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're made of money？ Do you think money grows on trees？ We're not rich people； you know。〃
It wasn't so much the words but the angry guilt…trip that went with the words that got to me。
Or the reverse guilt…trip was the 〃I'm sacrificing my life to buy this for you。 I'm buying this for you because I never had this advantage when I was a kid。〃 I have a neighbor who is stone broke； but can't park his car in his garage。 The garage is filled with toys for his kids。 Those spoiled brats get everything they ask for。 〃I don't want them to know the feeling of want〃 are his everyday words。 He has nothing set aside for their college or his retirement； but his kids have every toy ever made。 He recently got a new credit card in the mail and took his kids to visit Las Vegas。 〃I'm doing it for the kids；〃 he said with great sacrifice。
Rich dad forbade the words 〃I can't afford it。〃
In my real home； that's all I heard。 Instead； rich dad required his children to say； 〃How can I afford it？〃 His reasoning； the words 〃I can't afford it〃 shut down your brain。 It didn't have to think anymore。 〃How can I afford it'〃 opened up the brain。 Forced it to think and search for answers。
But most importantly； he felt the words 〃I can't afford it〃 were a lie。 And the human spirit knew it。 〃The human spirit is very； very； powerful；〃 he would say。 〃It knows it can do anything。〃 By having a lazy mind that says； 〃I can't afford it；〃 a war breaks out inside you。 Your spirit is angry； and your lazy mind must defend its lie。 The spirit is screaming； 〃Come on。 Let's go to the gym and work out。〃 And the lazy mind says； 〃But I'm tired。 I worked really hard today。〃 Or the human spirit says； 〃I'm sick and tired of being poor。 Let's get out there and get rich。〃 To which the lazy mind says； 〃Rich people are greedy。 Besides it's too much bother。
It's not safe。 I might lose money。 I'm working hard enough as it is。 I've got too much to do at work anyway。 Look at what I have to do tonight。 My boss wants it finished by the morning。〃
〃I can't afford it〃 also brings up sadness。 A helplessness that leads to ' despondency and often depression。 〃Apathy〃 is another word。 〃How can I afford it？〃 opens up possibilities； excitement and dreams。 So rich dad ； was not so concerned about what you wanted to buy； but that 〃How can 'f j I afford it？〃 created a stronger mind and a dynamic spirit。
Thus； he rarely gave Mike or me anything。 Instead he would ask； 〃How can you afford it？〃 and that included college； which we paid for ourselves。 It was not the goal but the process of attaining the goal we desired that he wanted us to learn。 The problem I sense today is that there are millions of people who feel guilty about their greed。 It's an old conditioning from their childhood。 Their desire to have the finer things that life offers。 Most have been conditioned subconsciously to say； 〃You can't have that；〃 or ；
〃You'll never afford that。〃
When I decided to exit the rat race； it was simply a question。 〃How can I afford to never work again？〃 And my mind began to kick out answers and solutions。 The hardest part was fighting my real parents' dogma of 〃We can't afford that。〃 Or 〃Stop thinking only about yourself。〃 Or 〃Why don't you think about others？〃 and other such words designed to instill guilt to suppress my greed。
So how do you beat laziness？ The answer is a little greed。 It's that radio station WII…FM； which stands for 〃What's In It…For Me？〃 A person needs to sit down and ask； 〃What's in it for me if I'm healthy； sexy and good looking？〃 Or 〃What would my life be like if I never had to work again？〃 Or 〃What would I do if I had all the money I needed？〃 Without that little greed； the desire to have something better； progress is not made。 Our world progresses because we all desire a better life。 New inventions are made because we desire something better。 We go to school and study hard because we want something better。 So whenever you find yourself avoiding something you know you should be doing； then the only thing to ask yourself is 〃What's in it for me？〃 Be a little greedy。 It's the best cure for laziness。
Too much greed； however； as anything in excess can be； is not good。 But just remember what Michael Douglas said in the movie Wall Street。 〃Greed is good。〃 Rich dad said it differently： 〃Guilt is worse than greed。
For guilt robs the body of its soul。〃 And to me； Eleanor Roosevelt said it best： 〃Do what you feel in your heart to be right…for you'll be criticized anyway。 You'll be damned if you do； and damned if you don't。〃
