Rich Dad Poor Dad

Key takeaways

• The rich buy assets; the poor and middle class buy liabilities they think are assets
• Financial literacy — not salary — determines wealth
• Make money work for you instead of working for money
• Pay yourself first and mind your own business

Inside this bit

1. Two dads, two mindsets

   Kiyosaki grew up with two father figures: his own highly-educated 'poor dad' who valued job security, and his friend's entrepreneur 'rich dad' who valued financial education. Poor dad said 'I can't afford it'; rich dad demanded 'how can I afford it?

2. Assets versus liabilities

   Rule one, and Kiyosaki insists it's the only rule: know the difference between an asset and a liability. An asset puts money in your pocket — rental property, businesses, stocks, royalties.

3. Mind your own business

   Your profession pays your bills; your business grows your wealth — and they are rarely the same thing. Kiyosaki urges keeping your day job while building an asset column on the side.

4. Overcoming the obstacles

   Five things keep financially literate people poor anyway: fear of losing money, cynicism, laziness disguised as busyness, bad habits, and arrogance. Winners are not people who never lose — they are people whose fear of losing doesn't stop them from playing.