877.508.7867
Call for course informationPersonally, I’ve never had a problem with self-esteem. I always say that you have to believe in yourself or no one else will.
Now a new study has come out suggesting that high self-esteem isn’t necessarily healthy. The researchers, who of course are psychologists, say that sometimes people who are overly confident and proud of themselves can lash out at other people and believe that everyone else is wrong except them.
They concluded that there was “good” high self-esteem and “bad” high self-esteem. With the good people well-grounded and the bad ones too aggressive and defensive.
That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. I say that if you are confident in yourself and what you do, that’ll be reflected in your work and in how you treat people. I’ve always been one to say that you have to blow your own horn and let people know about your accomplishments. But rarely should that be at the expense of others - other than your worst competitors.
So keep your self-esteem high and there’s no need to have your ego in check as long as you can back up that confidence with success.
Please send me Trump University's weekly e-newsletter Inside Trump Tower and let me know about special offers.
See how you stack up against Donald Trump take our FREE entrepreneurship test.
Blog Roll
Trump's Official Apprentice Blog
TrumpU Books
Trump University Wealth Building 101 Your First 90 Days on the Path to Prosperity
Trump 101 Author: Donald Trump Publisher: Wiley
Trump University Marketing 101 How to Use the Most Powerful Ideas in Marketing to Get More Customers
Trump University Real Estate 101 Building Wealth with Real Estate Investments
Trump University Entrepreneurship 101 How to Turn Your Idea into a Money Machine
Trump University Asset Protection 101 Tax and Legal Strategies of the Rich
2008
2007
2006
2005
30 Comments Post a comment
Boy, there's a study for everything, isn't there?
Overly-confident men in business are fools because they are ignorant to the point that it portrays their stupidity by their aura of invincibility.
No one is invincible, and reality can qualify and quantify anyone who needs to be taken down a notch by a comparitive analysis.
A man is only as good as his last deal in the business world and ego correlates with self-esteemA man with true character is a man who is wise enough to be humble and not shoot his mouth off or act ostentaciously.
THERE WAS AN OLD OWL WHO LIVED IN A TREE,THE MORE HE SAW THE LESS HE SPOKE, THE LESS HE SPOKE,THE MORE HE SAW....
Modesty is the biggest surprise of the day!
Frankly I am shocked that there would be a study by some 'psychologists' or other self-proclaimed intellectuals attempting to negate the power of high self-esteem...or individualism itself for that matter. How could this be? ;-)
Seriously. Who really gives a rat's berries what yet another stupid study has to say? After all, a little nonsense here and a little nonsense there has always been the method and means to propagating their madness anyway. It's all about self-defeat and collectivism, which is the philosophy of the weak and evil. If you've done your homework and walked the walk, people would be wiser to follow your example. If they are not or otherwise feel the need to play you down, they should be of no use to you.
I've always felt that a person should be proud of him/herself. Pitch others on how your experience has benefited you and don't expect a 'thank you.' When you do get a 'thank you,' keep that person on your radar because they are an asset.
High self-esteem is essential to personal, career, and organizational success.
Jessica Bond
Medical Careerist
http://jessicabond.blogspot.com
However, in todays world too much self esteem can get you into more trouble and end up loosing their true selves Some have an edge, a very un-healthy edge...that could be intimidation tactics. But, each to their own...in their own situations. If we are football team...we will be confident and win! Is that too much of self esteem? Not really, just a perspective on pride.
A healthy balance is a skill. Their is a difference of being way out in left field with self esteem too...lol To know- yourselves and when to be humbled in dignity and courage. Self esteem is always good...too much or not enough?
Personally, I have always been able to excel at everything that I've ever done. That sounds like I'm bragging, but it's true. I had amazing coaches and teachers who instilled that fighting spirit within me. However, I come from a very modest, conservative family, so I have never been one to brag or show off. When I saw someone in need, I would try to build them up, and take a back seat. That does not go over too well in NYC. People see people like that as weak. It's a dog-eat-dog world there, so, when I began focusing on myself, and reading Mr. Trump's books, and acting confident...people thought I was crazy! They didn't like me when I acted confident. They turned it around on me, and told me that I was going too far! Oh, God Forbid that I do well! Excuse me for living! Maybe I made the transition too quickly. Shrinking in the background wasn't working for me, and people didn't appreciate my helping them, so I decided to work on myself for a change. Suddenly, everyone hated me for trying to better myself.
