It’s probably over 10 years since I read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. I re-read it recently before recommending it to a client. The book could be considered a bit controversial as it questions conventional wisdom around “work hard at school, get a good job”.
Rich Dad Poor Dad is essentially a book about mindset. This book is a valuable read whether you’re a business owner or employed. It tells of Robert’s background, his own father was a college professor, and his best friend’s dad who mentored him from the age of 9 in the mindset and skills of business.
Traditionally we’ve been encouraged to “work hard at school, get a good job”. The job pays our bills and typically people have precious little cash left over, there being “too much month at the end of the money”.
** SPOILER ALERT **
Kiyosaki's rich dad advised these kids from an early age to find ways to have money working FOR them. Apart from their early attempt at forging money from old toothpaste tubes (which got them started on their money ventures) – their first real attempt was to run a comic book library. They got back issues for free, under the condition that they wouldn’t sell them. They had them stored in a basement and other local children would pay to come and read them . The cost to read several comic was the same as the cost to buy a single comic … so everyone was a winner!
The young protégé’s hired a librarian (a sister of the boys) – so didn’t have to be involved in the day to day activities of running the library. They hadn’t bought a job, but had created a business.
** SPOILER ENDS **
Our mindset evolves. Sometimes we don’t question what we’ve been told. Several years ago, whilst working in IBM, one of my colleagues went on a mountain biking course. The instructor said to him that he should raise the saddle to enable straighter legs and thus more power. My colleague said that he realised as soon as the words “but don’t’ my feet have to touch the floor?” had left his mouth – he was repeating advice suitable for a child learning to ride – but the “information” hadn’t been ‘upgraded’ in the intervening 30+ years.
If you’re not where you want to be in some aspect of your life, sometimes it can be lack of skills holding you back, and other times it can be “mindset”.
Suzanne Hazelton | Peopleologist: Leadership Coach, Positive Psychologist & Author
