Ask yourself this question: What standard would you like to
be known for? Then go about setting that standard for yourself.
No one else can set it for you. I can remember when my father
couldn’t understand why I wanted to develop in Manhattan. I’d
had my eye on Manhattan since I was in college, and it was a goal
I intended to reach. Years later, when I was describing my ideas for
Trump Tower to my father, including the glass and bronze exte-
rior, he couldn’t understand why I would choose anything other
than bricks to build with. Bricks worked for him, so why not for
me? Because I was setting my own standard. When Trump Tower
opened to wonderful reviews and became a landmark building, it
was clear that my standard had been accepted—and in a big way.
I had also been advised to put up beautiful paintings in the
lobby of Trump Tower. To me, this seemed old-fashioned and un-
original, even though I like beautiful art. I decided to put up a
waterfall, which to me is like a sculpture in itself, and it has at-
tracted far more attention than if I’d put up paintings. It’s over
eighty feet high and cost $2 million to build. It’s absolutely spec-
tacular and I’ve never regretted my choice. Once again I was set-
ting my own standard.
When I decided to rebuild Wollman Rink in Central Park, I
did so with my own ethics in mind. Do the best job as quickly as
possible for the least amount of money. The city had been trying
for seven years to rebuild and restore this beautiful skating rink,
and I finally interceded and finished it in three months and at less
than 10 percent of the City’s $21 million cost. Everyone benefited.
Those are my standards, and I met them. I have my father’s four-
step formula to thank for my economy when doing a job: Get in,
get it done, get it done right, and get out.
A question I would ask you to ask yourself to give you a jump
start in thinking big is this: What is your creative capital? What do
you have to offer? What have you acquired in your experience and
DONALD J. TRUMP