"There is No Knowledge That is Not Power."

Donald Trump

The quote from Emerson in the title of this post comes courtesy of Donald J. Trump. Yep, that Donald Trump. I signed on to the Trump University Inside Trump Tower Newsletter a few weeks ago. It's a good read. In the latest issue, Mr. Trump's article, "Use Knowledge to Your Advantage," offers several engaging vignettes illustrating how knowledge has worked to his advantage.

When I was waiting to buy 40 Wall Street (home of Trump University), it was advantageous for me to know a lot about the building and the troubles the owners were having with it. I spent time studying the building and the area, and kept informed about the latest developments. When the opportunity finally came to purchase it, I was ready and knew what I was getting into. The tallest building in lower Manhattan, 40 Wall Street is a 1.3 million square foot landmark. I bought it for $1 million. You can imagine what it’s worth now, considering it’s hard to find a one-bedroom apartment for under $1 million these days. When I say knowledge is power, I mean it. Use it to your advantage.

Another example is how I develop golf courses. I get the best experts in the world, and I ask them literally hundreds of questions. I go over every detail, every tree, every hole, every idea with them. Fortunately they love what they do, so they don’t find this tedious. By the time construction is underway, I know everything that’s being done and can keep an informed eye on the progress. There is no reason not to be thorough, whether you are the golf course architect or the developer. Teamwork really works when both sides put their knowledge together and aim for the best. Because of this approach, my golf courses are spectacular.

The lesson for students, whether taking courses at Trump University or elsewhere, is to make learning your priority. Don't let anything get in the way of learning. And remember, the details are important. I get the feeling that Donald Trump could do a pretty good job of designing a golf course without the experts, just because he pays attention to the details. He credits this idea from Kipling for his success:

Rudyard Kipling wrote something I read in college and have never forgotten: “I keep six honest serving men, they taught me all I knew—their names are What and Why and When—and How and Where and Who.” Finding the answers to those questions will ensure that your information is comprehensive and correct. There’s really no such thing as knowing too much about what you’re doing.

The best and the brightest people I've ever met sure fit the mold expressed in the previous sentence: There's no such thing as knowing too much about what you're doing. Especially when what you're doing involves the lives or livelihoods of people.

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