You see him night after night, in state after state, giving speeches to crowds in the tens of thousands. As a long-time professional speaker, I personally have been in and around other speakers all of my adult life. I have delivered more than 1060 presentations myself and I have witnessed at least that number live and in-person. Donald Trump, however, stands out like no one else.
When you watch the rallies (peaceful protests), what is most incredible about the president is his ability to stand in front of a crowd – sometimes two and three crowds on the same day – and keep them enthralled.
No Else Like Him
I’ve observed some of the most energetic speakers in the country, and few have the performance energy of Donald Trump. I also am personal friends with people who have been speaking for 20 to 30 years. The speakers have honed their craft, and still they are exhausted at the end of several days, especially if they have to fly to a location to deliver presentations.
When such individuals speak two days in a row, or three days in a row, by the time they return home, they need a day or so to ‘repair.’ It's only natural. And yet, here is Donald Trump, 74, obviously overweight -- and based on the body mass index, perhaps even obese -- and his energy for speaking and lighting up a crowd is simply amazing. Whether or not you like him, there is no denying he can electrify a crowd.
It has been reported that Donald Trump rises quite early each morning, perhaps 4 a.m. or 5 a.m., and retires late each evening, at perhaps 10-12 p.m. Despite Trump’s extra girth, his energy for being our president and presiding over the affairs of state is simply extraordinary. Speaking 1,000 miles away the night before, Trump, nonetheless, puts in a full day of work back at the White House. Simply amazing.
A Fit Bunch
President Obama was a lean individual, who played basketball, frequently played golf, and worked out in the White House Gym. Although he smoked during the early part of his administration, he always appeared to be at peak fitness. President George W Bush in particular, was quite fit. He jogged, played some golf, didn't drink, didn't smoke, ate well, and worked out in the White House Gym. Yet, on a daily basis, neither man outworked President Trump.
All of the presidents before Trump, Bill Clinton, and heading backward -- George Bush Sr., Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, and so on -- were vigorous men. All of them exercised in one way or another. Still, there is scant testimony that would dislodge the view that President Trump has outworked his predecessors of the last 50 years.
What is the source of Trump’s energy? I have witnessed the phenomenon of the superstar overachiever in business. Entrepreneurs, generally, who have started their own business and obviously work for themselves, have an abundance of energy that one does not often see among those who work in larger organizations and report to higher-ups.
Like An Entrepreneur
The entrepreneur rises early, starts to work in earnest, often stays late, and then comes in the next day and does it again. Why? When you're working on your own venture, for whatever reason, you are largely immune to many of the energy depleters that the workaday stiffs experience.
What I can conclude, in observing President Trump's extraordinary energy for the job, is that Trump has taken on the position as if he were an entrepreneur. America is his 'company,' and he's doing his gut-level best to make it hum. He rises early, gets to work quickly, puts in a full day, stays late, and then gets up the next day and does it again.
There is no telling when we'll encounter another president with this extraordinary level of energy for the job. So, appreciate it now. Admire what you're seeing and recognize how unique it is. President Trump is a ‘doer’ for the ages, and time will only prove this to be so even if many people today can't see it or won’t acknowledge it even when they do.