Now, after much contemplation and study, I am still confident, but, I am starting out slowly...so nobody can say that I didn't pay my dues. Not that I care what anyone thinks, but, I do care about what my family thinks, and, they thought that I was in need of an intervention. I had to go to re-hab for being too confident! I have taken what I've learned from Mr. Trump and others, and, I am incorporating those lessons into my life, while still maintaining my own identity.
There is a fine line between cocky & confidence. Some people act cocky, or, with false bravado, because they don't want people to realize just how insecure they really are. So, when they see someone who is truly confident, it pisses them off. They don't want that person to succeed, because they want to do something "big" first! The fact is, that we can all be winners in life. We don't have to bring others down in order to make ourselves look better. If you find the good in people, rather than the bad, you have more positive energy flowing within. If you are constantly looking for obvious ways to nail people, in order to make yourself seem superior, you will wind up making yourself look bad.
When it happened that I did point out the bad things that people were doing because I thought that I was doing the right thing, it was taken the wrong way. So, the best advice, unless you are a cop, or, work for the CIA or FBI, and you are surrounded by people who are doing bad things...get the hell away from them. Everything will work itself out. Those committing crimes, especially crimes against humanity, will eventua
This article reminds me of something I heard a Trump Institue instructor say once about Mr. Trump.. he said, "Mr. Trump is a very arrogant man..... but you get to be arrogant when you've had success like he's had." It's so true... if you can talk the talk but can't walk the walk, you're really just a fool.
A part of being successful means being able to show the world your success. In all honesty, there are a lot of successful real estate developers in this country, but not as many that like to be in the spotlike as Mr. Trump does... it's not pride so much as the legacy Mr. Trump will leave behind one day: the magnificent buildings, and now through Trump University, also his knowledge.
Here's one final point worth mentioning about self-esteem... the higher you see yourself reaching in life, the higher you'll probably reach.
D. Leung
New York
I just finished reading your post I laughed at nearly every word- it was so funny, you have a unique approach to telling a story! I was curious about the remark you made regarding (rehab for confidence) and I was hoping you could elaborate on this issue. I have experience in the social science field so I am familiar with rehab- but I have never been aqainted with the "confidence rehab". Please do explore this with me.
Also, Please tell me more about NYC what did you study there? Yu may e-mail me more about NYC at civileader@yahoo.com if you would like to have a dialogue about your experience there. I am may apply to that school.
Oh and as far as the CIA and FBI go- when you are the ex wife of a SECRET SERVICE agent THEY NEVER leave your LIFE THEY sort of HANG OUT for good- comes with the package! They are like cockroaches when you marry into politics or a secret service agent! NOTHING you do makes them GO AWAY! Not because you did anything wrong- just because they are they’re to STAY!
Not everyone can do "arrogance" the right way. Some people do it and look like schmucks because they are no-talent hacks, just imitating those who are successful and arrogant. Mr. Trump is arrogant in a very appealing way. He is arrogant in a way that it is charming, and that is just his personality. I wouldn't advise everyone to go there, because they can't back it up, and they may not do it with the humor that Mr. Trump uses.
For instance, there are certain people in a certain administration who are arrogant just because they hold a certain position. Just because a person has a title doesn't mean that they deserve it. There are a lot of very intelligent people out there who take a step back and let the idiots play pretend until they run out of game. Sometimes, that is the best way to deal with stupid, arrogant people with false confidence. They usually behave that way because they have never been held accountable for their actions, and, have had people around them who enable them to act inappropriately. Not only are they allowed to wreak havoc on other people's lives because they are in a position of power, but, others compliment them on their behavior, so they are unable to discern the difference between right and wrong. You want to say, "Okay, you cheated your way to the top...go ahead and make a fool of yourself... let's see what you have?" They crash and burn if they are not properly prepared. They get a taste of the good life, and they want more, only they are not willing to do the work. They get lackeys to do it for them. Then, the end result is not just one arrogant person, but a big giant cluster muck of idiots who think they are superior to everyone else.
