Page 34 - Midas Touch

I knew the economy and real estate ran in cycles, but what happened in
New York was devastating to many people. Real estate took a huge nose
dive and the city hit some hard times, and those hard times included me. A
lot of people were wiped out. My biggest mistake was that I lost my focus

and was playing too much. I’d go to the fashion shows in Paris and didn’t
have a firm hold on my businesses. I just thought everything would keep
rolling along with the money flowing in. My father once said that
everything I touched turned to gold and I started to believe that. Things
were easy and lucrative. It seemed that I didn’t have to pay attention, so I
didn’t. I got a good wake-up call when things turned from onward and
upward to onward and downward.

Fortunately, over time, I was able to regain my focus and my fortune. I
actually became much more successful after my big loss. One of the
reasons is that I had always seen myself as a lucky guy, and I still do. I
didn’t let the experience of a big loss change my view of who I am. I saw
the whole thing as a “blip” and nothing more. I knew I had the skill set to
get back into the game, just as a golfer knows and uses the same technique
to get out of the sand trap and sink a birdie.

Do I still make mistakes? Yes, of course. But just as I did during my
financial meltdown, I realize that I have no one to blame but myself. I take
full responsibility because I am responsible for any situation I get into. As
Robert points out, that’s one gateway to the Midas Touch. Everyone makes
mistakes, but it’s what you do with them and what you learn from them
that matters. And that’s all part of emotional maturity and strength of
character.

One of the greatest attributes you can have is an intense sense of
responsibility. It is empowering, for one thing, and your effectiveness will
increase tremendously when you own the good and the bad of all you do.
In business and in life, this is an area you can work on. As soon as you
take responsibility for all that you touch, the power is in your hands to
make it extraordinary. For me, having that sense of control has been a

catalyst for success.

My West Side Story
You may think that my success is because the Trump brand carries weight
and makes everything easier, but I know that I am not always in control of