Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert T Kiyosaki
I'm slowly working my way through the list of 26 personal development classics listed in my blog post.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robery T Kiyosaki is 22nd on the list but for me, it was one of first ones I wanted to read.
In this book Robert explains how the educational system fails to teach us financial literacy. That is, it fails to teach how to make money work hard for us, instead of us working hard for money. This blog on the Rich Dad website explains more.
What the education system teaches us is to get good grades, to get a good job, to work hard to pay your taxes and bills, and then to retire with your pension. It does not teach us how to use money is such a way that our money does all the hard work in order to generate more money; that is by gaining assets rather than what I think are assets, which are, in fact, financial liabilities.
Now I'm not brilliant with money, but I was really surprised to see myself outlined in the book!!! I was able to identify with many of the mindset statements made by the non-rich people, and none of those made by the rich people.
I made me realise that I have definately fallen in to the trap of working hard for money, and investing in liabilities rather than actual assets (the things that will generate money). And it made me realise why it is that on the few occassions I have come into a bit of moeny it's not long before it's all gone and I'm as poor as I was before!
This book is definately worth a read even if it's only to see why you might be trapped in the poor/middle class 'rat race' of working hard for money and staying poor, rather than having your money work hard for you and getting rich.......