As the song from Spice Girls goes : Too much is bad enough, too little is just as bad.
I believe being moderate is the key and knowing when to blow the horn makes all the difference.
Prince Dudley,
Systems Engineer,
http://birdseyesview.blogspot.com
Yeah, that was some study, psychologists! Can't wait to hear about what they research next! Laughing is not really good for you? Or, crying is not really cathartic. Dreaming could be hazardous to your health? They should concentrate more on the individual concerns of their patients, and, less on creating bogus surveys, produced to make people question their abilities.
Furthermore, if they were "good" psychologists, they would be able to differentiate between those w/false confidence, and those with real confidence. They just did an apples/oranges study...posers, who undermine others in order to make themselves look better & appear confident and real, true, confident people who spread positivity/knowledge/truth with others. People w/high self-esteem don't lash out at others, those w/low self-esteem do, because they think that they have to cut other people down in order to feel better about themselves. This is often a miserable pattern that is passed down through generations, but, it is condoned behavior so people continue the cycle.
Maybe the psychologists need to "study" human behavior a bit more before conducting any further research. It could be that they have not spent much time amongst different types and demographics of people, personally. They just know what they've learned from books. To truly study the human mind, one must walk with all kinds, become like them, to gain a better understanding of what makes them tick. You don't really know a person, until you've walked in his/her shoes. Even then, you never really "know" anyone, because people are capable of constant change, evolving into better human beings, or, digression. Everyone needs to just work on him/herself, and stop wasting time worrying about whether or not so-and-so is too confident!
How about a study on "Why aren't more people confident?" Well, let's see...they are brow-beaten by drunken or ignorant parents, made to believe that they should have never been born. They are constantly shut-down when they have great ideas, yet, the people telling them how stupid they are, steal their ideas for themselves. Perhaps, they've been oppressed for years because that's how their family has always been treated. I could write a book on it, from what I've observed throughout the years. Thank God for Oprah! She has made it possible for so many ordinary, everyday people to gain therapy through her extraordinary grace and sharing the truth with the world. The possibilities and opportunities are limitless - not just for some, but for all - for anyone so inclined to dream of something better. And, knocking people down, in hopes that they will come back stronger, does work - but not necessary. If a person is remarkable, they will just get better, no matter what!
I would prefer to comment, beginning with a quote: Ego, just a three-letter word and yet so interesting. If we did not have an ego, we would be lost. Feeding it too much we would also be lost. (Lida van Bers) .
Going overboard, and blowing one's own trumpet all the time is highly unwarranted and if employees are prone to doing it, it could indicate two things: A bad boss, who does not recognise performance and hence the need to bring to attention ones performance to all and sundry or it could also mean an inept and inefficient performance measurement system. Most organisations do have an appraisal system that takes care to recognise performance.
I would prefer an organisation where my work can speak for itself without having to act like an elephant and blow my trumpet!
Best
Lubna
it's like walking on the rope. you must stay at the middle don't be too left or too right.
Thank goodness for people like Donald Trump who take the inititive to accomplish things.
If most people lived the way he does, poverty and conflict would not exist.
Thanks for your inspiration, Mr. Trump.
Have a good day.
Eric Smith
Thanks for "getting" my sense of humor! Finally! Someone actually understands. I do smile a lot (which people have a problem with, for some reason. "Why are you always smiling?" they ask me. Why not?), but, then, I also have a poker face most of the time. I just don't laugh out loud at stupid things that make most people laugh, so people think that I do not have a sense of humor.
I didn't write what I wrote to actually be funny...that is just how I digest, then, regurgitate things. But, I'm glad that you understood it. I write because it is great therapy for me. I just never thought that anyone else actually read it, or, followed it. I've always felt that I must be writing in another language or something.
