Think BIG and Kick Ass in Business and Life audiobook

I'm not particularly a Donald fan, and I've never seen The Apprentice, but when someone is as famous as Donald Trump, I figure it can't hurt to take a listen to what he has to say.I loved this book! It was chock-full of entertaining stories, business tips, and irreverent comments. Donald may not be politically correct, but he sure is straight-talking.I picked up several great tips that will help me in my career:-Think big (you're thinking anyway -- you might as well think big!)-You're never defeated until YOU decide you're defeated-Think positive. It really does work.I don't agree with his positions on prenups and revenge, but I still enjoyed hearing his opinions.Zanker's stories were also interesting, though nowhere near as powerful as Trump's. At times, I felt he was stretching to find anecdotes from his life to fit the lessons. All the same, this was a fun and entertaining read, one I'll remember for a long time.

Bravado galore, but still... he's so blatantly honest you find yourself reading a bit more. Plenty of hilarious celebrity-dishing, like when Lee Iacocca “cried like a baby” on the phone. The book is best at the end: Q & A where Trump gives specific info on negotiating with banks, buyers, and sellers.Quotes (apologies for length)--------------“Dream big, because what you dream is what you will do.”“Take action everyday, and get focused for the long haul.”“Never take no for an answer.”“If you don’t focus, even for one minute, you will start slipping.”“I am so passionate about my work, that to me there is nothing better, which is the greatest feeling. Some nights I can’t even sleep. I want to wake up so badly and go to work.”“My motivation for doing these projects was never the money; I wasn’t even looking for these projects… What I do passionately everyday fit well with these enterprises, so they found me.”“With everything you do, find a mission or grand purpose beyond money that you can become passionate about. Find the higher ground above the greedy exclusiveness of people who only care about money…”“Whatever your job is presently, do it with passion, and magic will happen. You will meet the right person, and get noticed. I’ve seen this over and over again.”“If you could do one thing in life, what would it be? What do you get so caught up in the fun of doing that you lose track of time?”“When you do work you love, it is no longer work, because the activity itself is the source of energy.”“Passion is more important than brains or talent… I have seen less talented people propel themselves to great success on high octane passion." “You have to bring your ideas down to earth. Take your ideas and add the weight of passion to them as soon as possible before they disappear… Passion is the magic ingredient that zaps you with a fierce drive for completion of every endeavor.”“My father worked on Saturdays, on Sundays, seven days a week. He loved working. He was a happy guy… I learned from my father that work can make you happy.”“I only sleep about 3-4 hours every night… When you are waking up to something you love, it’s hard to sleep more than that.”“I love to make a deal. I love to crush the other side and take the benefits. Why? Because there’s nothing greater. To me, it’s even better than sex, and I love sex.”“When I started my career in real estate I had a problem: I had no money to invest in the properties I wanted. But I didn't focus on it and let it stop me. I focused all my attention on buying properties without money.”“If we could say ‘I’m so unfocused’ rather than ‘I’m so stressed out’ I think we could do a lot more work clearly. The more focused I am on doing things I love, the less stress I experience.”“Most people are not cut out to deal with the high stress level of being a great success… to thrive under pressure.”“I knew a man in the real estate business whose name I will not mention… He built buildings like I did, and he always looked down on the bankers. He treated them very, very badly… I had the opposite approach to bankers. I would say “You’re the greatest”, even if I was making a fortune and they weren’t. Why hurt these people?”“I lost my top 3 executives in a helicopter crash… When something like that happens, you realize how delicate life is…. When I can, I allow returning Iraqi war veterans that are wounded to come to Mara Lago and use my private beach and ocean front.”“The Formula of Knowledge : The best way to learn is through studying the history of successes and failures in your industry.”“Now sometimes you may want to give up. It may seem impossible to try again, but that is the most important time, because it’s the time when you begin to learn important information about what you are doing, information you need to succeed.”“Too many hollow compliments are not okay for kids… Let your children work hard to gain your praise; they will value it more. I always taught my kids that they needed to work hard for everything they ever got in life, and all the luxuries they enjoyed were because of my hard work. I taught them if they want to share in the rewards, they have to share in the work.”“You will always encounter obstacles; in fact you can count on them.”“I like to live my life on the cutting edge of progress, not for the money, but for the sheer joy of participation. I would never give that up.”“Take action… Start right away… You have to go out there and kick ass. That’s all you have to do. Get out there, and go for it.”“On July 29, 1974, I acquired options to purchase the two waterfront properties from the Penn Central Railroad… for $62 million with no money down - all because I went with my gut and did not quit.”“You should not be in a business where you need to rely on consultants. Know your business inside and out.” “Your word is golden… it’s very important.”“Dive deeply into the data, and then trust your gut.” - Andy Grove“I could negotiate peace in the Middle East. Very few people could.”