Here’s another day with another lesson from “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki. Let’s look at the introduction.
Robert had two fathers - one was rich, and one was poor. This book starts with that idea. Let’s learn from Robert’s story and understand the lessons he wanted to share.
Robert grew up with two fathers. One was highly educated - he had a Ph.D., finished college in less than two years, and went to top universities with scholarships. The other didn’t finish the eighth grade. Both worked hard and earned money, but one always struggled financially, while the other became one of the richest men in Hawaii. When they died, the rich father left millions to his family and charities, while the poor father left only debts.
Both fathers were strong and smart, and both gave Robert advice, but their ideas were very different. They both believed in education, but in different ways. This gave Robert a chance to compare how they thought about money and decide for himself.
Each father had a very different view of money. Robert’s own father said, “The love of money is the root of all evil,” while his best friend’s father said, “The lack of money is the root of all evil.” As a boy, this was confusing. He liked both fathers, but their advice didn’t match. So he decided to think for himself and pick the ideas that made the most sense. This was more valuable than just accepting one person’s view.
The book also talks about how most of us learn about money from our parents, not in school. The problem is that many parents don’t understand money well, so their children struggle too. Schools teach math and reading, but very little about money. That’s why many well-educated people - like doctors, bankers, and lawyers - have money problems. It also explains why many leaders don’t understand money, and why national debts can grow.
Robert learned a lot from both fathers. They gave very different advice. His poor father would say, “I can’t afford it,” which stopped him from thinking. His rich father refused to say that. Instead, he’d ask, “How can I afford it?” This simple change forced him to use his brain to solve problems and find ways to make money. The rich father said that saying “I can’t” makes the brain lazy, while asking questions makes it strong.
He explained it like exercise. Going to the gym makes your body strong, and thinking creatively makes your brain strong. This was why one father grew stronger with money, and the other didn’t.
The two fathers also thought differently about taxes. The poor father felt rich people should pay more taxes to help others. The rich father felt high taxes punished hardworking people and rewarded those who didn’t try.
One father said, “Study hard so you can get a good job in a big company.” The other said, “Study hard so you can own a company one day.” One said, “I’m not rich because I have kids,” while the other said, “I must be rich because I have kids.” One didn’t like talking about money at the dinner table, but the other encouraged it. One said, “Play it safe with money. Never take risks,” while the other said, “Learn how to understand and manage risk.”
One father thought, “Your house is your biggest investment and biggest asset,” while the other said, “If your house is your biggest investment, that’s a problem. It’s a liability.” Both fathers paid their bills on time, but one paid first, and the other paid last. One liked working for a company or the government for benefits and a pension. The other liked relying on himself and building his own financial future.
One father tried to save a little money, while the other learned how to create investments. One taught Robert how to write a strong résumé for a job, while the other taught him how to write a strong business plan to create jobs.
Robert noticed how different their ways of thinking were. The poor father would say, “I’ll never be rich” or “Money doesn’t matter,” and that became true for him. The rich father spoke differently. Even when he lost money, he said, “I’m still a rich man. Being broke is temporary, but being poor is forever.”
Robert learned that words and thoughts have a lot of power. His poor father worked hard and earned a good income, but he stayed poor because of how he thought and acted. Meanwhile, his rich father learned to make money work for him.
Both fathers valued education, but in different ways. The poor father wanted him to work hard in school, get a degree, and find a secure job. The rich father wanted him to learn about money and how to make it work for him. “I don’t work for money,” he said. “Money works for me.”
At nine years old, Robert decided to listen to and learn from his rich father. Even though he respected both fathers, he chose to follow the lessons about money that could help him build a better future.
He also shared a lesson he learned from Robert Frost, his favorite poet. Although he liked many poems, his favorite was “The Road Not Taken” - and he used its lesson every day.
This book shows how Robert chose to follow the advice of his rich father instead of his highly educated but struggling father - and how this choice changed his life. From the age of nine until he was 39, Robert learned six simple lessons about money from his rich father. These weren’t quick tips, but ways of understanding how money really works.
Robert learned that money is a form of power, but knowing how it works is even more powerful. Money can come and go, but if you understand it, you can build long-term wealth and control your future. The book shows why thinking positively is not enough - you also have to understand money.
In the end, this book is about those six lessons, shared in a simple way. They can help anyone make better financial decisions and build a secure future in a world that’s always changing.
Get ready to learn about the first chapter: “The Rich Don’t Work for Money”.