Yes, I will contact you at your e-mail address, at some point. There isn't really much to say, really. I wasn't actually attending school in NYC. I studied people...mainly, Mr. Trump. That is what I studied...all kinds of people.
I was being facetious about being thrown into rehab for being too confident. I told everyone that I feared nothing and they thought that I was suicidal. So, I was labeled as "crazy" for trying to do the right thing, but, I'm obviously not...crazy. Those around me, in NYC, thought that I was a big softie, and stupid, because I was so nice. So, they thought that they could manipulate my behavior. You don't have to show your hand to all people at all times. That is why, when I decided that I had had enough, and, came up with an exit strategy (albeit, very unorthodox), everyone just thought that I had gone completely mad. That's fine, because I didn't want to be around those people, anyway.
My plan was not a great one, but, I had to do it because I did not want to give other people the pleasure of getting me fired for not doing my job properly - which is exactly what they were trying to do. And, I did a better job than 10 of those idiots put together. But, they had better connections, and were all stroking each other's egos, and, they were lazy. (That's not lashing out...that is the truth). They hated me for doing my job right and making them look bad.
That is why I mentioned the part about being a cop, FBI or CIA. It is not a good idea to point out bad things that people are doing, unless you are actually in law enforcement. Not when you're outnumbered by about 20 people. The baddies will eventually hang themselves, unless they turn over a new leaf...which is possible, not probable, but, anything is possible.
I do understand what you are saying about always having your Secret Service agent with you. That is not necessarily a bad thing. I know people who have law enforcement, the Mafia, and Hell's Angels in their family, and, it keeps them from doing anything too stupid. I'm just grateful that I have a strong military presence in my family. I was taught that doing the right thing is always the best thing to do - even if it doesn't seem like it at the time. And, as I read the other day, when someone (can't remember who - someone on Huffington Post) wrote about the whole "appeasement" issue... sometimes, in order to have peace, there is not always justice. Not everyone is capable of doing the right thing, the just thing, but, it is possible to negotiate for peace. However, I don't agree with the "keep your friends close, and your enemies closer" line. Sometimes, that is just too exhausting. I like the line, "You have to teach people how to treat you." One person shouldn't have to do all of the compromising. If someone is treating you like crap because he is in a position of power, and you are doing everything right - don't take it. Let him know that you are just as invaluable as he is, and you deserve the same respect in kind.
but high Self-Esteem can generate miracles! so everyone should work for it!
by the way I would like to suggest an idea to use temporarily the atrium of the trump tower to install an art installation based in the "internal search". after visiting again the room I imagined an installation similar to an iceberg where people could descent by stages from the top to the base. In every stage people would acquire certains messages about "self-consciousness". I think it would be great to offer an extra attractive to that fantastic place and to connect Trump's mark to an easy opportunity of personal growth.
I'm sorry my english is a bit rusty.
thanks for your advices!
Agustín Bonifacio
therapist and artist from Barcelona
For years, people always thought I had this enormous ego. I went around telling everyone how good I was- but inside I thought myself helpless, hopeless, and useless. It was amazing to think how helpful and useful I was during this period- but that is another story. Then one day I wrote a poem about how angry I was at the world. I knew that you had to be emotionally free to see the wonder of the universe. At the same time, there were people who were emotionally free who behaved like animals- so that wasn't the solution. There was one line left in the poem and I couldn't think of anything to say. Then I prayed for guidance and the last words came to me: We must learn the discipline of self-esteem to release the power of God upon the earth. These words were powerful and profound- but I did not have the slightest idea what they meant- that was back in 1995. Since then, my life has had a purpose and a mission- to find out the meaning of the Discipline of Self-Esteem (DOSE) and teach it to the world. I've learned a lot in the last 13 years and have much more to learn. Every once in a while- I get inspired and write about it- the collection of the best writings are found here:
http://mysite.verizon.net/res79war/id12.html
I call this site Mary Rose's Garden.
