富爸爸穷爸爸-第18部分

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What　this　phrase　means　is　that　most　people　need　only　to　learn　and　master　one　more　skill　and　their　ine　would　jump　exponentially。　I　have　mentioned　before　that　financial　intelligence　is　a　synergy　of　accounting；　investing；　marketing　and　law。　bine　those　four　technical　skills　and　making　money　with　money　is　easier。　When　it　es　to　money；　the　only　skill　most　people　know　is　to　work　hard。
The　classic　example　of　a　synergy　of　skills　was　that　young　writer　for　the　newspaper。　If　she　diligently　learned　the　skills　of　sales　and　marketing；　her　ine　would　jump　dramatically。　If　I　were　her；　I　would　take　some　courses　in　advertising　copywriting　as　well　as　sales。　Then；　instead　of　working　at　the　newspaper；　I　would　seek　a　job　at　an　advertising　agency。　Even　if　it　were　a　cut　in　pay；　she　would　learn　how　to　municate　in　〃short　cuts〃　that　are　used　in　successful　advertising。　She　also　would　spend　time　learning　public　relations；　an　important　skill。　She　would　learn　how　to　get　millions　in　free　publicity。　Then；　at　night　and　on　weekends；　she　could　be　writing　her　great　novel。　When　it　was　finished；　she　would　be　better　able　to　sell　her　book。　Then；　in　a　short　while；　she　could　be　a　〃best…selling　author。〃
When　I　first　came　out　with　my　first　book　If　You　Want　To　Be　Rich　and　Happy；　Don't　Go　to　School？　a　publisher　suggested　I　change　the　tide　to　The　Economics　of　Education。　I　told　the　publisher　that　with　a　title　like　that；　I　would　sell　two　books：　one　to　my　family　and　one　to　my　best　friend。　The　problem　is；　they　would　expect　it　for　free。　The　obnoxious　title　If　You　Want　To　Be　Rich　and　Happy；　Don't　Go　to　School？　was　chosen　because　we　knew　it　would　get　tons　of　publicity。　I　am　pro…education　and　believe　in　education　reform。　　Otherwise；　why　would　I　continue　to　press　for　changing　our　antiquated　educational　system？　So　I　chose　a　title　that　would　get　me　on　more　TV　and　radio　shows；　simply　because　I　was　willing　to　be　controversial。　Many　people　thought　I　was　a　fruitcake；　but　the　book　sold　and　sold。
When　I　graduated　from　the　U。S。　Merchant　Marine　Academy　in　1969；　my　educated　dad　was　happy。　Standard　Oil　of　California　had　hired　me　for　its　oil…tanker　fleet。　I　was　a　third　mate；　and　the　pay　was　low　pared　with　my　classmates；　but　it　was　OK　for　a　first　real　job　after　college。　My　starting　pay　was　about　42；000　a　year；　including　overtime；　and　I　only　had　；　to　work　for　seven　months。　I　had　five　months　of　vacation。　If　I　had　wanted　to；　I　could　have　taken　the　run　to　Vietnam　with　a　subsidiary　shipping　pany；　and　easily　doubled　my　pay　instead　of　taking　the　five　J　months'　vacation。
I　had　a　great　career　ahead　of　me；　yet　I　resigned　after　six　months　with　the　pany　and　joined　the　Marine　Corps　to　learn　how　to　fly。　My　educated　dad　was　devastated。　Rich　dad　congratulated　me。
In　school　and　in　the　workplace；　the　popular　opinion　is　the　idea　of　〃specialization。〃　That　is；　in　order　to　make　more　money　or　get　promoted；　you　need　to　〃specialize。〃　That　is　why　medical　doctors　immediately　begin　to　seek　a　specialty　such　as　orthopedics　or　pediatrics。　The　same　is　true　for　accountants；　architects；　lawyers；　pilots　and　others。
My　educated　dad　believed　in　the　same　dogma。　That　is　why　he　was　thrilled　when　he　eventually　achieved　his　doctorate。　He　often　admitted　　　？？that　schools　reward　people　who　study　more　and　more　about　less　and　less。
Rich　dad　encouraged　me　to　do　exactly　the　opposite。　　〃You　want　to　　'　know　a　little　about　a　lot〃　was　his　suggestion。　That　is　why　for　years　I　worked　in　different　areas　of　his　panies。　For　awhile；　I　worked　in　his　accounting　department。　Although　I　would　probably　never　have　been　an　accountant；　he　wanted　me　to　learn　via　〃osmosis。〃　Rich　dad　knew　I　would　pick　up　〃jargon〃　and　a　sense　of　what　is　important　and　what　is　not。　I　also　worked　as　a　bus　boy　and　construction　worker；　as　well　as　in　sales；　reservations　and　marketing。　　He　was　〃grooming〃　Mike　and　me。　That　is　why　he　insisted　we　sit　in　on　the　meetings　with　his　bankers；　lawyers；　accountants　and　brokers。　He　wanted　us　to　know　a　little　about　every　aspect　of　his　empire。
