Since 1984； I have made millions simply by doing what the school system does not。 In school； most teachers lecture。 I hated lectures as a student； I was soon bored and my mind would drift。
In 1984；I began teaching via games and simulations。 I always encouraged adult students to look at games as reflecting back to what they know； and what they needed to learn。 Most importantly； a game reflects back on one's behavior。 It's an instant feedback system。 Instead of the teacher lecturing you； the game is feeding back a personalized lecture； custom made just for you。
The friend of the woman who left later called to give me an update。 She said her friend was fine and had calmed down。 In her cooling…off period； she could see some slight relationship between the game and her life。
Although she and her husband did not own a boat； they did own
everything else imaginable。 She was angry after their divorce； both because he had run off with a younger woman and because after twenty years of marriage； they had accumulated little in the way of assets。 There was virtually nothing for them to split。 Their twenty years of married life had been incredible fun； but all they had accumulated was a ton of doodads。
She realized that her anger at doing the numbers…the ine statement and balance sheet…came from her embarrassment of not understanding them。 She had believed that finances were the man's job。 She maintained the house and did the entertaining； and he handled the finances。 She was now quite certain that in the last five years of their marriage； he had hidden money from her。 She was angry at herself for not being more aware of where the money was going； as well as for not knowing about the other woman。
Just like a board game； the world is always providing us with instant feedback。 We could learn a lot if we tuned in more。 One day not long ago； I plained to my wife that the cleaners must have shrunk my pants。 My wife gently smiled and poked me in the stomach to inform me that the pants had not shrunk； something else had expanded me！
The game CASHFLOW was designed to give every player personal feedback。 Its purpose is to give you options。 If you draw the boat card and it puts you into debt； the question is； 〃Now what can you do？〃 How many different financial options can you e up with？ That is the purpose of the game： to teach players to think and create new and various financial options。
I have watched this game played by more than 1；000 people。 The people who get out of the 〃Rat Race〃 in the game the quickest are the people who understand numbers and have creative financial minds。 They recognize different financial options。 People who take the longest are people who are not familiar with numbers and often do not understand the power of investing。 Rich people are often creative and take calculated risks。
There have been people playing CASHFLOW who gain lots of money in the game； but they don't know what to do with it。 Most of them have not been financially successful in real life either。 Everyone else seems to be getting ahead of them； even though they have money。 And that is true in real life。 There are a lot of people who have a lot of money and do not get ahead financially。
CHAPTER SEVEN
Lesson Six：Work to Learn … Don't Work for Money
In 1995；1 granted an interview with a newspaper in Singapore。 The young female reporter was on time； and the interview got under way immediately。 We sat in the lobby of a luxurious hotel； sipping coffee and discussing the purpose of my visit to Singapore。 I was to share the platform with Zig Ziglar。 He was speaking on motivation； and I was speaking on 〃The Secrets of the Rich。〃
〃Someday； I would like to be a best…selling author like you；〃 she said。 I had seen some of the articles she had written for the paper； and I was impressed。 She had a tough； clear style of writing。 Her articles held a reader's interest。
〃You have a great style；〃 I said in reply。 〃What holds you back from achieving your dream？〃
〃My work does not seem to go anywhere；〃 she said quietly。 〃Everyone says that my novels are excellent； but nothing happens。 So I keep my job with the paper。 At least it pays the bills。 Do you have any suggestions？〃
〃Yes； I do；〃 I said brightly。 〃A friend of mine here in Singapore runs a school that trains people to sell。 He runs sales…training courses for many of the top corporations here in Singapore； and I think attending one of his courses would greatly enhance your career。〃
She stiffened。 〃Are you saying I should go to school to learn to sell？〃
I nodded。
〃You aren't serious； are you？〃
Again； I nodded。 〃What is wrong with that？〃 I was now backpeddling。 She was offended by something； and now I was wishing 11 had not said anything。 In my attempt to be helpful； I found myself defending my suggestion。
〃I have a master's degree in English Literature。 Why would I go to school to learn to be a salesperson？ I am a professional。 I went to school to be trained in a profession so I would not have to be a salesperson。 I hate salespeople。 All they want is money。 So tell me why｜ I should study sales？〃 She was now packing her briefcase forcibly。 The interview was over。
