This newsletter is going to be different.
Whether you love him, hate him, or just enjoy the spectacle, there’s no denying that Donald Trump is one of the most fascinating figures in modern history. He’s not just a politician. He’s a brand, a movement, a force of nature.
And if you strip away the noise—the politics, the scandals, the larger-than-life persona—you’re left with something undeniably interesting: a personal growth strategy that has propelled him from real estate mogul to reality TV star to President of the United States… and back to the political arena again.
Now, before you throw your phone across the room or start composing an angry tweet, let me be clear: this is NOT an endorsement or a takedown. This is an exploration. A deep dive into the four rules that have shaped Trump’s worldview and, in turn, his success.
So let’s step back from politics for a moment.
What if, instead of judging, we simply observed? What if we looked at Trump—not as a politician—but as a case study in personal growth, influence, and the psychology of success?
What if we examined his mindset?
Because here’s the truth: The man has defied every expectation, broken every rule of conventional leadership, and still remains one of the most influential figures on the planet. He has lost and won, been written off and resurrected, faced scandals and indictments—and yet, his grip on his followers is unshakable.
So, what’s his secret?
What guiding principles have shaped him into the force he is today?
And perhaps most importantly—is there anything we can learn from them?
Visiting Mar-a-Lago & the movie The Apprentice
I got a firsthand glimpse into Trump’s world when I was invited to Mar-a-Lago a few months ago. I also have friends who have worked with him, been in meetings with him, and even done business deals with him. The insights they’ve shared with me paint a fascinating picture.
But what really sparked this letter was watching the film The Apprentice. The movie explores Trump’s relationship with the infamous American lawyer Roy Cohn, a man who once defended the mafia and was an ally of Senator Joseph McCarthy during the communist Red Scare in America.
The acting in the film was phenomenal— and the actors Sebastian Stan as Trump, Jeremy Strong as Cohn delivered Oscar-worthy performances.
But what struck me the most about the movie wasn’t just the acting—it was how it depicted Trump’s evolution. It showed his transformation from an eager, sweet, and somewhat naïve young man into the relentless, larger-than-life force he eventually became.
At the heart of it all were three laws that Roy Cohn imparted to Trump. These three rules—plus a fourth one that I picked up from reading The Art of the Deal years ago—form the foundation of Trump’s personal growth philosophy.
Are you ready? Buckle up.
Who was Roy Cohn?
To understand Trump’s personal growth philosophy, you need to understand Roy Cohn. If Trump is the ultimate showman-turned-politician, Cohn was the mastermind behind the curtain.
Cohn first rose to prominence as Joseph McCarthy’s chief counsel during the infamous Red Scare, where he helped orchestrate the anti-communist witch hunts of the 1950s. He was ruthless, unapologetic, and had a simple rule—never admit defeat, never apologize, and always attack.
When McCarthy fell from grace, Cohn reinvented himself as a power broker in New York, working as a mob lawyer and rubbing shoulders with the rich and powerful. It was during this time that he became Donald Trump’s mentor.
Cohn taught Trump how to weaponize the legal system, how to manipulate the press, and—most importantly—how to create an untouchable personal brand. He wasn’t just Trump’s lawyer; he was his strategist, consigliere, and attack dog all rolled into one.
Cohn had three ironclad rules. Rules that Trump absorbed like a sponge.
- Attack, attack, attack
- Admit nothing, deny everything
- Always claim victory
And then, years later, Trump added his own fourth rule—one that would become his ultimate superpower.
- Relentless optimism
These four rules became the foundation of Trump’s personal philosophy. And whether you agree with them or not, you can’t deny their impact.
Ironically, Cohn’s own downfall mirrored the tactics he taught Trump. In 1986, he was disbarred for unethical conduct—fraud, perjury, and unethical business practices. His response? Complete denial. Even as his career crumbled, he insisted he was the victim of a political conspiracy.
Trump absorbed all of this. And even after Cohn’s death from AIDS in 1986, his influence lived on in Trump’s philosophy of power and survival.
In the movie The Apprentice, it’s suggested that Cohn mentored Trump and asked him to follow the following 3 Rules of Life.
Rule #1: Attack, attack, attack
In The Art of War, Sun Tzu wrote:
“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.”
In other words: Never play defense. Always strike first.
This was Roy Cohn’s number one rule, and Trump didn’t just adopt it—he made it his core philosophy.
If you observe Trump’s career, you’ll see one pattern repeating over and over again: He never waits for an attack. He preempts it. He overwhelms. He escalates. He turns every battle into a scorched-earth war.
I had a fascinating conversation about this with Richard Branson on Necker Island in September 2024. Branson—who has been quite vocal about his distaste for Trump—shared something revealing.
During the 2016 elections, both Trump and Hillary Clinton invited him to separate meetings.
When he sat down with Hillary, she spoke about governance, strategy, innovation, and policy.
When he met with Trump? The entire conversation was about revenge.
Trump listed people who had wronged him, one by one, and described exactly how he planned to destroy them.
Branson walked out of that meeting shaken.
He had never met someone so singularly obsessed with retaliation.
But here’s the thing: It worked.
Trump’s relentless attacks obliterated his political rivals. In 2016, one by one, every Republican candidate who stood in his way was demolished.
This isn’t just politics. This is branding warfare.
Robert Greene, in The 48 Laws of Power, puts it this way:
“Crush your enemy totally.”
Trump doesn’t just defeat opponents. He erases them from relevance.
But what about those who stand with him?
That’s a different story.
At Mar-a-Lago, I saw this firsthand.
