富爸爸、穷爸爸(英文版)-第27节

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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