI can move quickly is that I’ve done the background work first,
which often no one sees. Just because you don’t see someone
working doesn’t mean they haven’t been working in their spare or
private time. I prepare myself thoroughly, and then when it is time
to move ahead, I am ready to sprint.
Being able to think on your feet is the result of training and
discipline.You can’t sprint unless you have built up the strength to
do so. Building the stamina is up to you. If you don’t work at it,
it’s not going to happen by wishful thinking.You have to dedicate
yourself to it every day. In other words, set a goal and work toward
it. Athletes know that no one else can do the training for them,
and business people should have the same discipline. You have to
be self-reliant.
Have you ever said to yourself, “I wish I’d thought of that!”?
I’ve heard people say that when they come across something very
clever or something fantastic. One way to learn to think on your
feet is to ask yourself what you should be thinking of this very
moment. Do it right now, and then see other people saying, “I wish
I’d thought of that—what a great idea!” You’d be surprised how
many good ideas you might have if you’d give yourself the opportunity
to think about them.Thinking takes time. It’s the preparation for being
able to think on your feet. First things first: First
we walk, then we run, then we sprint.
Thoreau said, “I know of no more encouraging fact than the
unquestioned ability of a man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.”
That is not only an encouraging statement, it is also an
empowering one. It means you can accomplish a lot by applying
your brainpower and then moving forward with it. Thought with-out
action won’t amount to much in the long run. Those great
ideas you have will remain great ideas unless you actively do something
with them.
Don’t wait for dire circumstances to test your quick-thinking
ability. Test yourself daily. Be on alert at all times. As Napoleon said,
“A leader has the right to be beaten, but never the right to be surprised.”
See yourself as a leader—starting right now. It will mean
you are self-reliant, responsible, and not apt to being unnecessarily
surprised by the vicissitudes of life, whether you are in business
or not. Being prepared cannot be overestimated, and if you want
to hit the big time running, you’d better be able to think on those
feet of yours.
BY DONALD TRUMP
I’ve already spoken about complacency and how it can ruin your
chances for success. It’s the same as being in a rut and deciding
to stay there. That’s why I like to advise people to live on the
edge—it’s the opposite of complacency, and the same as thinking
on your feet.
Ever notice how your senses are heightened when you are in
challenging situations? It’s like having an adrenalin rush that gives
you extra energy. If you see every day as a challenge, you’d be surprised how
efficient you can become and how much can be accomplished. People often say
they “hit the street running,” which
is another way of saying they did their prep work and were ready.
One of the most obvious lessons on The Apprentice is for the
candidates to learn to think quickly. They are under a time constraint to finish their
assignments, and as we’ve noticed, it’s important that they have a Plan B in line.
If Plan A doesn’t work,
they’re prepared for it and they won’t lose much time. They are
19
learning to think ahead, to be prepared, and to cover their bases.
These are basic ingredients for success in business.
When I started out in business, I spent a great deal of time re-searching
every detail that might be pertinent to the deal I was interested in making,
and I still do the same today.
People often comment on how quickly I operate, which is true.
But the reasonI can move quickly is that I’ve done the background work first,
which often no one sees. Just because you don’t see someone
working doesn’t mean they haven’t been working in their spare or
private time. I prepare myself thoroughly, and then when it is time
to move ahead, I am ready to sprint.
Being able to think on your feet is the result of training and
discipline.You can’t sprint unless you have built up the strength to
do so. Building the stamina is up to you. If you don’t work at it,
it’s not going to happen by wishful thinking.You have to dedicate
yourself to it every day. In other words, set a goal and work toward
it. Athletes know that no one else can do the training for them,
and business people should have the same discipline. You have to
be self-reliant.
Have you ever said to yourself, “I wish I’d thought of that!”?
I’ve heard people say that when they come across something very
clever or something fantastic. One way to learn to think on your
feet is to ask yourself what you should be thinking of this very
moment. Do it right now, and then see other people saying, “I wish
I’d thought of that—what a great idea!” You’d be surprised how
many good ideas you might have if you’d give yourself the opportunity
to think about them.Thinking takes time. It’s the preparation for being
able to think on your feet. First things first: First
we walk, then we run, then we sprint.
Thoreau said, “I know of no more encouraging fact than the
unquestioned ability of a man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.”
That is not only an encouraging statement, it is also an
empowering one. It means you can accomplish a lot by applying
your brainpower and then moving forward with it. Thought with-out
action won’t amount to much in the long run. Those great
ideas you have will remain great ideas unless you actively do something
with them.
Don’t wait for dire circumstances to test your quick-thinking
ability. Test yourself daily. Be on alert at all times. As Napoleon said,
“A leader has the right to be beaten, but never the right to be surprised.”
See yourself as a leader—starting right now. It will mean
you are self-reliant, responsible, and not apt to being unnecessarily
surprised by the vicissitudes of life, whether you are in business
or not. Being prepared cannot be overestimated, and if you want
to hit the big time running, you’d better be able to think on those
feet of yours.
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