I am also trying to make myself write something every day- so I have a blog:
http://maryrosesgardentoo.blogspot.com/
You can learn everything that Mr. Trump can teach you, but if you don't have self-esteem, then you will never have the courage or the confidence to reach for it. Before I learned about DOSE- I couldn't either- it still is hard. But every step in the right direction builds courage, confidence and self-esteem. At 16, someone told me that I looked like a refugee out of a concentration camp- and to a certain degree I had been through as much as a child. It has taken another 40 years to overcome it- and I am still overcoming it. But if I can, then anyone can. If you feel low, that the things here are possible to learn but impossible to do- then try my sites. Let me know if they help. Thanks for listening.
Ironically, true confidence has an element of humbleness to it because you have to be aware of your weaknesses to work around them. Arrogance never admits weakness and therefore never overcomes them.
Michele LeBlanc
Weird....
Your picture looks healthy to me, so having high self-esteem must really be the "new fountain of youth" that centuries of people have been in search of.
So now, we need to ponder the famous quote," To be or not to be, that is the question." Is it better to be with high self-esteem and considered less healthy or not to be with high self-esteem and think we are more healthy?
I wonder if Master William Shakespeare could have written his famous plays if he had nothing better to do than concern himself with the level of self-esteem he felt at a time when getting his play produced was based on money, not ego. If people were unwilling to pay to watch his play(s), he could have had the "biggest bragging rights on the planet," and it wouldn't have made him a successful playwright. If I remember correctly, the owner of the playhouse was in serious debt and was being physically tortured to encourage him to pay up. I wonder if he had low self-esteem before or after he was tortured? I wonder if he felt more healthful?
I guess, we'll never know.
I'm not big about throwing difficult intellectual words and points so bear with me...
Emotions, emotions, emotions. it always boils down to this. Someone can be very intellectual and have a brain crammed with knowledge but if they don't know how to treat customers well or understand how their market thinks and feels than guess what ?
First off, not to come off as arrogant or anything bc I'm no authority on the subject (like some claim to be) I just would like to say that there is a big difference between confidence in the business world and confidence in your personal life. Since this site is about business I take it that it talks about high self esteem in the business world and not in personal life. To me, it's all about being real...but if you are real in the business world you won't go too far. You do have to provide results and you do have to put a front and mask the truth, at least some of the time. But in personal life, it is important to remain yourself and be real...so what of you are depressed and have low self esteem ? Some people go through hell and suffer greatly...it looks like it is a bad thing to have low self-esteem in this shallow society. Some people have low self-esteem and they are working on it...treat people as people, will ya ? But I do understand that in business its about business and its not personal so if you do have low self esteem dont feel bad bc you arent making it big in the business world. Take time to heal. Your life and your worth are not measured by your success in the workplace but with the kind of person you are inside. sorry.
I'd rather my husband come to me and admit about some weaknesses openly and honestly so we can look for a way to deal with (incredibly charming too) it rather than him hiding it in an attempt to look 'confident'. In the business world, you just don't do that. You don't say 'hi...my company's weakness is....' you just don't unless I missed something.
Sure there are things that are similar for personal and business BUT don't worry about this study too much, at the end of the day, we live in a world where everything is about marketing and making money and people confuse high self esteem with making lots of money and external things. It's good to be very successful in the business world but if your love life sucks and you're crying every night, then what the hell ? whatever. tired of even thinking about this.
Jorge Martinez.
Buisnessman
I agree with your comments very much, I always say that if you don't blow your own trumpet no one else will.
I wish you success with your Golf plans for Scotland, my birth place. Martin Mckay - www.mckay.co.uk
Although "Scrooge" could easily afford the best food and drink, the finest clothing, and a more than modest house, he was a "sick" man until he learned the value of other people's worth.
High Self-Esteem is good, but being friendly, generous, and supportive is BETTER.
The Sun rises for everyone not just the lofty. If you meet a person that is feeling low, stop a moment and lift him up. That is High Self-Esteem in action. Tootin' your own horn sounds better when you are entertaining others. Otherwise you are the only one listening.