Dear President-Elect Trump:
It’s Sunday, and it seems you’re working nearly around the clock to put together your cabinet. I can only imagine the pressure of so many above the rim decisions. You’ve undoubtedly dealt with severe stress and pressure before. But this is different. Every decision before revolved around what was best for your companies and your family. Now, every decision should revolve around what is collectively best for the 320 Million people under your stewardship.
With all due respect, you have no time to concern yourself, with yourself. The American States chose you to be president. Implicit in that choice is the understanding that you spend your energy on us. Please accept some advice from a guy that’s never been in your shoes: Pay only little attention to those who attack you and make fun of you. But pay even less attention to those who praise you. Focusing on either siphons your attention from us, the U.S. We need you to focus on our interests, not anything or anyone else.
I read with amazement that you spent 90 minutes with Mitt Romney, and that you’re considering him for your cabinet. Kudos to each of you for setting aside your differences and concentrating on what is best for the country. I also read that you’re battling comedians and actors on Twitter.
These two examples suggest that you treat others in accordance with how they treat you. If they’re nice, you’re nice. If they like you, you like them. However, if they don’t like you, you retaliate. If they make fun of you, you fight back. Some more unsolicited advice: Stop it, stop it now. It’s taking your focus away from leading the free world. Prepare to lead us with calm instinct, not worked up rage. You’ll doom your ability to lead us if you don’t stop it.
Stay away from it all. The need to fight back is a weakness of yours. Alcoholics don’t stop drinking because they are so inherently strong. They quit drinking by being humble enough to realize that they’re weak and it’s a reality that they never let go of. Understanding they have a proclivity for alcohol, they stay away from the bar.
You have a weakness for retaliation and childish arguments. You must humbly recognize this as a weakness and stay away from wasting your energy on bickering with those who would detract.
You are a smart man. You can lead our nation if you stick with your strengths and distance things that trigger your weakness. Avoid hearing sneers or praise. Neither helps you. Insulate yourself. Have your staff monitor the Internet and trust them to feed you only what you need to hear. Find peace inside a protected presidential bubble, not one that has a secure feed to every statement made about you on the Internet.
John Adams—America’s second president–said that humility, patience, and moderation are “the great political virtues, without which every man in power becomes a ravenous beast of prey.”
Humility, patience, and moderation are strengths, not weaknesses.
Most of America prays for your success, whether they voted for you or not. I am one of them.
Sincerely,
David O. Leavitt