I had been invited to a private dinner for an incoming governor in March 2024. The attendees were some of the most politically influential people in America. And while I didn’t necessarily share their political views, I found them to be polite, warm, and genuinely kind individuals.
But the conversations? Fascinating.
One person confidently told me that 350,000 Chinese operatives had crossed the U.S. border and were waiting for China’s signal to attack America.
Another person claimed that two million terrorists were currently hiding within the United States.
Someone else insisted that Biden wasn’t actually running the country—that Barack Obama was secretly in charge, funded by George Soros.
Now, let’s be clear—I don’t think these beliefs hold up under objective scrutiny.
But what struck me was this: These weren’t angry, aggressive conspiracy theorists. They were polite, rational, and open to discussion.
When I questioned some of their claims, they listened. No tension. No fights. Just discussion.
And then, Trump walked in.
The energy in the room shifted instantly.
I have only seen a handful of people who radiate this level of charisma in person. The Dalai Lama is one of them.
As he greeted the crowd, he pointed at us and said:
“I love you!”
The room exploded.
“We love you, Mr. President!”
“We’re with you till the end!”
It was a level of loyalty that is extremely rare for any leader.
Regardless of what you think of him, Trump’s magnetism is undeniable.
But here’s the paradox: If you oppose him, he will try to destroy you.
And in American politics, that Machiavellian strategy has proven to be highly effective.
Rule #2: Admit nothing, deny everything
If Rule #1 is about overwhelming your enemies with force, Rule #2 is about something even more powerful: controlling reality itself.
This is Roy Cohn’s second golden rule, and Trump has turned it into an art form.
The rule is simple: Never admit fault. Never concede. Deny everything. No matter what.
This isn’t just about avoiding accountability. This is about bending reality to your will.
And Trump has done this over and over again, with astonishing effectiveness.
Let’s look at some of the most infamous examples.
Case study: The lawsuit that “never happened”
One of Trump’s earliest legal battles came in the 1970s when the U.S. Department of Justice sued Trump’s father’s company for racial discrimination in housing.
Trump’s response?
They didn’t just deny the charges—they counter-sued the U.S. government.
Eventually, the Trumps settled. But how did Trump spin it?
“We didn’t lose. We won.”
Factually, this was untrue. But in Trump’s world, it became true.
And this pattern would repeat throughout his entire career.
The 2020 election: The ultimate reality distortion field
Nowhere is this rule more evident than in Trump’s handling of the 2020 election.
Every court ruling, every recount, every single legal fact pointed to the same conclusion: Trump lost.
And yet, to this day, millions of people still believe he won.
Why?
Because he never admitted defeat.
Instead, he reframed the entire election as a stolen victory. He flooded social media with claims of fraud, manipulated perception, and planted a seed that no amount of evidence could uproot.
This is the power of Rule #2.
If you simply refuse to acknowledge reality, you force the world to choose: Do they believe their own eyes? Or do they believe you?
And if you’re charismatic enough, bold enough, and unyielding enough—people will believe you.
Trump’s superpower: The ability to rewrite history in real-time
A few months ago, I spoke to a seminar organizer who used to book Trump for speaking events before he became President.
He told me something mind-blowing.
There was a seminar where 8,000 people attended.
After the event, he followed Trump back to his suite for a quick chat.
Trump picked up the phone, called Melania, and said:
“Can you believe it? 18,000 people showed up to see me!”
Now—Trump knew the real number.
The seminar organizer was sitting right next to him.
And yet, in that moment, Trump rewrote the past.
Not out of forgetfulness. Not out of a simple exaggeration.
But because, in his mind, 18,000 was now a reality.
And this is where Trump does something most people can’t comprehend:
He doesn’t just lie—he creates a new truth.
Most of us, when confronted with reality, adjust our beliefs. Trump does the opposite.
He adjusts reality to fit his beliefs.
The big leap: Trump and the absence of an “upper limit”
Now, let’s pause for a moment—because there’s a fascinating personal growth concept at play here.
Gay Hendricks, in The Big Leap, talks about something called the Upper Limit Problem.
The idea is that most people have an internal thermostat for success, happiness, and self-worth.
When we exceed that limit—whether it’s a big career win, a massive relationship breakthrough, or a financial windfall—we subconsciously sabotage ourselves to return to our comfort zone.
Trump?
He has the opposite problem.
He doesn’t see limits at all.
He expands reality to fit his version of himself.
Call it narcissism. Call it delusion.
But the reality is—it works.
Because the world believes the people who believe in themselves the most.
This brings us to…
Rule #3: Always claim victory
There’s a phrase in branding and persuasion that goes like this:
“It’s not about the truth. It’s about the truth people believe.”
And no one embodies this more than Trump.
Roy Cohn’s third golden rule was simple but incredibly effective: No matter what happens, always claim victory.
Even when you lose.
Even when the facts say otherwise.
Because here’s the secret: People don’t remember details. They remember the story. And the story that wins is the one told with the most conviction.
Trump understands this better than almost anyone alive.
He doesn’t just claim victory—he does it with so much confidence that people start questioning reality itself.
The 2020 election: The biggest “victory” that never happened
Let’s take a step back to the 2020 election.
By every possible metric—legal, statistical, factual—Trump lost.
The courts ruled against him. Recounts confirmed the results. Every piece of credible evidence pointed to the same conclusion: Joe Biden won.
But Trump never conceded.
Instead, he reframed the loss as a fraudulent victory.
He planted the idea that the election was stolen, and once that narrative took hold, no amount of evidence could shake it. And here’s what’s absolutely mind-blowing—millions still believe it.