“Use instinct to perfect timing.”“Believe me, it is not cool to be Donald Trump when you owe billions of dollars.”“When luck is on your side, it is not the time to be modest or timid. It is the time to go for the biggest success you can possibly achieve.”“I am no stranger to working hard. I have done it all my life. As a result I have become accustomed to expecting success.”“The media has distorted reality, so that people who have to struggle or work for long years to be successful are left with a strange feeling that somehow they are being left out. They feel that the world owes them something. But in real life it does not work that way. There are no guarantees that anybody will be rich and successful. Nobody owes you anything. You need to get down to earth, and realize that you have to pave your own way to success by working hard and being diligent. There is no other way.” “Ignore what you lack. If you dwell on the negative, it’s all over for you. Luck will not have a chance to show up in your life.”“Some very smart people told me if [The Apprentice] failed, it would be a tremendous blow to my image. I said ‘My image is so freaking bad, what the hell difference does it make?’ I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to take chances on something new... Do not close your mind to new things, thinking you know everything there is to know. The world is rapidly changing… It’s just plain stupid to put on blinders…”“My positivity has brought me a lot of luck. When I was young I could not sell them on my experience. I sold them on my enthusiasm.”“Learn how to manage your mind. Do not let a situation lure you into negativity. Every time a negative thought comes to you, zap it. Replace it with a positive thought. That takes energy, but the result will be stamina - positive stamina.”“If you are tempted to blow off steam, you should put that steam into getting the things that you want.”“I knew every contractor in New York. I knew every one of them, because I had been screwed by every one of them.”“In every deal I do, my main job is to be positive, even when everyone else around me is negative and gloomy.”“The price for this option was $250,000. I did not have $250,000… I drew up the contract, but I did not fork over the $250,000. Instead I had my lawyers argue legal points back and forth while I was busy trying to put the rest of the deal together.”“When I first moved to Manhattan to do my first deal, many people don’t know I did not have money or employees. When I walked into an office, I acted as if I had an organization - the Trump Organization - behind me. I was on my own, and no longer working for my father. Few people knew that the Trump Organization had no employees except myself, and operated from my studio apartment in Manhattan. I dressed the part of a successful real estate entrepreneur… armed with the determination and enthusiasm of someone who was going to make things happen. Nobody ever questioned if I could do it… nobody had the nerve to question that assumption. From the very start, I was in complete control of every deal, because I commanded everyone’s respect.”“With every action you take and every task you complete, you are building momentum.”“…. From the day I graduated from Wharton in 1968, I did well. For 21 years I was doing fantastic. I felt like I had the right to take it easy… the right not to focus. Reality taught me an important lesson. I could not have it both ways. If I wanted to be the greatest… then I needed to focus.”“My rule is to never believe what anyone says about you, good or bad - especially the media.”“Worry, fear, and indecision destroy focus. So take charge of your life…The worst hell you will ever face is the hell you create with your own mind. So instead of dwelling on the negative, think of all the things you want. Think of all the good things you’re going to do in life. Keep focused on your goal, and never give up. Besides, bad times bring great opportunities.”“Never rest, no matter how well you are doing. Your current good times are a result of all the hard work and dedication you have.”“Always take your work seriously.”“He or she who focuses the longest wins.”“Time is on your side. Things do not continue down forever.” “I was the most undisciplined kid you could ever have imagined. My parents couldn’t handle me, so they sent me to military school at a young age where I learned discipline. Without this training, I never would have become who I am today.”“Excuses are a symptom of fear.”“You get paid what you’re worth only when the person you’re dealing with has no other choice… To be super-successful, you have to use leverage to extract top-dollar for what you do… In every successful real estate deal, I’ve had to make my opponent feel the pain of what he would lose if he didn’t do the deal with me, and the pleasure of going forward on the deal and giving me what I want.”“How big you think determines how big you will become. Everything else is secondary.”“Tim Allen… says he uses 3 lists to maintain his focus:1. Greatest goals he wants to achieve in his life2. Things he needs to do this year in order to reach his life goals3. Things he needs to do today in order to reach his life goals"“Big thinkers form positive conclusions about things… Doubt leads directly to failure.”“Always think of yourself as someone who is important.”“Remember, the banks need you more than you need them… with $50,000 you can borrow probably $500,000… I’d go in and negotiate like crazy. I wouldn’t spend the whole $50,000 either, by the way.”“Be in focus, stay in focus - good times or bad, stay focused. Don’t think you’re so hot. Stay focused.”“The chase and the close are the same.”“I work on 10 deals at a time.”“I did a job in Westchester, and I sold the units for $2 million… at the top of the market. Now there are 3 for sale. I’m offering them for $1.2 million. I want to buy them back. Then I’ll sell them in 2 years for a profit. It’s a game. Then you die, and nobody cares. It’s over.”.

