Trump in the Dumpster: Ego Stroking or Smart Branding?

Book: Think Like a Champion ^ | 2/10/2016 | Donald Trump

[poconopundit]

Trump is a guy a lot of people dislike.  How many times have I read comments on FR about Trump being "full of himself", "an ego maniac", a "blowhard bragger", and so forth.

And yet his fans see the opposite.  They enjoy listened to Trump talk about his accomplishments and at the rallies they laugh with him about his braggadocious ways.  They enjoy seeing his handsome family, his opulent apartment, the Trump jet, the helicopter -- even the Darth Trump parody which makes fun of Trump's bragging style.

So what's going on?  What do Trump's fans see that his haters don't?

Well, let's see what Trump himself says about this and why he thinks it's a good strategy to talk about yourself.

Here then are two snippets from Trump's pocket-sized book Think Like a Champion.

---

They Thought I was Doing Well

Soon after Apprentice premiered and was a hit show, I became a popular choice for television commercials.  I turned a lot of them down, and I did a few, but one for Visa always remains in my memory.  It was funny and I was allowed to display a self deprecating attitude that I think took people by surprise.  The surprising thing is that I'm more humble than people think.  I'm humble enough to be grateful, for one thing, and I have a sense of humor about myself.

In this commercial, called "Rooftop", I am shown on top of Trump Tower holding my Visa card with a gust of wind blows it out of my hand and down many scores of floors to the street below, which happens to be Fifth Avenue.  Then I'm seen rummaging through a Dumpster in search of my lost card, and when a well-dressed passer-by on Fifth Avenue sees me emerge from the bottom of the Dumpster, she indignantly remarks, "and I thought he was doing so well!"

Don't be afraid of taking chances.  Go for having a good time, because in the process a lot of other people just might have a good time, too.

My theory is: Take your work seriously, take yourself less seriously.  It's a great recipe for some good times and great memories.

---

And here is the commercial itself on YouTube...

Tell People About Your Success

The power of a name can be incredible.  It can open doors like nothing else.  A name can speak volumes, but until you have a "household name" you might do well to tell people what your are and what you have done.  It's a start.

Having an ego and acknowledging it is a healthy choice.  Out ego is the center of our consciousness and gives us a sense of purpose.  Your ego can serve to keep your momentum moving forward.  It can keep your focus where it should be, which is on your work.  After awhile, you won't have to tell people about your success because they'll already about it.  Do not disregard your ego.

It's very important to be your best friend.  As Mark Twain put it, be comfortable with your own approval.

So don't be afraid to toot your own horn when you've done something worth tooting about.

[poconopundit]

One sees a car like that and thinks, I gotta work hard to get a Ferrari too! The other kind thinks, why is that bastard driving a Ferrari, when I have a Datsun?

Wow, what an awesome comment!  And so true.  Of course, few people will admit that's the basis of their hatred.  It's probably a subconscious thing for many.

This comment is worth spreading far and wide -- to smoke people out.  I tip my hat to your Dad too!

[Byron_the_Aussie]

Thanks, Pocono.

The real tipping point in this election is between the takers, and the makers.

[Terry L Smith]

Trump has had a JOB, and has MADE his money, unlike any politician that lives off your’s and my money, with his only requirement in life to sustain his non-producing position, and tell YOU that YOU don’t pay enough in taxes to support HIM.

[poconopundit]

Wow, speak Japanese fluently!   Quite an accomplishment.

I noticed a couple weeks ago, there was a troll on FR who claimed to be a Japanese woman.  She/he was soon discovered as a fraud and barred I think.

But in the meantime, there were quite a few Japan fans who responded to that thread, suggesting there are quite a few of us on FR.

So it would cool to see a few articles on Japan here.   What do you think?   Would there be enough interest?

[DoughtyOne]

“Fans...”

That’s how they read this?

Some of these folks think they can insult us to their heart’s content and we’ll just sit there reading to see what else they think.

NOPE!

[BaldJohn]

“Common Core we’re gonna keep”

You are a dishonest person, he had just two minutes before said that he would get rid on common core, and he was going through a list of things and simple misspoke. I am sure if you watched the speech you know that. You are very dishonest.

[HarleyLady27]

Most billionaires would have let that go and just cancelled the card, not Trump...lolol...I can just see this in my mind...and I can’t stop laughing....

Trump is a self made man, Trump has achieved the American Dream, and now Trump wants to help America retake her Dream back for her people...Americans!!!

GO.TRUMP.GO!!!

[BaldJohn]

“Common Core we’re gonna keep”

You are a dishonest person, he had just two minutes before said that he would get rid on common core, and he was going through a list of things and simple misspoke. I am sure if you watched the speech you know that. You are very dishonest.

[DaveinOK54]

“I looked at the video and he plainly said,”Common Core, we’re going to keep.”

Slip of the tongue?”

I heard it. He miss spoke. Trump has vowed to get rid of common core. His mind sometimes outruns his tongue.

Come on, give him a break.

[gaijin]

Yes, I believe she was “BushidoGirl” or something.

Something about it —actually many things about her— did not really add up (strong hobby in fully auto rifles, for example).

I didn’t accuse her directly, but it does not surprise me terribly that things went awry.

I think she posted a photo about tentacle sex, which really is a twisted porn genre, however J girls almost never publicly show an interest in it.

Our member search is a little tweaky, so I’m unable to find posts from her, just now.

Umm..yes to answer your question I think u shouldn’t hold back posting Japan-related matters. SushiMan, GatorNavy, TigerLikesRooster and three or four others do regularly, and I believe u will make a great addition...!

[statered]

Don’t be so coy. You know exactly what you are trying to do. The thing is this Tactic does not help you. It only hurts your candidate.

[Duchess47]

Thank you so much. I’m sitting here giggling at that commercial. I didn’t know he had ever done one and that one is hilarious. GO TRUMP!

[RasterMaster]

If posting Trumps own words is a lie, says more about the speaker than the poster. Unlike his supporters, I don’t swoon at every gaseous emmination or spend all day trying to decipher through each and every incoherent slur or string of recycled bumper sticker slogans to determine what has changed since the last speech.

[RasterMaster]

Don’t think I’ve seen that one.

[vette6387]

“Looks like Megyn Kelly gave up on Rubio and now it will be Cruz Cruz Cruz”

It was a whole lot worse than that. She’s ABT (Anybody But Trump). She was shameful tonight. Then she finishes off with Little Yebbie then her “Three Stooges”
(pardon me Two Stooges and One Stoogette). Every one of them is trying to draw some inane parallel between what happened as much as 16 years ago and today. For me the only good that came out of it was to see that GWB was as big a POS as McLame was back then. All these “pots” calling their “fellow kettles” black is getting so bad that the bearings in all their spin machines must be about to fail.

[JSDude1]

Unlike some parts of nation and with some groups, I don’t think his crude behavior will play well in the South when Cruz starts to highlight it.

[Lurkinanloomin]

What is it about SC Republicans that they like cheap labor importers so much?

[altura]

I don’t much care for Trump but I would not lie about him.

All I know is someone pinged me to the short clip and I saw it.

I do believe that some people posted it on purpose to discredit Trump.

I do think maybe that Trump needs to take an occasional nap.

[Mollypitcher1]

Definitely a LIE. It was INTENDED to DECEIVE and that is why it was written in the first place. Being obstinate is not going to make it the truth.

[altura]

Please. I am very hurt. I wasn’t trying to do anything.

I just saw the short clip and no one can deny what he said.

I resent being called a liar.

After the situation was explained to me, sort of, I retracted my comment.

I will say this. Trump might consider taking a nap occasionally.