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.
518 Responses
I have followed Mindvalley for a few years now and have greatly appreciated many of your courses,
but I must admit that this article truly disappoints me. Highlighting Trump’s strategies without critically reflecting on the person himself—his values, his ethics, and the real-world impact of his actions—seems deeply misaligned with Mindvalley’s messages of consciousness, authenticity, and integrity.
This is not just about strategy. Trump is not merely a controversial figure—he has a well-documented history of racism, chauvinism, and dishonesty. He has repeatedly used fear, division, and lies to manipulate people and maintain power. His values are the opposite of what true personal growth should stand for.
How does this align with Mindvalley’s mission to create a more conscious and loving world? I genuinely wish this article had taken a more nuanced approach and acknowledged the ethical implications of praising these ‘strategies’ without addressing the damage they have caused.
Unfortunately, it makes me question Mindvalley’s values in a new way.
NO! I’m very disappointed with your article! Many people are losing their jobs, and probably their homes and much more. A 10 year old girl committed suicide because she thought her parents were going to be deported!
I joined Mind Valley for personal growth and have been very happy with all the programs I have completed. I do not want to read an article about a very narcissist man who is harming so many people in this world!!
I am truly considering cancelling my membership!!!
Vishen, this playbook isn’t anything special. It’s the same playbook used by every dictator and cult leader, both present-day and throughout history. I would have expected you to have more original ideas than this!
Sorry Vishen, too late. Everything you say now seems to appease Trump. It exudes from the page. Remember the dark energy of our subconscious? Why didn’t you put on the spiritual hat and say that Trump has dark energy, and that he needs meditation to get this dark energy out.
done with Mindvalley
What you experienced when you met Trump is the charisma people experience with abusers, narcissists and sociopaths. It’s why victims are not believed. As a victim of an abusive ex-husband, and someone who went on to earn their Master’s in Understanding Domestic and Sexual Violence, I can tell you that I know Trump is an abuser, narcissist and sociopath with every fiber of my being. His victims are not believed because others see what you saw at Mar-a-Lago and admire him like you now appear to. You’ve become a “flying monkey,” without realizing the damage you’re doing to yourself and others. I have many MAGA family members and they’re also Trump sycophants and flying monkeys, so I know of which I speak. I’m glad I cancelled my MindValley membership earlier this year so I don’t have to do it now. I have a feeling this will come back to bite you, and I’m disappointed you’ve chosen to glorify and admire Trump.
I do very much appreciate this analysis. My main point would be that when it comes to achieving success, there are always multiple roads that lead to different versions of Rome (analogy pun very much intended). So I would totally disagree with anyone claiming that Trumps’/Cohns strategy is the only one that can possibly ever lead to success. History shows that deception has shown to always catch up with those who take relentless optimism too far. I believe Trump is headed straight to the deception-catch-up-bus-stop the way he’s currently going. What the world will look like by the time he gets there, we don’t know.
I hope long before then, his political opposites will manage to become less paralytically stuck in upset condemnation and able to face up to their equal share in perpetuating the polarisation by constant judging and labelling the other side as “bad/evil” just as much as the other side does to them. They lost me quite a while before election day because of their constant misguided focus of too much shouting about what they don’t want rather on what they would concretely bring to the world as preferable alternative. And even more by being too ungroundedly self-righteous about the justness and rightness of their own views.
Projection is the only truly key psychologic force that has been ruling political campaigning, and it keeps us stuck, away from true growth and prosperity. We must move away from that if we want to evolve to a better quality of politics AND life as a species.
Where it comes to the polarisation, the extremer left in recent years has been as equally unwilling to find productive middle ground as the extremer right. Any two-party system is always likely to go through phases of extreme polarisation. I come from a country with a multiple party system. While far from the ideal world, it is much more true to real life. And it does teach everyone involved much more, to keep debating and finding possible ways forward even with others you don’t completely agree on every comma with. That is a SKILL that requires social intelligence of the kind humans inately do posses. We can learn and must learn to tap into this ability much more, at the cost of all our unproductive ego’s.
At best, Vishen’s intention was to disrupt, provoke thought and discussion; “to weed out the wrong” subscribers (as suggested by a few commentators); improve visibility through re-posts/shares/likes, etc., I understand his ingenious marketing strategy.
But too many people are under direct attack from tRump and his playbook. Too many people are hurting too much to be able to perceive this issue from a “higher” or more “enlightened” perspective, let alone speak about it in neutral terms.
Vishen has failed to keep his community SAFE.
This article has been re-traumatizing for the people directly affected and under threat. The feeling in the pit of the stomach a few have described, is a feeling of betrayal from a trusted community and platform.
All to increase MindValley’s visibility.
So, to answer the questions a few have asked: YES, Vishen IS following DT’s playbook to the letter.
Hello Vishen, Quite an interesting article. What has amazed me the most is the RESPONSE to your article. You shared your experience…and some readers thought is was an endorsement. “They” can’t even read an article without getting “triggered”. They are victims of TDS; Trump Derangement Syndrome. The fact that they were triggered from your article clearly shows they are being controlled by their emotions. Isn’t that what all the Mindvalley seminars are supposed to be helping them with?
