The author of international bestseller book ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’, Robert Kiyosaki made an unbelievable statement regarding the money management.
He said though we are destined for greatness, we truly destined for is mediocrity — both financially and in life.
“Get good grades, so you’ll get into a good university, land a great job, and secure a comfortable retirement plan.” That’s the narrative society hands us. “Live below your means,” they say. “Build a safety net.” Meanwhile, the financial decisions that shape the fate of our world remain confined to the upper echelons of Wall Street and corporate boardrooms.
The true love for mediocrity made the money management more lucrative over the past decade. However, he said financial literacy still remains a topic shrouded in mystery for the average person. So, in a world where personal finance is ignored in classrooms and eroded in the workplace, where does one turn for guidance?
Kiyosaki’s insights resonated deeply, offering a clear blueprint for escaping the financial hamster wheel.
Rich Dad Poor Dad, first published over two decades ago, has since become a cornerstone of financial literacy. Countless individuals cite the book as the catalyst for their journeys towards financial freedom. “I flunked out of school because I struggled with writing,” Kiyosaki told Khaleej Times. “So imagine the irony of writing a global bestseller. My teachers didn’t like what I wrote and frankly, I didn’t like them. Writing has always been a complicated journey for me.”
Democratizing financial education
But his book wasn’t born out of a desire for intellectual validation. Instead, it was a response to questions that had haunted him for years — questions his father couldn’t answer, questions his teachers dismissed, and questions he ultimately had to resolve on his own. These unanswered questions became the foundation of his passion for teaching financial literacy. “I wanted to share the lessons I had to learn the hard way,” he said, urging individuals to think beyond conventional wisdom, which often traps them in financial complacency.
“You must ask yourself, why are you here? What is your purpose in life? What role are you meant to play in the universe? Think of it like this: a boat placed on dry land can’t fulfill its purpose. Similarly, we need to understand our function to thrive,” said Kiyosaki, who was recently in Dubai to speak at the Mega Campus Summit, held at the Coca-Cola Arena.
With over 30 books to his name — including two co-authored with Donald Trump before his presidency — 77-year-old Kiyosaki still remains steadfast in his mission to democratise financial education. “We’re told to go to school, study hard, get good grades, find a job, and pay taxes. That’s not financial education — that’s financial indoctrination. Financial education begins by questioning the traditional money mindset and narrative.”
Lessons from two fathers
In the bestseller, Kiyosaki contrasts his two father figures: his biological father, whom he calls his “poor dad”, and his mentor, whom he calls his “rich dad”. His poor dad was a brilliant educator — a PhD and the head of education at a school in Hawaii. But despite his academic achievements, he had no understanding of money. “When I was about nine or ten, I asked him when I’d learn about money. He told me he didn’t know,” Kiyosaki recalled. “Instead, he gave me the traditional teaching that ‘the love of money is the root of all evil’. But I couldn’t accept that answer.”
This early experience shaped Kiyosaki’s belief that money itself isn’t the issue — it’s the lack of education around it. “Money isn’t inherently good or evil; it’s a tool. What matters is how you choose to use it. The real issue is that most people don’t understand how to use it effectively,” he said.
Kiyosaki’s approach is unapologetic and often controversial, but that’s precisely what sets him apart. In a world where conformity is celebrated, he urges people to challenge the status quo. His teachings emphasise building assets that generate passive income over time through smart investments — principles he believes as essential for breaking free from the endless cycle of earning, saving and spending, a cycle he often refers to as the “rat race”.
“For instance,” he explained, “I don’t just own gold; I own the mines. I don’t invest in oil stocks; I own the wells. That’s the fast-track mindset. Most people focus on accumulating things, but true wealth comes from building assets that work for you. It’s not about working harder—it’s about working smarter.”
From rat race to fast track
Kiyosaki’s teachings go beyond theory. One of his other popular contributions to the world of personal finance is the Cashflow board game, which he created in 1996. The game introduces players to concepts like the “rat race” and the “fast track”, illustrating how wealth can be built through smart investments. “The purpose of the game is to awaken your financial genius,” Kiyosaki explained. “Play it five or ten times, and it will begin to rewire your thinking.”
The game is designed to engage both hemispheres of the brain. “Traditional schooling only engages the left side of the brain — the analytical side. But building wealth requires creativity, which is governed by the right side,” he added. “The Cashflow game helps balance both sides by developing not only intelligence but also imagination and innovation.”
The biggest money myth
When asked about the biggest misconception people have about money, Kiyosaki didn’t hesitate: “Most people don’t realise money is fake,” he said. “For instance, take this silver coin — this was real money, but the last time it was used was in 1964. After that, we switched to paper money, the dollar. Since 1971, America has been printing dollars to buy real assets like gold, silver, oil, and food."
For him, it’s not just about making money—it’s about what you do with it. “When you hold onto paper money, it loses value, while assets like silver and gold gain value. That’s why building assets is more important than simply earning money. Printed money is fake, and understanding that is the first step to financial freedom. Don’t work for fake money.”
Gen-Z and money trends
When it comes to the younger generation and their approach to money management, Kiyosaki doesn’t mince his words. Asked if he believed Gen-Z — those aged 12 to 27— is struggling with finances, “Absolutely,” he responded. His concern, however, lies not just in their habits but in the outdated financial principles they’ve inherited from older generations.
“Soft saving”, a financial trend particularly popular among younger generations like Gen-Z, includes focusing on saving money for short-term goals or experiences such as travel, dining out, or entertainment, rather than for building long-term financial stability or acquiring assets. Unlike traditional saving, which emphasises accumulating wealth for future security (e.g., retirement, investments, or major life purchases), soft saving prioritises immediate gratification and lifestyle enhancement.
According to Kiyosaki, this approach lacks a long-term strategy for growth. “Saving money doesn’t make sense to me,” he said. “I believe in focusing on learning how to invest. That’s why I created the Cashflow board game—to teach people how to create money, not just save it. In my opinion, saving money is one of the worst financial moves you can make because, over time, inflation will erode its value.”
When asked what advice he’d offer Gen Z for better financial planning, Kiyosaki emphasised the importance of experiential learning above all else. “Here’s the thing: you can’t just tell people what to do with money. It doesn’t matter how good the advice is; people still need to learn for themselves by making their own mistakes.”
By questioning traditional financial narratives, embracing practical learning, and curating a circle of influence that aligns with their aspirations, Kiyosaki believes anyone can break free from the financial limitations of previous generations. “Most people are poor. Don’t take advice from poor people,” he added. “I stopped listening to my dad because, while he was a good man, he was poor.”
After all, it is this early lesson — to choose his teachers wisely — that became a cornerstone of his philosophy and ultimately shaped his iconic bestseller. “If you want to be rich, you need to spend time with rich people. So, choose your company and your teachers carefully," Kiyosaki signed off.
Source: Khaleej Times
Bd-Pratidin English/ Afsar Munna