Not because the claim was supported by facts. But because it was delivered with conviction.
This is why Trump is still the dominant force in Republican politics today. Because he never allowed himself to be seen as a loser. In the world of influence and personal branding, losing is often worse than being wrong. And Trump knows that.
The bankruptcy “wins”
The 2020 election wasn’t the first time Trump rewrote history in real-time. In the 1990s, his business empire was crumbling.
- His Atlantic City casinos were bleeding money.
- He filed for multiple bankruptcies.
- His investors lost billions.
For most business leaders, this would have been the end. But not for Trump.
He never admitted failure. Instead, he rebranded bankruptcy as a genius business move. He walked away from his casino failures richer than before—while his investors got wiped out.
But if you ask him? He’ll tell you he won. And because he never acknowledged defeat, most people never saw him as a failure.
The inauguration crowd that “grew” on its own
One of the most blatant examples of this rule happened on Trump’s first day in office.
During his inauguration, news outlets published aerial photos comparing his crowd size to Obama’s 2009 inauguration.
And the difference was clear: Obama’s crowd was far bigger.
So what did Trump do?
He simply declared that his crowd was the largest in history. Even though the photos proved otherwise.
Rather than backing down, his press secretary doubled down on the claim. Suddenly, the conversation wasn’t about policies, the economy, or the future—it was about who had the biggest crowd.
And by the time the media finished arguing about it, Trump had already moved on.
The power of reframing reality
The lesson here isn’t just about Trump.
It’s about human psychology.
- Entrepreneurs sell themselves as billionaires before they hit their first million.
- Athletes visualize their victories before stepping onto the field.
- CEOs project confidence in their startups, even when their companies are burning cash.
Because here’s the truth: Winning is often a matter of perception. And if you can control the perception, you can control reality.
When this works (and when it doesn’t)
Now, this rule is incredibly powerful—but it has two sides.
If you declare victory with conviction, you can:
- Attract investors who believe in your vision.
- Build momentum even when the odds are against you.
- Create the feeling of winning—which often leads to actual success.
But there’s a dark side: delusion.
If you keep claiming victory even when reality is crumbling, eventually, the truth catches up.
- Investors stop believing in you.
- Employees lose faith.
- Your empire collapses.
So the real question isn’t just, “Does this work?”—because it clearly does.
The real question is: How far would you take it? Because once you start bending reality, it’s easy to lose sight of the truth altogether.
And that leads us to Trump’s final rule—his true superpower.
Rule #4: Relentless optimism
Roy Cohn taught Trump how to attack and deny, but the fourth and final rule in Trump’s personal growth playbook comes from a very different source: Norman Vincent Peale, the pastor who shaped Trump’s core belief system.
Peale’s philosophy, outlined in The Power of Positive Thinking, was radical self-belief taken to the extreme. His mantra? “If you think it, it will be so.” In other words, reality bends to the will of those who believe hard enough. And Trump has lived by this principle his entire life.
The power of positive illusions
This explains why Trump’s many financial collapses never seemed to faze him. Even when his Atlantic City casinos went bankrupt, he walked into meetings projecting absolute confidence—so much so that banks kept lending him money. He convinced investors that failure wasn’t real because, in his mind, it simply wasn’t an option.
And it wasn’t just business—this mindset shaped his entire approach to politics. Take his presidential campaign in 2016. Pundits laughed at the idea of a reality TV star with no political experience winning the White House. The media dismissed his campaign as a joke. And yet, Trump acted as if victory was inevitable from day one. His supporters felt his confidence, and that belief became contagious.
Failure? What failure?
Most people, when they suffer a public failure, go into damage control. They issue apologies, explain their mistakes, and try to win back credibility.
Not Trump.
When something doesn’t go his way, he simply acts like it never happened. His businesses collapse? “That was a smart business move.” His administration fumbles a policy? “It was actually a huge success.”
And here’s the wild part—people buy it.
Psychologists call this “positive illusions”, a cognitive bias where people who maintain extreme optimism—even in the face of failure—end up influencing reality itself. When a leader truly believes they are winning, they can convince others to follow them—even if the facts say otherwise.
Trump’s ultimate psychological shield
One of the most fascinating things about Trump’s relentless optimism is how it serves as a psychological shield.
A former White House aide once described watching him walk into a meeting completely unprepared, bluff his way through, and leave convinced he had dominated the room. He had no self-doubt. No hesitation. Just pure, unshakable confidence.
And the thing is, this kind of mindset is scientifically proven to work. Studies have shown that leaders who project confidence—whether or not it’s justified—are perceived as more competent. Even when they fail, people see them as visionaries rather than frauds.
The real lesson: When optimism becomes delusion
So, does relentless optimism work? Absolutely. It keeps you moving forward. It makes failure feel like a temporary inconvenience rather than a real setback. It builds an aura of invincibility.
But there’s a fine line between optimism and delusion.
At some point, reality catches up. Investors pull out. Supporters grow skeptical. And if you’ve built your empire entirely on positive illusions, the crash can be catastrophic.
So, the real question isn’t whether Trump’s relentless optimism is effective.
The question is: How far would you take it?
Final thoughts
Would you use these rules?
Trump’s rules—Attack Relentlessly, Deny Everything, Always Claim Victory, and Stay Relentlessly Optimistic—aren’t just political tactics. They are principles of influence, branding, and personal resilience that have been used by leaders, CEOs, and power players throughout history.
