Rich Dad, Poor Dad: A Review

Rich Dad, Poor Dad is a book about two contrasting points of view on the subjects of money, business, and how personal thoughts shape your environment. Robert shares the story of his two fathers, and the choice he made at the age of nine to follow his rich dad’s advice. He writes:

One dad was highly educated and intelligent; he had a Ph.D. and had completed four years of under-graduate work in less than two years. He then went to Stanford University, the University of Chicago, and Northwestern University to do his advanced studies. All on full, financial scholarships.My other dad never finished the eighth grade. Both men were successful in their careers, working hard all their lives. Both earned substantial incomes.

Yet one dad struggled financially all his life and the other dad would become one of the richest men in Hawaii. One died leaving tens of millions of dollars to his family, charities, and his church. The other left a legacy of unpaid bills. Both men were strong, charismatic, and influential. Both men offered me advice, but they did not advise the same things.

The book takes its readers on a journey, from a young boy’s perspective to make its point. The lessons in this book are huge! To me, the greatest lesson is that our thoughts shape our lives. From that young age, Robert was given two very different viewpoints on the subject of money. Those view points gave an insight into how his two fathers thought about money, and about life, in general.

Being a product of two strong dads allowed me the luxury of observing the effects that different thoughts have on one's life. I noticed that people really do shape their lives through their thoughts.

The power of our thoughts may never be measured or appreciated, but it became obvious to me as a young boy that there was value and power in being aware of my thoughts and how I expressed myself. I noticed that my poor dad was poor not because of the amount of money he earned – which was significant – but because of his thoughts and actions. As a young boy having two fathers I became acutely aware of being careful in deciding which thoughts I chose to adopt as my own and to whom should I listen – my rich dad or my poor dad?

The book also goes one step further to illustrate how these two men thought. My favorites quotes are below:
Poor Dad: “The reason I’m not rich is because I have you kids.”
Rich Dad: “The reason I must be rich is because I have you kids.”
Poor Dad: “I can’t afford it.”
Rich Dad: “How can I afford it?”
The statement "I can't afford it" shuts down your thinking. By asking the right question, you mind opens up and looks for answers.
Poor Dad: “Pay myself last.”
Rich Dad: “Pay myself first.”

The truth is, it is not necessarily just about money. It is ultimately about you- how you think, how you perceive things, and what you want to achieve. Your thoughts will allow you to reach your goals- that is, if you let yourself reach your goals.

I believe that the book is a great starter book to learning about business, finance, and wealth. While it is simplified and written more as a story than a how-to, its lessons are still very powerful. The book has been inspirational, motivational, and a tool that I keep coming back to, years after I first had read it.

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