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TRUMP UNIVERSITY WEALTH BUILDING 101

systematically build wealth. Then invest this money in your AIP at
your level of investment expertise. This will immediately begin to
put your money to work for you. Ten percent might sound like a lot,
but it isn’t. If you can’t set this much aside, then begin with less. But
the point is—begin! My students tell me they don’t even notice that
missing 10 percent. This is the first step in your new money system.

Remember the three stories that sabotage this step: “small amounts of
money don’t matter,” “I can’t afford it,” and “I don’t know where to
put the money.” Any of these excuses guarantee you a rate of return of
minus 100 percent because the money is gone—spent—never to be
seen by you again. Stop the madness. If you haven’t already done so,
start your AIP now.
2. Adopt a debt termination plan . As spelled out in our discussion about
debt termination in Chapter 8 , contribute another 10 percent of your
gross income and systematically reduce your debt every month. By
doing this faithfully, you will be completely debt-free in three to seven
years, including your house and car(s).
3. Institute a charitable giving plan . Contribute at least 10 percent of your
gross income to charity. It’s part of the responsibility and reciprocity
associated with creating and being a good steward of wealth. All
wealthy people I know give to charity. It also keeps them balanced and
puts them in the mindset of generosity which allows them to receive as
well as give.
Most ancient sacred texts discuss giving to others, and for this rea-
son alone, giving should be seen to be incredibly important. It is clear
in life that we get in proportion to what we give. The physical and
psychological act of regularly giving turns on the opportunity for you
to make and receive more and more. Interestingly, most poor to
middle-class people don’t regularly give to charity, while the vast
majority of rich people do. Success leaves behind clues, so here is my
thought for you on contributing:

If you don’t give and you are not rich (and almost all rich people give),
what do you have to lose by trying? Nothing! It works. Do it!

I strongly suggest that you institute a charitable giving plan as part
of your new money system. Some of you may be thinking: “I can’t fi gure
out how I’m going to squeeze out 10 percent for investing, and you
want me to commit another 10 percent for debt, and another 10 per-
cent for charity? There’s no way I can do this. I just can’t afford it.”

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