Page 19 - Trump Never Give Up: How I Turned My Biggest Challenges into Success

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I N T R OD UC T I ON

talk about New York City going bankrupt. Then the federal
government announced a moratorium on housing subsidies. The
city had been receiving them in abundance, and suddenly, that
was no more.
If I’d only considered the facts, which weren’t too rosy, there
is no way I would have ventured into real estate. But I did.
Why? Because when I hear the word “No” it becomes a chal-
lenge to me. I believe the so-called impossible is actually very
often possible, if you’re willing to work very hard, and if you
realize that problems can become opportunities. New York City
was having problems, but maybe I could do something about
those problems. That kind of attitude can give you the power to
conquer obstacles and succeed in the face of long odds. I want
this book to help you do just that.
As I went along, I realized that every project came with its
own set of major challenges, and I began to learn to expect
them. That was okay because I was prepared. That’s another
reason I’m writing Never Give Up—to let you know you should
be prepared and to try to help you with the situations you might
encounter. Our experiences will not be the same, but I’ve
learned a great deal from reading about other people and history
and by applying what I’ve learned to my own circumstances. My
hope is that you will do the same. Learn from my problems and
experiences, and you’ll do a better job of anticipating and solv-
ing your own. And remember, the way I see it, the bigger the
problem, the bigger your chance for greatness.
One thing I’ve learned is that discouragement should not be
tolerated for very long. It’s okay to get fed up a bit and maybe
gripe for a minute or two. Personally, I like to go golfing when
I’m stressed or just swing a club in my office. But feeling nega-
tive should be a very temporary state of mind. It’s hard, but
there is a form of mental courage that can be cultivated—and
you will see in the following chapters some examples of how I
dealt with some pretty big blows and setbacks. Of course, a lot

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