These rules have built billion-dollar empires, crushed opposition, and propelled him to the highest office in the world. They are also rooted in psychological strategies used by the most powerful figures throughout history—from military generals to corporate titans to media moguls.
But they also come with a cost.
When you attack relentlessly, you create enemies who never forget. When you deny reality, reality eventually catches up. When you always claim victory, you risk delusion. And when you stay relentlessly optimistic, you walk a fine line between confidence and blind arrogance.
Yet, these strategies work—at least for a time. And perhaps that’s why Trump, even in the face of indictments, bankruptcies, and political defeats, remains as influential as ever.
And here’s the thing. If you had asked me before that evening in March 2024 at Mar-a-Lago, I would have said—without hesitation—that I was anti-Trump. Not because of his policies, not because of his party, but because I had assumed he was a vengeful, hateful man. Someone so consumed by anger and ego that being in a room with him would be suffocating.
But that wasn’t the man I met. The Trump I saw was the exact opposite—charismatic, warm, full of high energy. And honestly? He was just fun to be around. Not the monster I had expected.
And it wasn’t just him.
I had also assumed that the MAGA movement was filled with narrow-minded conspiracy theorists, racists, and hateful and delusional people who saw the world in extremes. But the people I met in that room weren’t like that at all. They were kind. They were generous. They were intelligent. They operated from a different set of facts, yes—but they were open to discussion. They listened. They debated politely. They were willing to engage.
That night, I had to confront an uncomfortable truth about myself.
A lot of the conclusions I made about Trump and his followers came from one side of the media. And that had shaped my worldview into a rigid, binary perspective—where certain politicians were good and others were evil.
But life isn’t binary. Everything lies on a spectrum.
And in that spectrum are shades of gray—nuances that get erased when we let ourselves be polarized.
That night, I left with a newfound conviction: the moment you label one side as “good” and the other as “bad,” you stop seeing reality. You stop analyzing people for who they actually are, and instead, you judge them based on the version of them you’ve been fed.
I no longer see the world that way. And I don’t think anyone else should, either. Because the best way to truly see the truth about someone isn’t to assume. It isn’t to rely on what you’re told. It’s to analyze them yourself—to look at them with an open mind, to see both their light and their shadow, and to recognize that we all exist somewhere in between.
So, the real question isn’t just whether these rules work.
The real question is: Would you use them?
If you would or wouldn’t, let me know in the comments below.
Because at the end of the day, power isn’t about being right—it’s about knowing how to play the game.
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Comment by Vishen:
I want to be clear, this newsletter is not meant to be political – America is divided on their voting choices and I won’t bring politics into Mindvalley. But I have been clear since 2016 on my stance on Trump. He is not the right man to lead America and has too many flaws of character. Even the day before the election I went on Instagram live to endorse Harris (on my insta, not Mindvalley). I still hold the view that Trump should not have won. But my job is to bring unity and not get political on Mindvalley. This article is designed to provoke thought and to show that in politics today – Machiavellian and Sun Tzu principles oftentimes trump spiritual laws. For each rule I’m not suggesting one adopt them – I’m only shining light on the belief system behind them.
510 Responses
This does make me wonder if Mindvalley should do a course based on Robert Anton Wilson’s Prometheus Rising. Vishen’s article looks to me like a Circuit 3 Rational Analysis but most responses are based on Circuit 2 Territorial threat. Political Candidates often drum up support by making the right Circuit 1 Survival and Circuit 2 noises that active these “lower” centres. If we are to be “unfuckwithable” we can’t afford to be triggered and move into a state of threat/defend at the expense of losing out ability to do calm rational Analysis. As evolved beings or intending to be evolved beings we should be able to look at things with multiple perspectives without too much trouble. (dare I say like the Predator does in the warehouse in Predator 2)
Thank you for sharing! It just confirms my decision to leave mindvalley. Clearly our values don’t align. I stand in support of kindness, diversity, empathy, compassion and equality for all. Best of luck!
Well, Vishen, I can’t help wondering if you realized that this Trump email could alienate you from a good portion of your American audience that doesn’t like and didn’t vote for him? Quite frankly, while reading this, I did want to throw my phone across the room (as you suggested). For there was little for me to actually see eye-to-eye with you about. Well, apart from the fact that you really shouldn’t get involved in politics (and I feel like highlighting Trump, at this moment in time, is doing just that. Why, is Elon up next?) Anyway, it seems clear to me that you do not have a finger on the pulse of just what the h*ll is really happening to our democracy here in America. But hey, thanks for sharing that you got warm, fuzzy feelings from the nice, rich folks at Mar-a-Lago. I wonder what their motivation might have been in being so nice to you? Seeing that you are a rich, influential type and all, and them full well knowing that you may later post about your experience and sudden change of heart and political stance, as well, to your members. Next time, why don’t you just send a thank you card in the mail to Mar-a-Lago singing all of their praises and leave your members completely unaware of this sickening, little, schmooze fest. Unfortunately, it gets worse, though. For you also harp on about the qualities that make that malignant narcissistic, sociopath Trump not only charismatic, but some kind of gr…gr…GROSS leader! And now, you are saying you want to be neutral like Switzerland? Do you consider that just ‘playing the game’? Going along with whatever way the prevailing winds blow? Well then, if our democracy should actually fall here in America and Putin gets emboldened with more money or resources (potentially from his good buddy Trump); and then, tries to expand upon his Russian borders into the rest of Europe (to include Estonia, if that is where you still reside), then please remind me to send you an email discussing the key business acumens of Putin. Why, I even saw Putin smiling and laughing in a video recently with his oligarch following (Surely, he’s not a monster? There must just be a lot of clumsy people falling off of balconies in Russia). And all the while Putin was hamming it up, he kept Trump waiting on the phone to talk about the possibility of a cease fire deal with Ukraine, which never did come to fruition. So then, if Ukraine should fall in the future because Trump has more of less abandoned our support of them, don’t be at all surprised if Putin starts knocking on more European’s back doors and threatens to take away all of their personal liberties and freedoms, too! Now then, hopefully by hitting closer to your home, you can see why I found your email in extremely bad taste. I had erroneously thought you were one of us, the exception to the rule when it came to the rich, ‘screw-everyone-else-to-get-ahead mentality’. But it now seems like you are more concerned with your own assets, willing to bend over and kiss whoever else’s assets are in power to hopefully, not lose your own good standing as a fair weather ‘friend.’ Well then, congratulations! I imagine your oligarch’s membership card will be in the mail soon. Seriously, how could you highlight, of all people, Trump’s power plays as some kind of effective leadership quality for the hard-hearted asshol*s among us? Further, to do so when America’s very democracy is now being seriously threatened! As such, I can no longer stomach the idea of belonging to what I had thought, in part, was an empowering, spiritual growth learning platform when you have so gr….gr…GROSSLY misused it. So, to show you just how upset this email has made me, I am going to cancel my membership.
