Ivanka Trump on Staying Soft in a Rough and Chaotic World
The Diary of a CEO, hosted by Steven Bartlett, just released a new podcast with Ivanka Trump where she speaks candidly about her life in a way she rarely does publicly.
Ivanka doesn’t do many interviews. When she does, they tend to be guarded. This one is different and very long.
Over the course of the conversation, she talks about growing up under a level of public scrutiny most people can’t imagine, the divorce that made more headlines than the OJ Simpson trial, building a fashion business to $800 million in annual sales before walking away from it to serve in the White House, the moment she watched her father get shot at on live television with her children standing next to her, grieving the sudden death of her mother, and the philosophy she’s built to survive all of it without becoming bitter or reactive.
She tears up twice. She laughs. She’s more open than most people in her position ever allow themselves to be. Here are some of the most important insights from it.
On Being Underestimated
Most people thought that I would lack the ambition, the preparedness, but my mother taught me that being underestimated is not a bad thing. It’s a very powerful thing actually and it almost always worked to the detriment of the person who underestimated me… I was underestimated twice. First, being the child of accomplished parents… most people thought that I would phone it in… So I always worked like twice as hard as everyone else… Being underestimated is a very powerful thing and it almost always worked to the detriment of the person who underestimated me.
On Trust, Walls, and Expanding the Heart
I grew up the child of wealthy and accomplished parents, so I do think there’s a natural barrier that goes up. You’re worried about people liking you for the wrong reasons… That guard served me really well for a long time… I’ve learned the purpose of life is the expansion and not contraction of the heart… Those walls don’t serve you. The only way to have connection is to build it, and that requires trust. I’ve taught myself to be more trusting. If that means occasionally getting burned, I’m okay with that trade-off because it leads to more meaningful connections.
On Her Grandmother
She taught me a type of unconditional love and tenderness… She was unbelievably nurturing… Food for her was an expression of love… She’s 99 years old now and her health has suffered, but being there for her, even in a small fraction of the way she was there for me, is an extraordinary privilege… I have a lot of love for this woman.
On the Divorce, Reporters at School, and the Trust Lesson
At 9 years old, my parents split up… reporters were waiting outside of my school… This divorce garnered more headlines than the OJ Simpson trial… It taught me not to trust anybody. You can never let your guard down… The difference was once I stepped into my home, it was a safe place… Today, parents can’t protect their kids in the same way. Social media amplifies everything.
On Finding the Signal in the Noise
In moments of tremendous pressure and scrutiny, I’ve learned to find the signal in the noise… I don’t get distracted by outside noise… If you know what you stand for, then everything else is just noise.
On the Eagle and the Crow
A crow will attack an eagle, land on its back, and peck at it. The eagle doesn’t fight back. It just flies higher… The crow isn’t built for high altitude, so eventually it falls off… You can fight back, or you can rise above and let the noise fall away.
On Why She Walked Away From Politics
Politics is a pretty dark world… It’s at odds with what feels good to me as a human being… I care deeply about policy and helping people, but I don’t like politics… You just have to be yourself and rise above it.
On the Assassination Attempt
I saw it almost immediately… My first reaction was to protect my children… I knew in that moment he was going to be okay… In life, you only control how you respond. I choose to focus on the positive outcome… His survival was an extraordinary blessing.