I don't care what you think about the man, if you take success seriously, then you must admit that he has it going on. This book really helped me change how I look at things regarding my business and my thought process on success.Trump and Zanker talk candidly about how they worked their way to where they are now. Being richer than most is not all sunshine and roses, according to these two business tycoons. Both men discuss not only their great successes, but also the tremendously devastating trials of loss.As is the case with most Trump books, this one is told using stories and personal anecdotes from their journey to power and riches. I personally enjoy hearing the different ups and owns, and how it is NOT impossible to succeed, or at the very least survive in a down economy. Trump talks about how many of his [previously] successful friends lost everything and didn't have the personal strength or confidence to survive or come back.A fascinating, entertaining, and very informative book.

I absolutely loved this book! Even though it has been out for quite some time, it's a great reminder of how hard work and never giving up on yourself equals extreme success in business. I really admire Donald Trump. I know that there are some things that are very controversial about him, however, he definitely has business sense! He's done a great job raising his kids not to feel entitled, he has a great passion for making "the deal" happen, he's constantly striving to improve himself, and he doesn't really care what other people think. He can be a little bit blunt in this book, but it's actually hysterical! Donald is just being "The Donald"! He's such a great motivator. I now have down on my goal list to see him speak in person hopefully this year!

I think that Donald Trump's logic is a morale that we all should be following. This book is literary a mentor that everyone should carry around. In Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and Life Donald Trump explains step by step how he became the worlds most successful real state business man. You have to be tough in business in order to succeed, you must know who to work with and the people you shouldn't be around with. Enthusiasm, focus, and knowledge can take you far and this book exceeds beyond any common success story.

OK, to begin with, I'm not a fan of Trump. However, since he has the "success" mindset, I decided I had to read it. Besides, I got it free through a promotion for The Learning Annex (Trump's co-author is Bill Zanker, the owner). Anyway, one thing that was reinforced is the fact that successful people have a certain mindset. I took the quiz to discover my mindset (I actually already knew--if you don't know then you probably aren't success minded) and I've got it. Do you? If you're not sure (see comment above) then best check it out. And the point of the matter is that EVERYONE should be success oriented. If you're not, then it's a matter of poor conditioning, laziness, or lack of knowledge. For successful people are people of their word, focused, disciplined, risk takers (but limit risk through sufficient effort and proper amount of homework), big picture thinkers, desire NOT to be life's bitch, among other qualities. Who doesn't want these traits? And I find that those who are not successful, those who don't make temporary sacrifices for long-term gain and happiness, happiness, happiness, are on a path to misery. Who wants to be miserable? Who wants to work their entire life having someone(s) telling them when to go to work, leave, when to eat lunch and for how long, how much your worth and whether or not you'll have a job. The problem with schools and colleges / university is that they don't teach finance, relationships, self-accountability, work ethic, ethics, and so on. They merely produce hourly / salary workers who function at the behest of the employer, government, banks, savings and loans, and credit card companies. But if education wasn't advocated then there'd be too many business owners and investors and little or no need for the above mentioned institutions. Mr. Trump? Tell us about it. He does, and he does a good job doing so. He reveals his weaknesses (defensive, paranoid, etc.), of course, but things work for him because he applies basic laws of success: ie: law of attraction, shoot then aim, etc. So read it. It's good. Just ignore his rantings about revenge and "idiot people" and stick to his teachings on hard work, focus, honoring one's word, work ethic, relying on gut instinct over paralysis of analysis, and so on. And try not to focus on his silly public persona or his foolish antics with that comic who got under his skin. He's successful for a reason, and no, it's got little to do with nepotism. Give him a chance, ignore the bad character elements, and learn from one of the masters. He's popular for a good reason. The Trump, I think I'll keep him . . . or at least his insights into success. Worth the read.

