Page 117 - Think Like a Champion

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DONALD J. TRUMP
If, at the end of trying to make your current situation better,
it is an obvious dead end, then it’s a good time to move on. Maybe
it’s just not a good fit. It’s like a relationship—on paper all the im-
portant things seem to add up, but the chemistry just isn’t there to
make it work in reality. Jobs can be that way, too. Just as I’ve hired
people with terrific credentials only to find out it’s simply not a
good match, for them or for me. You have to cut your losses
quickly. That’s a good thing to learn if you want to be successful.
When we hear of extremely successful people, it’s usually safe
to assume they’ve had some obstacles or difficulties along the way.
There’s a lot of trial and error before something is effortless or pol-
ished. Michelangelo said something worth thinking about:“If peo-
ple only knew how hard I work to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t
seem so wonderful at all.”The problem is, we usually only see the
end result and not the process.
There was a guy who was a very successful businessman, but
his first passion in life was the piano. He was very dedicated and
disciplined, and he achieved a certain virtuosity, but he finally re-
alized he would never be one of the greats. In other words, he
knew he would never be a Horowitz or a Gould, and he had very
high standards for himself. So he quit the piano and applied him-
self to business and he became enormously successful. He just
knew he should move on, and he did. He remained a musician in
his private life and maintained a healthy balance for himself with
his interests. He said if he’d remained a pianist, he would have
been frustrated. He did a lot of thinking before he made his move,
but he knew it was the right decision.
It’s not always easy to move on—it’s leaving something behind
in a way, but sometimes what’s ahead will be better. We’ve got to
do things we’re suited for and hopefully that we enjoy. Success is
a great feeling, and success should add to your health, not detract
from it.

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