On the coffee table sat a copy of an earlier best…selling book I wrote。 I I picked it up as well as the notes she had jotted down on her legal pad。 ｜ 〃Do you see this？〃 I said pointing to her notes。
She looked down at her notes。 〃What；〃 she said； confused。
Again； I pointed deliberately to her notes。 On her pad she had written 〃Robert Kiyosaki； best…selling author。〃
〃It says 'best…selling author；' not best 'writing' author。〃
Her eyes widened immediately。
〃I am a terrible writer。 You are a great writer。 I went to sales school。 You have a master's degree。 Put them together and you get a 'best…selling author' and a 'best…writing author。'〃
Anger flared from her eyes。 〃I'll never stoop so low as to learn how to sell。 People like you have no business writing。 I am a professionally trained writer and you are a salesman。 It is not fair。〃
The rest of her notes were put away； and she hurried out through the j； large glass doors into the humid Singapore morning。
At least she gave me a fair and favorable write…up the next morning。
The world is filled with smart； talented； educated and gifted people。 We meet them every day。 They are all around us。
A few days ago； my car was not running well。 I pulled into a garage； and the young mechanic had it fixed in just a few minutes。 He knew what was wrong by simply listening to the engine。 I was amazed。
The sad truth is； great talent is not enough。
I am constantly shocked at how little talented people earn。 I heard the other day that less than 5 percent of Americans earn more than 100；000 a year。 I have met brilliant； highly educated people who earn less than 20；000 a year。 A business consultant who specializes in the medical trade was telling me how many doctors； dentists and chiropractors struggle financially。 All this time； I thought that when they graduated； the dollars would pour in。 It was this business consultant who gave me the phrase； 〃They are one skill away from great wealth。〃
What this phrase means is that most people need only to learn and master one more skill and their ine would jump exponentially。 I have mentioned before that financial intelligence is a synergy of accounting； investing； marketing and law。 bine those four technical skills and making money with money is easier。 When it es to money； the only skill most people know is to work hard。
The classic example of a synergy of skills was that young writer for the newspaper。 If she diligently learned the skills of sales and marketing； her ine would jump dramatically。 If I were her； I would take some courses in advertising copywriting as well as sales。 Then； instead of working at the newspaper； I would seek a job at an advertising agency。 Even if it were a cut in pay； she would learn how to municate in 〃short cuts〃 that are used in successful advertising。 She also would spend time learning public relations； an important skill。 She would learn how to get millions in free publicity。 Then； at night and on weekends； she could be writing her great novel。 When it was finished； she would be better able to sell her book。 Then； in a short while； she could be a 〃best…selling author。〃
When I first came out with my first book If You Want To Be Rich and Happy； Don't Go to School？ a publisher suggested I change the tide to The Economics of Education。 I told the publisher that with a title like that； I would sell two books： one to my family and one to my best friend。 The problem is； they would expect it for free。 The obnoxious title If You Want To Be Rich and Happy； Don't Go to School？ was chosen because we knew it would get tons of publicity。 I am pro…education and believe in education reform。 Otherwise； why would I continue to press for changing our antiquated educational system？ So I chose a title that would get me on more TV and radio shows； simply because I was willing to be controversial。 Many people thought I was a fruitcake； but the book sold and sold。
When I graduated from the U。S。 Merchant Marine Academy in 1969； my educated dad was happy。 Standard Oil of California had hired me for its oil…tanker fleet。 I was a third mate； and the pay was low pared with my classmates； but it was OK for a first real job after college。 My starting pay was about 42；000 a year； including overtime； and I only had ； to work for seven months。 I had five months of vacation。 If I had wanted to； I could have taken the run to Vietnam with a subsidiary shipping pany； and easily doubled my pay instead of taking the five J months' vacation。
I had a great career ahead of me； yet I resigned after six months with the pany and joined the Marine Corps to learn how to fly。 My educated dad was devastated。 Rich dad congratulated me。
In school and in the workplace； the popular opinion is the idea of 〃specialization。〃 That is； in order to make more money or get promoted； you need to 〃specialize。〃 That is why medical doctors immediately begin to seek a specialty such as orthopedics or pediatrics。 The same is true for accountants； architects； lawyers； pilots and others。
My educated dad believed in the same dogma。 That is why he was thrilled when he eventually achieved hi