When　I　quit　my　high…paying　job　with　Standard　Oil；　my　educated　dad　had　a　heart…to…heart　with　me。　　He　was　bewildered。　He　could　not　understand　my　decision　to　resign　from　a　career　that　offered　high　pay；　great　benefits；　lots　of　time　off；　and　opportunity　for　promotion。　When　he　asked　me　one　evening；　〃Why　did　you　quit？〃　I　could　not　explain　it　to　him；　as　much　as　I　tried。　My　logic　did　not　fit　his　logic。　The　big　problem　wasthat　my　logic　was　my　rich　dad's　logic。
Job　security　meant　everything　to　my　educated　dad。　Learning　meant　everything　to　my　rich　dad。
Educated　dad　thought　I　went　to　school　to　learn　to　be　a　ship's　officer。　Rich　dad　knew　that　I　went　to　school　to　study　international　trade。　So　as　a　student；　I　made　cargo　runs；　navigating　large　freighters；　oil　tankers　and　passenger　ships　to　the　Far　East　and　the　South　Pacific。　Rich　dad　emphasized　that　I　stay　in　the　Pacific　instead　of　taking　ships　to　Europe　because　he　knew　that　the　〃emerging　nations〃　were　in　Asia；　not　Europe。　While　most　of　my　classmates；　including　Mike；　were　partying　at　their　fraternity　houses；　I　was　studying　trade；　people；　business　styles　and　cultures　in　Japan；　Taiwan；　Thailand；　Singapore；　Hong　Kong；　Vietnam；　Korea；　Tahiti；　Samoa　and　the　Philippines。　I　also　was　partying；　but　it　was　not　in　any　frat　house。　I　grew　up　rapidly。
Educated　dad　just　could　not　understand　why　I　decided　to　quit　and　join　the　Marine　Corps。　I　told　him　I　wanted　to　learn　to　fly；　but　really　I　wanted　to　learn　to　lead　troops。　Rich　dad　explained　to　me　that　the　hardest　part　of　running　a　pany　is　managing　people。　He　had　spent　three　years　in　the　Army；　my　educated　dad　was　draft…exempt。　Rich　dad　told　me　of　the　value　of　learning　to　lead　men　into　dangerous　situations。　〃Leadership　is　what　you　need　to　learn　next；〃　he　said。　　〃If　you're　not　a　good　leader；　you'll　get　shot　in　the　back；　just　like　they　do　in　business。〃
Returning　from　Vietnam　in　1973；1　resigned　my　mission；　even　though　I　loved　flying。　I　found　a　job　with　Xerox　Corp。　I　joined　it　for　one　reason；　and　it　was　not　for　the　benefits。　I　was　a　shy　person；　and　the　thought　of　selling　was　the　most　frightening　subject　in　the　world。　Xerox　has　one　of　the　best　sales…training　programs　in　America。
Rich　dad　was　proud　of　me。　My　educated　dad　was　ashamed。　Being　an　intellectual；　he　thought　that　salespeople　were　below　him。　　I　worked　with　Xerox　for　four　years　until　I　overcame　my　fear　of　knocking　on　doors　and　being　rejected。　　Once　I　could　consistently　be　in　the　top　five　in　sales；　I　again　resigned　and　moved　on；　leaving　behind　another　great　career　with　an　excellent　pany。
In　1977；1　formed　my　first　pany。　Rich　dad　had　groomed　Mike　and　me　to　take　over　panies。　　So　I　now　had　to　learn　to　form　them　and　put　them　together。　My　first　product；　the　nylon　and　velcro　wallet；　was　manufactured　in　the　Far　East　and　shipped　to　a　warehouse　in　New　York；　near　where　I　had　gone　to　school。　　My　formal　education　was　plete；　and　it　was　time　to　test　my　wings。　　If　I　failed；　I　went　broke。　Rich　dad
thought　it　best　to　go　broke　before　30。　　〃You　still　have　time　to　recover〃
was　his　advice。　On　the　eve　of　my　30th　birthday；　my　first　shipment　left　　　　；；
Korea　for　New　York。
Today；　I　still　do　business　internationally。　And　as　my　rich　dad　encouraged　me　to　do；　I　keep　seeking　the　emerging　nations。　Today　my　investment　pany　invests　in　South　America；　Asia；　Norway　and　Russia。　There　is　an　old　cliche　that　goes；　〃Job　is　an　acronym　for　'Just　Over　Broke。'〃　And　unfortunately；　I　would　say　that　the　saying　applies　to　millions　of　people。　Because　school　does　not　think　financial　intelligence　is　an　intelligence；　most　workers　〃live　within　their　means。〃　They　work　and　they　pay　the　bills。