Trump is the center of his universe and he uses his showmanship to ridicule, bully and ultimately control the narrative.
He is the leader of a cult of people who have abandoned their critical thinking skills…as you mentioned, once he
enters the room, they love him and believe anything he says regardless of the truth. He contorts and destroys
reality to be what he wants it to be, not what is in fact…self aggrandizement is not self actualization..
We are witnessing what happens without ethics, human value, honesty, good manners and decency.
The Dalai Lama is known for his compassion, care and concern for humanity….complete antithesis of Trump who is
a true narcissist, bully, and Machiavellian. On a gray scale as opposed to binary spectrum, trying for
a balance in this tumultuous traumatic political time in the USA, maybe by honoring the principles of the Dali Lama
we can make America kind again.
I am considering cancelling my subscription because I find it appalling that you don’t understand charisma or the evil side of Silva Mind-control.
I have learned a lot from the Silva method with Mindvalley and other systematic ways to affect reality with your mind. However these abilities are neutral: a person can develop them in good ways and in evil ways.
Roy Cohn’s methods are powerful, but also wrong and evil. I’m not surprised he worked for the Mafia.
Let’s look at the principles you outlined: 1. Attack, attack, attack. This is essentially a Bully’s Charter, as we saw when Trump met the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zhelenskyy. Trump and JD Vance spent the entire time shouting at Zhelensky, telling him off for not wearing a suit, lying to him. I was amazed at how well Zhelenskyy kept his temper, kept his focus. He was the only adult in the room that day.
2. Admit nothing, deny everything. This works for a remarkably long time but eventually people realise that nothing you say is true and they abandon you. This happened to Hitler (shot his girlfriend and then himself) and Mussolini (dangling from a lamppost). Behind him he left his country in ruins, Europe in ruins. It’s been said that Hitler was tremendously charismatic and made people feel warm and happy to be with him.
3. Always claim victory. More lie-mode. More modest leaders like Churchill admitted their defeats and turned them into victories – like Dunkirk. An appalling costly defeat – but it’s now remembered as a defeat which taught the English a great deal.
4. Relentless optimism. Now this is a very powerful talent and can often bend reality. But it can lead to delusion and in Hitler’s case it did. He attacked the Soviet Union and allowed his Japanese allies to attack Pearl Harbour. What did it get him? The entire world in arms against him. Germany could have won WWII if they hadn’t turned on Stalin – Hitler’s optimism led him astray.
The fifth factor, but in fact the first in importance, is Trump’s charisma. Personally I find him disgusting, ugly and stupid – but a lot of people and his MAGA fans especially truly believe in him and love him. I believe that charisma is an important though rare psychic power. Trump very definitely still has charisma and can still get MAGAs cheering and yelling for him and giving him money, no matter how poor they are.
Clearly Trump’s charisma pulled you in and made you one of his slaves. I don’t think you’ve recognised this yet. Don’t be embarrassed even though the dangerous attraction of Trump has also taken you away from your ethics (as I understood them.) In this post you have endorsed the idea that power is all that matters, power is everything. Is that something you would have promoted a few years ago? I don’t think so.
You have to go through Trump Recovery. Meditate, take yourself to one of your many excellent teachers and learn to undo the number that Trump has run on your soul. Perhaps go on a retreat. It’s ok to be bamboozled into following the wrong person so long as you get yourself out of the trap. Being wealthy and successful makes that harder but it can still be done.
Let’s hope you don’t go down with Trump. Good luck. patriciafinney@btinternet.com
I am considering cancelling my subscription because I find it appalling that you don’t understand charisma or the evil side of Silva Mind-control.
I have learned a lot from the Silva method with Mindvalley and other systematic ways to affect reality with your mind. However these abilities are neutral: a person can develop them in good ways and in evil ways.
Roy Cohn’s methods are powerful, but also wrong and evil. I’m not surprised he worked for the Mafia.
Let’s look at the principles you outlined: 1. Attack, attack, attack. This is essentially a Bully’s Charter, as we saw when Trump met the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zhelenskyy. Trump and JD Vance spent the entire time shouting at Zhelensky, telling him off for not wearing a suit, lying to him. I was amazed at how well Zhelenskyy kept his temper, kept his focus. He was the only adult in the room that day.