Love and Light,
Lilly
Growth playbook? Is it growth to enhance ones narcissistic behavior? It’s interesting that you think so. I guess Power really is blinding.
Hey Vishen,
I’ve followed your work for years and deeply respect your mission around transformation and higher consciousness. But your latest email on Trump’s personal growth strategy left me unsettled.
My inner compass is telling me that this message feels out of sync with your usual approach—one rooted in deep transformation, integrity, and consciousness. While I understand the intent to analyze his influence, I wonder if normalizing these tactics as “personal growth” risks blurring the lines between conscious leadership and power-at-any-cost.
I believe influence without integrity has consequences, and as leaders in the transformation space, we have a responsibility to differentiate between branding success and soul-driven leadership.
If you’re open to discussing this further, I’d love to understand your perspective. Was this an experiment in reframing? A shift in how you see leadership? Or something else?
Warmly,
Roshni
All that glitters is not gold, Vishen.
Just b/c we the people didn’t see the emperor not wearing any clothes means that denial is the way to success. . If that is the route to success, I truly choose to follow my heart and not the external materialistic patterns set to divide us. I was gullible to be a true patriot prior to 45’s ascent. My naive belief system in our government is now shattered and I will stand up for equality, freedom and love. Discernment and raising our vibration both individually and collectively is our path forward. Thanks for your insights – even though I struggle against this man and his leadership.
I appreciate the philosophical exercise this provided. That said, I was very relieved to see your comment, Vishen, that you don’t believe DT to be the right man to lead America. I wasn’t sure after reading this piece.
This comes down to values and ethics. If we value human lives – and I believe most associated with Mind Valley do value human lives- glorifying the behavior of DT feels dangerous. Are his tactics effective? It would depend on what you are measuring. Are we comparing him to Hitler?
Is it possible some people DO value humanity in MAGA? Yes. Of course. My personal belief is that those still supporting MAGA are not thinking for themselves, not tapping into their higher knowing or intuitive selves and are excusing bad behavior which is quickly becoming abhorrent.
I am concerned that this piece uses the “nice person” argument for despicable behavior by DT and his supporters. It would be easy to misinterpret this piece as justifying hateful and harmful behavior. What’s happening in the United States is not at all dissimilar to what happened in Nazi-occupied Germany. There are images of illegally deported people that are absolutely bone-chilling in the similarities to the photos from WWI, except this is happening at the hands of the United States. That’s without touching all the other atrocities that have happened since this tyrant has been elected… and many cased, the affected are the people who voted for him.
We each have an opportunity to either be part of the light or part of the darkness in what happens next in the United States. There will be a light side (good) and a dark side (evil). The light will ultimately win, I believe this to my core. But in my view, any attempt to make what’s happening more palatable or normal – even admirable – is irresponsible and dangerous.
It’s ok to say… This (what’s happening within this DT administration) isn’t ok. Because it’s not. It goes way beyond politics.
What did I just read? Are you serious? Do you really want me to explore why these four tactics are strategically smart performance? These four tactics that you write as if you admire them undermine integrity and engender chaos, would you agree? I’m thinking rather than me explore what that means for him, I’m curious what does this mean for you as you seem in awe of your experience at his home being an invited guest. Does charisma blind? Was it effortless to get you to change your mind and was it even a real experience. You know two things can be true at the same time, people can be nice and dangerous concurrently. I have an exploration question for you, why write about your experience a whole year later? I’m curious about your timing. Here’s my summary about what you shared: you went to a party, you had a good time, got fascinated by your good time, researched to understand why you had a good time (dare I catch a moral delimma), convinced yourself that you found research to support why you had a good time (ah now it makes sense), and then decided to share with your company’s membership (beats the hell out me) that your personal epiphany is worth sharing with the masses? Can we talk about your thought procress, like for real? What a blog on it! Now, did you do this because you can or because you have a platform? Here’s what I really want to know, why do you care what your membership thinks about this? Is this a low-key survey to see where your membership stands on the issue masked by disclaimer of “exploration?” I’m even more curious to understand what’s in it for you, Mr. Neutral? LOL
I would not choose to follow the rules, there is something missing “empathy “ and to me is the one element I strongly hold on in this human experience. Without empathy we might just accept the harsh consequences of deserving extinction as a species.
“Attack Relentlessly, Deny Everything, Always Claim Victory, and Stay Relentlessly Optimistic are principles of influence, branding, and personal resilience that have been used by leaders, CEOs, and power players throughout history.”
In response to your question about whether I would use “Trump’s rules” — I would say a definite no.
The type of power you are describing has resulted in the vast majority of problems (both economic, social and environmental) we are facing today as a planet.
Earth is a planet of spiritual/physical beings and we are all connected, whether we believe it or not. Modern physics supports the idea that the universe is interpenetrating without obstruction. While everyday experience suggests that things are solid and obstruct each other, fundamental physics reveals a far more interconnected and fluid reality.
Because a person does more, and has more, does not mean they are more. My experience is that the highest goal in life is to be of service to oneself and others.
