r investment decisions。
When we as parents advise our children to 〃go to school； study hard and get a good job；〃 we often do that out of cultural habit。 It has always been the right thing to do。 When I met Robert； his ideas initially startled me。 Having been raised by two fathers； he had been taught to strive for two different goals。 His educated dad advised him to work for a corporation。 His rich dad advised him to own the corporation。 Both life paths required education； but the subjects of study were completely different。 His educated dad encouraged Robert to be a smart person。 His rich dad encouraged Robert to know how to hire smart people。
Having two dads caused many problems。 Robert's real dad was the superintendent of education for the state of Hawaii。 By the time Robert was 16； the threat of 〃If you don't get good grades； you won't get a good job〃 had little effect。 He already knew his career path was to own corporations； not to work for them。 In fact； if it had not been for a wise and persistent high school guidance counselor； Robert might not have gone on to college。 He admits that。 He was eager to start building his assets； but finally agreed that the college education would also be a benefit to him。
Truthfully； the ideas in this book are probably too far fetched and radical for most parents today。 Some parents are having a hard enough time simply keeping their children in school。 But in light of our changing times； as parents we need to be open to new and bold ideas。 To encourage children to be employees is to advise your children to pay more than their fair share of taxes over a lifetime； with little or no promise of a pension。 And it is true that taxes are a person's greatest expense。 In fact； most families work from January to mid…May for the government just to cover their taxes。 New ideas are needed and this book provides them。
Robert claims that the rich teach their children differently。 They teach their children at home； around the dinner table。 These ideas may notbe the ideas you choose to discuss with your children； but thank you for looking at them。 And I advise you to keep searching。 In my opinion； as a mom and a CPA； the concept of simply getting good grades and finding a good job is an old idea。 We need to advise our children with a greater degree of sophistication。 We need new ideas and different education。 Maybe telling our children to strive to be good employees while also striving to own their own investment corporation is not such a bad idea。
It is my hope as a mother that this book helps other parents。 It is Robert's hope to inform people that anyone can achieve prosperity if they so choose。 If today you are a gardener or a janitor or even unemployed； you have the ability to educate yourself and teach those you love to take care of themselves financially。 Remember that financial intelligence is the mental process via which we solve our financial problems。
Today we are facing global and technological changes as great or even greater than those ever faced before。 No one has a crystal ball； but one thing is for certain： Changes lie ahead that are beyond our reality。 Who knows what the future brings？ But whatever happens； we have two fundamental choices： play it safe or play it smart by preparing； getting educated and awakening your own and your children's financial genius。 … Sbaron Lecbter
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Rich Dad； Poor Dad
CHAPTER ONE
Rich Dad； Poor Dad
As narrated by Robert Kiyosaki
I had two fathers； a rich one and a poor one。 One was highly educated and intelligent； he had a Ph。D。 and completed four years of undergraduate work in less than two years。 He then went on to Stanford University； the University of Chicago； and Northwestern University to do his advanced studies； all on full financial scholarships。 The other father never finished the eighth grade。
Both men were successful in their careers； working hard all their lives。 Both earned substantial incomes。 Yet one struggled financially all his life。 The other would become one of the richest men in Hawaii。 One died leaving tens of millions of dollars to his family； charities and his church。 The other left bills to be paid。
Both men were strong； charismatic and influential。 Both men offered me advice； but they did not advise the same things。 Both men believed strongly in education but did not recommend the same course of study。
If I had had only one dad； I would have had to accept or reject his advice。 Having two dads advising me offered me the choice of contrasting points of view； one of a rich man and one of a poor man。
Instead of simply accepting or rejecting one or the other； I found myself thinking more； comparing and then choosing for myself。
The problem was； the rich man was not rich yet and the poor man not yet poor。 Both were just starting out on their careers； and both were struggling with money and families。 But they had very different points of view about the subject of money。
For example； one dad would say； 〃The love of money is the root of all evil。〃 The other； 〃The lack of money is the root of all evil。〃
As a young boy； having two strong fathers both influencing me was difficult。 I wanted to be a good son and listen； but the two fathers did not say the same things。 The contrast in their points of view； particularly where money was concerned； was so extreme that I grew curious and intrigued。 I began to start thinking for long periods of time about what each was saying。
Much of my private time was spent reflecting； asking myself questions such as； 〃Why does he say that？〃 and then asking the same question of the other dad's statement。 It would have been much easier to simply say； 〃Yeah； he's right。 I agree with that。〃 Or to simply reject the point of view by saying； 〃The old man doesn't know what he's talking about。〃 Instead； having two dads whom I loved forced me to think and ultimately choose a way of thinking for myself。 As a process； choosing for myself turned out to be much more valuable in the long run； rather than simply accepting or rejecting a single point of view。
One of the reasons the rich get richer； the poor get poorer； and the middle class struggles in debt is because the subject of money is taught at home； not in school。 Most of us learn about money from our parents。 So what can a poor parent tell their child about money？ They simply say 〃Stay in school and study hard。〃 The child may graduate with excellent grades but with a poor person's financial programming and mind…set。 It was learned while the child was young。
Money is not taught in schools。 Schools focus on scholastic and professional skills； but not on financial skills。 This explains how smart bankers； doctors and accountants who earned excellent grades in school may still struggle financially all of their lives。 Our staggering national debt is due in large part to highly educated politicians and government officials making financial decisions with little or no training on the subject of money。
I often look ahead to the new millennium and wonder what will happen when we have millions of people who will need financial and medical assistance。 They will be dependent on their families or the government for financial support。 What will happen when Medicare and Social Security run out of money？ How will a nation survive if teaching children about money continues to be left to parents…most of whom will be； or already are； poor？
Because I had two influential fathers； I learned from both of them。 I had to think about each dad's advice； and in doing so； I gained valuable
insight into the power and effect of one's thoughts on one's life。 For example； one dad had a habit of saying； 〃I can't afford it。〃 The other dad forbade those words to be used。 He insisted I say； 〃How can I afford it？〃 One is a statement； and the other is a question。 One lets you off the hook； and the other forces you to think。 My soon…to…be…rich dad would explain that by automatically saying the words 〃I can't afford it；〃 your brain stops working。 By asking the question 〃How can I afford it？〃 your brain is put to work。 He did not mean buy everything you wanted。 He was fanatical about exercising your mind； the most powerful computer in the world。 〃My brain gets stronger every day because I exercise it。 The stronger it gets； the more money I can make。〃 He believed that automatically saying 〃I can't afford it〃 was a sign of mental laziness。
Although both dads worked hard； I noticed that one dad had a habit of putting his brain to sleep when it came to money matters； and the other had a habit of exercising his brain。 The long…term result was that one dad grew stronger financially and the other grew weaker。 It is not much different from a person who goes to the gym to exercise on a regular basis versus someone who sits on the couch watching television。 Proper physical exercise increases your chances for health； and proper mental exercise increases your chances for wealth。 Laziness decreases both health and wealth。
My two dads had opposing attitudes in thought。 One dad thought that the rich should pay more in taxes to take care of