2. Admit nothing, deny everything. This works for a remarkably long time but eventually people realise that nothing you say is true and they abandon you. This happened to Hitler (shot his girlfriend and then himself) and Mussolini (dangling from a lamppost). Behind him he left his country in ruins, Europe in ruins. It’s been said that Hitler was tremendously charismatic and made people feel warm and happy to be with him.
3. Always claim victory. More lie-mode. More modest leaders like Churchill admitted their defeats and turned them into victories – like Dunkirk. An appalling costly defeat – but it’s now remembered as a defeat which taught the English a great deal.
4. Relentless optimism. Now this is a very powerful talent and can often bend reality. But it can lead to delusion and in Hitler’s case it did. He attacked the Soviet Union and allowed his Japanese allies to attack Pearl Harbour. What did it get him? The entire world in arms against him. Germany could have won WWII if they hadn’t turned on Stalin – Hitler’s optimism led him astray.
The fifth factor, but in fact the first in importance, is Trump’s charisma. Personally I find him disgusting, ugly and stupid – but a lot of people and his MAGA fans especially truly believe in him and love him. I believe that charisma is an important though rare psychic power. Trump very definitely still has charisma and can still get MAGAs cheering and yelling for him and giving him money, no matter how poor they are.
Clearly Trump’s charisma pulled you in and made you one of his slaves. I don’t think you’ve recognised this yet. Don’t be embarrassed even though the dangerous attraction of Trump has also taken you away from your ethics (as I understood them.) In this post you have endorsed the idea that power is all that matters, power is everything. Is that something you would have promoted a few years ago? I don’t think so.
You have to go through Trump Recovery. Meditate, take yourself to one of your many excellent teachers and learn to undo the number that Trump has run on your soul. Perhaps go on a retreat. It’s ok to be bamboozled into following the wrong person so long as you get yourself out of the trap. Being wealthy and successful makes that harder but it can still be done.
Let’s hope you don’t go down with Trump. Good luck.
Hi Vishen,
I appreciate that you are trying to open up a discussion.. that you are endeavouring to open your mind to a non-polarized perspective.
As I read through your newsletter, I felt quite uncomfortable. I, like you, also admit that I’ve had some polarized perspectives.. from a lifetime of living in a culture (Western) that’s been steeped in a GOOD/BAD (God or Christ/Satan) narrative for centuries. When I look at most of the television shows that kids watch, the majority of books that are available, the news media (on both sides) and just the way I and others use language in this culture.. I see, almost constantly.. moralistic judgements being dolled out. Good.. Bad.. right.. wrong.. it’s everywhere. I don’t like Trump but I don’t think that he’s Good or Bad in any absolute way.. I see alot of harm happening as a result of his way of being in the world,..his adherence to the principles you outlined as his core strategies for “success”.. but I also see that having the belief that he is evil or bad isn’t helping the world either.. Division isn’t going to take me/us where I want to go as a species, as a society.
What I find interesting in your article, and seems like a very important point, is that you use the word “Success” many times to describe Trump’s position and achievements in wealth, politics and power. It seems to me that this word “success” can be used in many different ways, and depends primarily on an individual’s core values. If someone primarily values financial wealth, fame and political/societal power/status.. then the metrics by which success is gauged stop with – how much money do they have, how many people know about them/talk about them/like them, and how high up in the world hiearchy of Politics are they situated. The fact that you started MindValley suggests to me that this is not where your gauge for success stops.. but your article seems to focus only on these metrics. My core values are authenticity, integrity, responsibility, honesty, truth, love, peace, service.. The metrics for valuing success are so different for me. My worldly success, in terms of finances, influence etc is secondary to my intention of being LOVE in the world. If I acheived alot of influence and financial wealth without being in integrity with my core values I wouldn’t gauge myself as a success. When I was reading your article I kept thinking “is Trump actually successful?”. From my perspective, based on my values he isn’t successful. I see him as the opposite of a role model for success – as I define it. So I wouldn’t employ his first 3 principles for living. I do use something that might be a bit similar to the fourth principle. I like to see my “mistakes” or “failures” as lessons and opportunities for growth.. I can use any situation or experience as an opportunity for growth. This feels like a kindof of positive thinking mindset.. it really helps me to face life and keep evolving.
I’m impressed that you went to the Republican event and I enjoyed hearing about your experience of the people there being polite, respectful, intelligent.. how that helped to unwind your negative generalized ideas about republicans. I wonder if the way they were interacting with you may have had something to do with the energy that you were bringing to the conversation as well? As one of my favourite mentors says “Nothing can defend against kindness and respect”.
I imagine you might get a lot of flack for this article you wrote.. and while I didn’t resonate with your use of the word success in it, I’m happy that you wrote it, because it gave me an opportunity to go deeper into my own psyche to see how I was thinking about Trump things. It challenged me to see things from different perspectives and speak from my heart about a topic that seems to divide people so strongly.
Wishing you well.
Namaste,
Geoffrey
Wow! Reading the comments section, it’s a long time time since I have seen such a good example of Robert Anton Wilson’s “what the thinker thinks, the prover proves”.
I can’t help but think of Mattias Desmet’s “mass formation” or the sunglasses scene from “They Live”.
Has nobody taken Lesson 3 from Wildfit and applied it outside the area of food?
You know stripping out the internal dialogue, rule and meanings constructed as a view of the world….and instead……. interacting directly with the world using embodied senses rather than mental projections.
Vishen, I’m shocked at seeing that you used someone who clearly is mentally ill (everything you described just confirms he is a narcissist), has no morals and can be easily compared to Hitler as our potential authority figure!