Reason No。 4。 Habits。 Our lives are a reflection of our habits more than our education。 After seeing the movie Conan； starring Arnold Schwarzenegger； a friend said； 〃I'd love to have a body like Schwarzenegger。〃 Most of the guys nodded in agreement。
〃I even heard he was really puny and skinny at one time；〃 another friend added。
〃Yeah； I heard that too；〃 another one added。 〃I heard he has a habit of working out almost every day in the gym。〃
〃Yeah； I'll bet he has to。〃
〃Nah；〃 said the group cynic。 〃I'll bet he was born that way。 Besides； let's stop talking about Arnold and get some beers。〃
This is an example of habits controlling behavior。 I remember asking my rich dad about the habits of the rich。 Instead of answering me outright； he wanted me to learn through example； as usual。
〃When does your dad pay his bills？〃 rich dad asked。
〃The first of the month；〃 I said。
〃Does he have anything left over？〃 he asked。
〃Very little；〃 I said。
〃That's the main reason he struggles；〃 said rich dad。 〃He has bad habits。〃
〃Your dad pays everyone else first。 He pays himself last； but only if he has anything left over。〃
〃Which he usually doesn't；〃 I said。 〃But he has to pay his bills； doesn't he？ You're saying he shouldn't pay his bills？〃
〃Of course not；〃 said rich dad。 〃I firmly believe in paying my bills on time。 I just pay myself first。 Before I pay even the government。〃
〃But what happens if you don't have enough money？〃 I asked。 〃What do you do then？〃
〃The same；〃 said rich dad。 〃I still pay myself first。 Even if I'm short of money。 My asset column is far more important to me than the government。〃
〃But；〃 I said。 〃Don't they come after you？〃
〃Yes； if you don't pay；〃 said rich dad。 〃Look； I did not say not to pay。 I just said I pay myself first； even if I'm short of money。〃
〃But；〃 I replied。 〃How do you do that'〃
〃It's not how。 The question is 'Why；'〃 rich dad said。
〃OK； why？〃
〃Motivation；〃 said rich dad 〃Who do you think will complain louder if I don't pay them…me or my creditors？〃
〃Your creditors will definitely scream louder than you；〃 I said； responding to the obvious。 〃You wouldn't say anything if you didn't pay yourself。〃
〃So you see； after paying myself； the pressure to pay my taxes and the other creditors is so great that it forces me to seek other forms of income。 The pressure to pay becomes my motivation。 I've worked extra jobs； started other companies； traded in the stock market； anything just to make sure those guys don't start yelling at me。 That pressure made me work harder； forced me to think； and all in all made me smarter and more active when it comes to money。 If I had paid myself last； I would have felt no pressure； but I'd be broke。〃
〃So it is the fear of the government or other people you owe money I to that motivates you？〃
〃That's right；〃 said rich dad。 〃You see； government bill collectors are big bullies。 So are bill collectors in general。 Most people give into these bullies。 They pay them and never pay themselves。 You know the story of the 96…pound weakling who gets sand kicked in his face？〃
I nodded。 〃I see that ad for weightlifting and bodybuilding lessons in the comic books all the time。〃
〃Well； most people let the bullies kick sand in their faces。 I decided to use the fear of the bully to make me stronger。 Others get weaker。 Forcing myself to think about how to make extra money is like going to the gym and working out with weights。 The more I work my mental money muscles out； the stronger I get。 Now； I'm not afraid of those bullies。
I liked what rich dad was saying。 〃So if I pay myself first； I get financially stronger； mentally and fiscally。〃
Rich dad nodded。
〃And if I pay myself last； or not at all； I get weaker。 So people like bosses； managers； tax collectors； bill collectors and landlords push me around all my life。 Just because I don't have good money habits。〃
Rich dad nodded。 〃Just like the 96…pound weakling。〃
Reason No。 5。 Arrogance。 Arrogance is ego plus ignorance。 I 〃What I know makes me money。 What I don't know loses me money。 Every time I have been arrogant； I have lost money。 Because when I'm arrogant； I truly believe that what I don't know is not important；〃 rich dad would often tell me。
I have found that many people use arrogance to try to hide their own ignorance。 It often happens when I am discussing financial statements with accountants or even other investors。
They try to bluster their way through the discussion。 It is clear to me that they don't know what they're talking about。 They're not lying； but they are not telling the truth。
There are many people in the world of money； finances and investments who have absolutely no idea what they're talking about。 Most people in the money industry are