Tarantino’s Thoughts: “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” By Robert Kiyosaki
Being a product of the Philadelphia public school system I have innumerable memories of taking up the core curricula of math, reading, social studies, health, and a language from year to year. Approaching high school these subjects would presumptively intensify attending one of the city’s top magnet schools where every class was more or less advanced placement. With my high school career coming to an end, my junior and senior years were preparation for the persuaded push into college. All the while stressing homework and high school crushes, I had no idea what the real world unequivocally held. Honestly, physics and pre-calc are always great to have under one's belt, however, school failed to prepare us for the affairs that most deal with daily … money management. In hindsight, I'm genuinely curious to why people placed such a great stress on solely attending college (especially in my neighborhood) when most of us wouldn't be able to afford it. Realistically, I understand the benefits of education alongside the valuable essentials one could use in life not exclusively dependent on English and arithmetic. What mattered most is what no public school in the city (at least not the ones I've attended), or college (where accounting or business wasn't the major) taught. The art of FINANCIAL LITERACY!
In such a commercialistic society, all we are fed are ads of the latest everything that kids ranging to adults spend their life savings to achieve. Unfortunately, most of our parents and teachers failed us in regards to finances in the inner city, but really, how could we blame them? We were always taught to finish school and get a good job doing what you love, pretty much the same lessons our parents and their parents were taught. Never once hearing "Stay clear of debt", "Invest in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds", "Read up on IRA's and 401k's", "Assets … Liabilities". The closest thing to good financial advice given in our lives was to "save money", dismally only witnessing the opposite; spend, debt, & spend again. To think, my own grandmother was ahead of the curve with various real estate properties she owned; sadly, nobody seemed to steer me in the direction of knowledge she held of money making money.
Convincingly I was lead to a book that not only taught financial literacy in the simplest form, but pure golden lessons jeweled for everyday life. "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki helped change my life. Realistically the learned behaviors of over-spending alongside poor money management still linger in me. The difference that brings forth progress now is my awareness of previous poor habits (as if debt at 25 wasn't awareness enough), allowing me to maneuver more cautiously. To be clear, the author who proclaims the title of "real estate mogul" (rightfully so) didn't learn these techniques of financial literacy in school, nor did he learn them in his household. Robert had what a lot of us in the inner city didn't, a rich dad (his friend's father), and a poor dad (his own), as guidelines. Where he saw his poor dad stumble, he watched his rich dad flourish, attentively taking note.
As painstaking and decisive learning about individual retirement accounts, real estate, investment strategies, a sense of the market, and laws are. Roberts message throughout the book focused on character growth and development. "If you're not a good leader, you'll get shot in the back just like they do in business". Yes, this book drills ROI tips and ways to negotiate the best deals, but more importantly, Robert Kiyosaki's narrative on financial literacy and money is simple, "it is only an idea". Ultimately, those who seek financial independence will need to first change the way they think. "Instead of ‘I can't afford it', ask yourself ‘How can I afford it?'-- the former shutting the brain down, while the latter opens the mind, forcing you to think outside the box. Confirming what some of us may have already known but forgotten, the author reiterates a key to success being a failure (if you're aware) -- "Failure only makes us stronger and smarter, take a loss and make it a win … Failure should inspire to become winners".
While assets and liabilities were revisited multiple times in the book, the greatest asset featured education at its focal point. "Education is more valuable than money in the long run"--soon it became clear that when actively put to use, investing in knowledge is the best of debt. Literally embedded in my skull; this key element helped me tremendously as I began to understand "the power of learning quickly", "knowing a little about a lot", and "becoming what you study". Financial tips such as, never getting into (bad) debt in the first place, always keep expenses low, and build up assets first before buying that big house or a nice car, coached essential fundamentals to live by. Robert knew not only to market these ideas because the ones of most importance, i.e. "the power of choice", and the "association of friends"; are key components in the success of any individual.
The greatest take away the author could have given was reiterating "the power of giving". Simple in thought, but complex in doing. Giving a smile, love, a hug, or friendship, usually always calls for reciprocation. No, the idea is not to give because of what could be returned, but to give genuinely, a jewel that people almost always forget. Robert made sure to teach everything he could about marketing, management, and everything in between. The reason why "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" is so life changing was not due to it teachings on how to become rich in money and managing it properly; it taught you to be rich in spirit and knowledge first, and the rest that follows will be the true success.
Peace & Love,
N. Tarantino
(Darnell Schoolfield)