Confidence, influence and respect can be achieved in different ways! Can’t believe I wasted my time reading this article and beyond disappointed that Mindvalley is promoting such behaviour.
I didn’t read all the comments in response to your article. I did notice a lot of the hate mongers chiming in. Apparently for some your long running messages regarding maintaining inner peace only applies when the world around us aligns with our self-determined values.
I enjoyed your article and perspective. I’m not a big Trump fan and truly can’t bring myself to listen to him speak, but I do believe he has the best interests of this country and the world at heart. I think one of the things that sets him apart from politicians is that when most politicians want to deliver a speech they turn to their speech writers who in turn team up with researchers who study the polls, news articles and listen to the media outlets. They gather the information that statistically indicates what the voting public might want to hear and in the end the politician delivers an address crafted to tell you what they think you want to hear. They are seldom sincere and genuine and seek only for reelection. It constantly amazes me that a politician can go to Washington DC on a modest six figure salary and within a few years be worth millions; some are worth hundreds of millions with seven and even 8 figure annual incomes. Truly amazing.
In Trump’s case I believe his speeches are written to deliver what Trump wants to you hear. Whether you like him or not, or agree or not, he speaks his truth and moves toward goals that he believes to be in the nation’s best interest.
As far as the question of would I use his principles in my own life? I have always believed that anyone can have and achieve anything they desire as long as they are willing to pay the price. Sometimes it is challenging to find what that price is, but either way, being a self-sacrificing minded person I cannot see myself as adopting his life’s rules. I am not a competitive person and I can’t stand to watch as athletes dance around making spectacles of themselves because they “crushed” the opposition. I don’t have that instinct and have no desire to develop it. I also don’t believe that someone else’s behavior should be an excuse to be vulgar, riot in the streets and destroy other’s property and businesses. It disgusts me that people, politicians included, on one hand call themselves responsible and patriotic while yelling and screaming slogans of anti-Americanism and hatred. I believe many of the comments above attest to this self-praise of “look how great I am because I meditate, listen to vibration aligning tones and align my Chakras” yet they fill their hearts with evil hatred. People, you will never gain peace through violence and hatred.
In the end, Trump only has four years with no re-election in the future. If he and his team do a good job we will all benefit, even those that rage against him. If they don’t to a good job we will spend some time readjusting. To me the big question you must ask yourselves is, when all is said and done, can you, will you be proud to look yourself in the mirror and say you responded and handled yourself in a respectable manner? Will you be proud to look at your children, or others and say “I acted honorably and am worthy to be a citizen of this amazingly great country”. The United States is still the country that citizens of other countries want to come to, to make their dreams come true. Do you truly appreciate where you live?
Vishen,
I absolutely know that holding things as good/bad right/wrong does not further consciousness. However condoning toxic behavior because it’s creating a brand is like condoning hitler. He was also very successful, but at what cost? Looking at it from a spiritual perspective atrocities happen often so we can see the bigger picture and make changes. My own childhood abuse served who I became but I’m in transformation because I believe there’s a better way!
There’s a better way to create success than revengeful thinking, then bias for conflict.
I believe there will be good come out of what is happening right now but to condone his behavior because it’s “successful” is like saying the atom bomb works so let’s use that more.!
At what cost success?
At what point did transformation become about a brand, and how much intimidation could we use to get our way?
If Mindvalley is about success at all costs, then I guess this fits the brand!
I thought MindValley had more vision than that.
This email is not just disappointing. It’s disturbing!
I found the newsletter fascinating and read it several times.
Still, there is an aspect that I find extremely important: the spirit or level from where reality is bent. What are the forces that are using the tools? Is there awareness?
In your book “The Code of the Extraordinary Mind” you write about the importance of choosing goals from the highest Self.
I was surprised that you didn’t really raise the question from which level Trump is bending reality.
The tools that Trump has been using are obviously working extremely well – but what about integrity, consciousness and the ideas and forces (spiritually speaking) that are driving all this?
There is a simple way to express the impossible relationship between integrity and dehumanizing politics. I am paraphrasing the Austrian Writer, composer and comedian Gerhard Bronner (1922-2007) here, who said this about Nationalsocialism (I will use the expression “dehumanizing politics” instead).
‘There are 3 qualities that can never be true about a person at the same time: integrity, intelligence and supporting dehumanizing politics.
So a person can be intelligent and support dehumanizing politics – but then they don’t have integrity. A person can have integrity and support dehumanizing politics, but then they are not intelligent.
If you are intelligent and have integrity, you simply can’t support dehumanizing politics.
This might sound moralizing, but I don’t mean it that way.
I appreciate the differentiation in your newsletter and your way of looking at the whole phenomenon.
Still, there is something disturbing when I read how you describe that he (Trump) was “fun to be around”. I guess it was, at the very physical, human-body and social animal level.
The level where charisma is contagious.
But what about the level of ideas (culturescape) and goals that drive this person? How did it feel there?
The magnitude of Trump’s ideas must feel impressive, but what’s behind it?
I have no idea how it feels to be in a room with people of such wealth and power – that’s not the level I play at.
I can only guess that if one tunes into the higher aspects it will feel very different in a room with D. Trump vs. in a room with a powerful person who at the same time follows a path of compassion.
It’s a question of alignment.
To be clear: I completely agree with “the Buddha and the Badass” view of spirituality. In my spiritual tradition and training it’s similarly emphasised that we must develop will and structure and learn to handle power for any spiritual development to be meaningful.
