Like me, it is possible that you have seen Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki many times as you have scanned the bookstand collection in airports and railways stations. And, like me for many years, you may have dismissed it. My reason was that I thought it must be some gimmick get rich quick book.
Well you are wrong. It is a superb book and a must read for anybody who is thinking of starting your own full time business, side income or just worried about how your money works for you.
The Book
Kiyosaki relates the story of his childhood and how he effectively had two dads. The first, his real dad, was a lecturer. He believed absolutely in the importance of a good education, getting a degree and going into a good job. He implicitly believed that behaving as such would provide sufficient money to life on.
Kiyosaki’s second dad was actually his friend’s father. He was a businessman and encouraged both his own son and Kiyosaki to learn how business worked. He particularly wanted them to understand how money could work for them.
The distinction between these two dads, and their approaches to earning and using money stayed with Kiyosaki. He came to realise that although we learn many great things at school and college, we do not learn how money works. Specifically, we don’t learn how to make money work for us.
Kiyosaki challenges how you think about your approach to money, savings, debt and work. His aim is to get us all to have money working for us, in whatever way is possible.
Rich Dad Poor Dad is not a story of success along a perfect trajectory. Kiyosaki and his wife Kim have not always had money and indeed were homeless for a while, living in a car.
So, what will you get out of it?
Well, whether you believe in it or not, you will get an understanding of how people who make money think. You may start to look at opportunities with a different mindset; to question your bank accounts; and review how you think about any debt you have.
As someone who actively pursues building a number of different sources of regular income through developing side income hustles, it has been an essential kick up the backside.