There　is　another　horrible　management　theory　that　goes；　〃Workers　work　hard　enough　to　not　be　fired；　and　owners　pay　just　enough　so　that　workers　won't　quit。〃　And　if　you　look　at　the　pay　scales　of　most　panies；　again　I　would　say　there　is　a　degree　of　truth　in　that　statement。
The　net　result　is　that　most　workers　never　get　ahead。　They　do　what　they've　been　taught　to　do：　〃Get　a　secure　job。〃　Most　workers　focus　on　working　for　pay　and　benefits　that　reward　them　in　the　short　term；　but　is　often　disastrous　in　the　long。　Instead　I　remend　to　young　people　to　seek　work　for　what　they　will　learn；　more　than　what　they　will　earn。　Look　down　the　road　at　what　；　skills　they　want　to　acquire　before　choosing　a　specific　profession　and　before　getting　trapped　in　the　〃Rat　Race。〃
Once　people　are　trapped　in　the　lifelong　process　of　bill　paying；　they　1　bee　like　those　little　hamsters　running　around　in　those　little　metal　wheels。　Their　little　furry　legs　are　spinning　furiously；　the　wheel　is　turning　furiously；　but　e　tomorrow　morning；　they'll　still　be　in　the　same　cage：　great　job。
In　the　movie　Jerry　Maguire；　starring　Tom　Cruise；　there　are　many　great　one　liners。　Probably　the　most　memorable　is　〃Show　me　the　money。〃　But　there　is　one　line　I　thought　most　truthful。　It　es　from　the　scene　where　Tom　Cruise　is　leaving　the　firm。　He　has　just　been　fired；　and　he　is　asking　the　entire　pany　〃Who　wants　to　e　with　me？〃　And　the　whole　place　is　silent　and　frozen。　Only　one　woman　speaks　up　and　says；　〃I'd　like　to　but　I'm　due　for　a　promotion　in　three　months。〃
That　statement　is　probably　the　most　truthful　statement　in　the　whole　movie。　　It　is　the　type　of　statement　that　people　use　to　keep　themselves
　
busy　working　away　to　pay　bills。　I　know　my　educated　dad　looked　forward　to　his　pay　raise　every　year；　and　every　year　he　was　disappointed。　So　he　would　go　back　to　school　to　earn　more　qualifications　so　he　could　get　another　raise；　but　again；　it　would　be　another　disappointment。
The　question　I　often　ask　people　is；　〃Where　is　this　daily　activity　taking　you？〃　Just　like　the　little　hamster；　I　wonder　if　people　look　at　where　their　hard　work　is　taking　them。　What　does　the　future　hold？
Cyril　Brickfield；　the　former　executive　director　of　The　American　Association　of　Retired　People；　reports　that　〃private　pensions　are　in　a　state　of　chaos。　First　of　all；　50　percent　of　the　workforce　today　has　no　pension。　That　alone　should　be　of　great　concern。　And　75　to　80　percent　of　the　other　50　percent　have　ineffective　pensions　that　pay　55　or　150　or　300　a　month。〃
In　his　book　The　Retirement　Myth；　Craig　S。　Karpel　writes：　〃I　visited　the　headquarters　of　a　major　national　pension　consulting　firm　and　met　with　a　managing　director　who　specializes　in　designing　lush　retirement　plans　for　top　management。　When　I　asked　her　what　people　who　don't　have　corner　offices　will　be　able　to　expect　in　the　way　of　pension　ine；　she　said　with　a　confident　smile：　　〃The　Silver　Bullet。'
〃　'What；'　I　asked；　'is　The　Silver　Bullet？'
〃She　shrugged；　'If　baby　boomers　discover　they　don't　have　enough　money　to　live　on　when　they're　older；　they　can　always　blow　their　brains　out。'〃　Karpel　goes　on　to　explain　the　difference　between　the　old　Defined　Benefit　retirement　plans　and　the　new　401K　plans　which　are　riskier。　It　is　not　a　pretty　picture　for　most　people　working　today。　And　that　is　just　for　retirement。　When　medical　fees　and　long…term　nursing　home　care　are　added　to　the　picture；　the　picture　is　frightening。　In　his　1995　book；　he　indicates　that　nursing…home　fees　run　from　30；000　to　125；000　per　year。　He　went　to　a　clean　no…frills　nursing　home　in　his　area　and　found　the　price　to　be　88；000　a　year　in　1995。
Already；　many　hospitals　in　countries　with　socialized　medicine　need　to　make　tough　decisions　such　as　〃Who　will　live　and　who　will　die？〃　They　mak