In the Introduction, Robert Kiyosaki explores the starkly different financial philosophies imparted by two influential father figures in his life. The first, referred to as “poor dad,” throughout the text, is Kiyosaki’s biological father, a well-educated teacher who championed the conventional path of excelling academically, securing a stable job, and relying on a paycheck for financial security. However, despite his intelligence and adherence to societal norms, poor dad struggled financially.

In contrast, “rich dad” was the father of Kiyosaki’s best friend, Mike, and shared a similar work ethic with poor dad, but with a significant twist: Rich dad emphasized the importance of financial education and understanding how money operates in order to leverage it to one’s advantage. Despite having only an eighth-grade education, rich dad became a millionaire by harnessing the power of money.

Thus, Kiyosaki sets up the book as a firsthand account of the lessons he learned from rich dad and the subsequent mistakes poor dad commits.

Chapter 1 begins with an anecdote. In 1956, when Kiyosaki was nine years old, his father tells him that to become rich, he has to “make money.” The author and his friend,