Life is not a sporting event. If everyone benefits, we all win. If one person wins at the expense of another, then we all lose.
The end result of spiritual training is not to be feared, but to give people fearlessness,
True fearlessness is rooted in self-awareness, resilience, and confidence rather than recklessness. It is not about being numb to fear but about understanding it and acting with courage.
Trump didn’t change, didn’t grow, didn’t develop; he is just a criminal, a malicious artistic sociopath. In that sense, he is authentic, has charisma, and is quite simple to read. His mental illness, fortified by his dementia, makes his behavior even more outrageous; maybe the form or sort of eruptions are too foreseeable, but certainly, the course of his mentally ill state of mind is quite predictable: he gets more and more nuts and (self)destructive.
From a nonpersonal distance, ‘useful’ as this area is coming to its (natural) end; everything comes and goes and is therefore unavoidable. He is infecting millions of people with his sick mind (as psychiatrists already predicted and warned for in 2016, they all got fired and defunded). His behavior is unjustifiedly normalized, and you want to promote and advertise this mentally ill person as an example of extraordinary Personal Growth. His mindset is that of a malicious sociopath. The only thing that is growing is his dementia.
What’s the matter with you? Do you all get infected as well?
I just listened to an interview with Charlie Rose and Michael Wollf. Michael Wollf did a quite accurate description of Trump’s state of mind and character. He wrote a chronicle of this creature, most interestingly his latest book, ‘All or Nothing’. You should READ it and then consider whether it is a good idea to propagate Trump’s ways as an enrichment of being.
Just a game?
President George W. Bush’s chief speechwriter, Michael Gerson, has a message for people who are excusing President Trump’s racism:
“I had fully intended to ignore President Trump’s latest round of racially charged taunts against an African American elected official, and an African American activist, and an African American journalist and a whole city with a lot of African Americans in it. I had every intention of walking past Trump’s latest outrages and writing about the self-destructive squabbling of the Democratic presidential field, which has chosen to shame former vice president Joe Biden for the sin of being an electable, moderate liberal.
But I made the mistake of pulling James Cone’s ‘The Cross and the Lynching Tree’ off my shelf — a book designed to shatter convenient complacency. Cone recounts the case of a white mob in Valdosta, Ga., in 1918 that lynched an innocent man named Haynes Turner. Turner’s enraged wife, Mary, promised justice for the killers. The sheriff responded by arresting her and then turning her over to the mob, which included women and children. According to one source, Mary was ‘stripped, hung upside down by the ankles, soaked with gasoline, and roasted to death. In the midst of this torment, a white man opened her swollen belly with a hunting knife and her infant fell to the ground and was stomped to death.’
God help us. It is hard to write the words. This evil — the evil of white supremacy, resulting in dehumanization, inhumanity and murder — is the worst stain, the greatest crime, of U.S. history. It is the thing that nearly broke the nation. It is the thing that proved generations of Christians to be vicious hypocrites. It is the thing that turned normal people into moral monsters, capable of burning a grieving widow to death and killing her child.
When the president of the United States plays with that fire or takes that beast out for a walk, it is not just another political event, not just a normal day in campaign 2020. It is a cause for shame. It is the violation of martyrs’ graves. It is obscene graffiti on the Lincoln Memorial. It is, in the eyes of history, the betrayal — the re-betrayal — of Haynes and Mary Turner and their child. And all of this is being done by an ignorant and arrogant narcissist reviving racist tropes for political gain, indifferent to the wreckage he is leaving, the wounds he is ripping open.
Like, I suspect, many others, I am finding it hard to look at resurgent racism as just one in a series of presidential offenses or another in a series of Republican errors. Racism is not just another wrong. The Antietam battlefield is not just another plot of ground. The Edmund Pettus Bridge is not just another bridge. The balcony outside Room 306 at the Lorraine Motel is not just another balcony. As U.S. history hallows some causes, it magnifies some crimes.
What does all this mean politically? It means that Trump’s divisiveness is getting worse, not better. He makes racist comments, appeals to racist sentiments and inflames racist passions. The rationalization that he is not, deep down in his heart, really a racist is meaningless. Trump’s continued offenses mean that a large portion of his political base is energized by racist tropes and the language of white grievance. And it means — whatever their intent — that those who play down, or excuse, or try to walk past these offenses are enablers.
Some political choices are not just stupid or crude. They represent the return of our country’s cruelest, most dangerous passion. Such racism indicts Trump. Treating racism as a typical or minor matter indicts us.”
— Michael Gerson
You stated that the Dali Lama was a personality on par with Trump. His tactics are quite different from The Presidents.
I choose to emulate those who lead based on love and principles of eternal growth instead of the getting all you can at any cost.
I’ve never liked Trumps personality, but I have voted for him three times. I have always viewed him as the lesser of two evils.
There is always something to learn from every situation. Reading throught this write up, all i can see is a confident man. This translates in our world, it doesn’t matter what the situation is, whether negative or positive, confidence always has the upper hand in distinguishing a person.
So, i will advice that for anyone (including myself) who have a message for their world, who have discovered themselves and living their purpose, do this with confidence.