Trump as you’d expect, when not limited to Twitter’s character limitation. Typically irreverent, he provides his take on business and life. I found it quite interesting after having been exposed to the sound-bite version of Trump since his election. Trump is big on positive thinking. His thoughts on revenge are cringeworthy, as are his avowed love of women. The business advice is interesting, and I can see some budding developers would really appreciate these thoughts. The book was written as a combination of Trump and seminar mogul Bill Zanker’s response to business and motivational topics. Each chapter contained Trump’s take on a topic and Zanker’s take on the same topic. Both shared anecdotes from their business lives, most of which I found interesting and valuable. I listened to the audiobook, and while they often divided the sections by saying “Zander’s take”, I found time and again that I was not sure which author was speaking. On audio, this really needed a second narrator to help the listener keep track. I found both authors shared a number of stories about their persistence enabling business deals. These persistence stories are what I will remember from this book.

I mean...yes, he's arrogant as all hell, but I also find this book very inspiring if not helpful in taking a look at my currently mess life and trying to figure out where to go with it. I'm not giving this book four stars because it is written very well. I'm giving it four stars because it speaks to me on a personal level and I intend to read it over and over again especially when I am stuck in the mire, feeling hopeless and uncertain and lost and small. I've got to do what I love, think big, be creative, and never, ever quit.EDIT: i wrote this in in 2013, with almost 0 knowledge of him outside this book. It is now 2020. No, I didn’t vote for him. This. Did. Not. Age. Well.

This is an excellent, concise and inspirational book. I have enormous respect and admiration for Donald Trump; he has accomplished so much. The more I read from him, the more I respect and look up to him. This is a book about life, which extends to every facet of your life. He emphasizes hard work, determination, persistence, and an unwavering belief in your competence. I highly recommend reading this book.

I loved it! maybe the part of get involved in some kind of vendetta is far from our values but, belive it or not, is part of reality. And it's Donald Trump, what do you want? The book is marvelous, highly recommended.

Only for people who are VERY SMART and HIGH ENERGY. If you're a SAD LOSER who votes for Sleepy Joe Biden, don't bother, this book is not suited for you!

Very interesting ideas and advice.

I thought that this book was good

Trump, the master of business, the hacker of life, teaches what he does to handle the heat. From divorces to bankruptcies, Trump still stays at the top of the world. A TV Star, real estate developer, and father of two giant families(his corporation is one of them), shares his abilities, and how to be successful.

Easy reading Trump's way of life! I don't agree with some aspects, but others are good tips and way of thinking. It gives lots of examples in order to understand the concepts, which makes them easier to understand.

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Think Big In Business and Life by Donald Trump was an interesting book. The book was not only written by Mr. Trump but was co-authored by Bill Zanker, who is the creator of Learning Annex. The book revolves around chapters that relate to thinking big in business and also in choices in your personal life. The two authors give the reader tips and helpful information to better yourself in business. Each chapter starts with a story and guidance from Donald Trump. The end of each chapter is a summary from Bill Zanker and a small lesson from him on the same topic. “Luck does not come around often. So when it does, be sure to take full advantage of it, even if it means working very hard. When luck is on your side it is not the time to be modest or timid. It is the time to go for the biggest success you can possibly achieve. That is the true meaning of thinking big” (Trump 185). This quote really stood out to me and can relate to the essential question, are there certain truths that can be considered universal or absolute. This quote is an essential guide In the world of business. So I believe it goes along perfectly with the essential question. I would recommend this book to someone interested in Donald Trump or someone looking to advance themselves in the business world.