Yet… something really felt off in that newsletter.
Let’s keep growing in power AND create from alignment with the highest Self.
Sending Love from Austria,
Angelika
Yesterday, I read your text just before going to the specialist at the hospital. I was so shocked about your text and your question, that when I saw the doctor (who was telling me he did not know what I wave been having since I have been coming at the emergency room about my ALt being 3500 the past 3 monts and he would send me do a lot more tests and get called in 11/2 month), I started to cry, not because of what the doctor told me, but because Vishen, you where the person and the company I was listening to calm myself and visualise (to get away from the aggression of now- I am sure -your friend Trump) to help me heal I cried and cried and cried. How can I tell my husband that I did not cry because I was sooo sick, but because I felt betrayed by the company I payed a few hundred dollars to help me heal? I know now I made a bad choice to trust you. I see that money/not your customers is your value. One suggestion, get your text reviewed before sending it to your costumers. Trump will make you rich with money , is that what you realy want? Realy?…
The main thing I took away is DT’s 4 rules. Those rules totally reveal DT’s method of operation. However, I was appalled that you express admiration for the man. And, when you asked if we would want to apply his rules, I was doubly dismayed. You might as well continue on with a comparison of Hitler to Trump. That is the reality I see when DR savagely tears apart the constitution and the principles governing our country. Yes, there is bloating in the government, but he is attacking services needed by working people. He’s doing nothing to replace what he’s removing with something constructive. Putting him under scrutiny is not something I expected from MV.
Trump’s impact on local communities has been horrendous. Want to recruit volunteers to serve on local school boards, community boards, or governing boards? MAGA supporters will tar and feather you on social media and take it a step further by “outing” public officials or small community staff’ addresses. If you make a statement that Trumpsters don’t like or bring in experts to present different alternatives for a course of action, the armchair MAGAs will dissect what was stated and rally up the community to oppose. If there are critical issues facing small communities, the MAGA crowd will deny, deflect, lie, and make up their own list of priorities, just like the Liar-in-Chief. Want to shut down discussion? Paint the participants as “leftists,” “extremists and elitists,” “damn dims (sic),” “liberals or librals” and question their background, voting record, and “too much” education. He is a horrible human being and his MAGA supporters tend to reflect his worst leadership characteristics.
Lie, Lie Lie and keep building.
I want to hear your antidote to all of these mind-F…… g. Lie Techniques .
Your counter rather then admiration is what we need to hear from you!
Inner strength & spiritual connections & truth must have a remedy to this brutal attacks – now the fired fed workers can pick strawberries & like Gaza just forget the dead bodies becuz everyone us looking at the sky of $$$ saved!
Give us some reflective hope to attack the enemy! The mental & psychological remedy or antidote if you please.
You’ve built an international community that promotes so much good, peace and calmness and you’ve thought this was something worth sending your subscribers?? I’m all for opening a discussion but I didn’t sign up for this nonsense and reframing of what is essentially a modern day dictator.
I’m not from the US and am really reconsidering my subscription based on this insane propaganda disguised as “discussion”. Know your audience mate.
Vishen, you’re influential and this lacks discernment for the impressionable. You leave a huge bandwidth of ambiguity and leave out the opportunity to bring it back to love.
It reads as admiration and you position yourself as aligned with the tactics, to a large extent.
You can take the politics out and still give an accurate representation of the man, and it’s obviously not all sunshine and success.
just saying that this isn’t an endorsement means nothing when it reads as a love letter.
Of course everyone was “lovely” – you were running with their circle and provided zero threat to them – the fact that you were even invited to Mar a Lago speaks to that.
You dismiss people’s, real and valid, concerns regarding Trump as black and white, yet you’re not recognizing that your own experience is skewed because of your personal interaction and privileged position.
Lastly, this measure of success is limited by the notion that accumulation at all costs is everything. One created through the illusion of separation, where what you do unto another has no ramifications or impact onto thyself.
This simply is juvenile. Focusing your attention on the fleeting, finite, acquisition of materials above the infinite Essence of consciousness.
I certainly agree with your analysis. However, you forgot one important factor. You partly included it but I think it needs it’s own line.
Nobody in politics does what they say. The messages in the campaign becomes compromised and end up not be even close to the campaign message. Trump (attacks) bring the subject up and find ways to get things done as he promised. See the border wall. He could not get funding through congress so he (relentlessly) found another way to build the wall.
Contrary to you I think he brings new standards into politics, which is good. Other politician will dare more and leaders will break the ceilings.
Fascinating perspective, Vishen! I deeply appreciate the being you are and your powerful voice, insight, and leadership. – – I follow a variation of this playbook, not by conscious choice, but because life experiences have proved this to be the way of being that nourishes my soul. 1. Assert, Assert, Assert: that what you focus on grows, so focus only on what you want to see/feel/be. 2. Never Doubt or Deny: guidance that makes me feel joy and gratitude. 3. Rewrite Reality in Real Time to enhance my belief that only good will come from this and everything is always working out for the highest good. 4. Show up. With certainty, authenticity, positivity, openness, willingness, and Radical Optimism. – – I consider the nuanced differences in President Trump’s playbook vs mine similar to the nuanced differences between the version of the 10 commandments observed by most people vs the 10 commandments as described in Conversation With God, book 1, by Neale Donald Walsh in that The latter is more freeing and uplifts all sentient beings. – – Thanks, yet again, for your courage, commitment to the expansion of humanity, and willingness to put yourself ‘out there’ continuously to expose myself and the world to new ways of being, feeling, thinking, and becoming.