All Book Summaries
In 1985, my wife Kim and I were homeless. We had exhausted our savings, maxed out our credit cards, and were living out of an old brown Toyota with reclining seats that doubled as our beds. Friends and family couldn’t believe it. Their first question was always:
“Why don’t you just get a job?”
It’s a fair question. Both Kim and I were college graduates. We had good skills and could have easily found safe, secure jobs with decent paychecks. But we weren’t looking for job security—we wanted something far bigger: financial freedom.
It Doesn’t Take Money to Make Money
Most people believe the saying, “It takes money to make money.” I disagree.
We had no money, no job, and debt hanging over us. Yet by 1989, we were millionaires. By 1994, we had achieved financial freedom. What got us there wasn’t money—it was:
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A dream bigger than survival
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Determination to keep going, even when hungry
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A willingness to learn quickly
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Understanding how money actually works
The CASHFLOW Quadrant
This is where my Rich Dad’s lessons came in. He introduced me to the CASHFLOW Quadrant, a simple diagram that explains how people earn money:
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E for Employee (works for someone else)
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S for Self-Employed or Small Business (works for themselves)
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B for Business Owner (owns systems that work for them)
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I for Investor (money works for them)
Most people live on the left side (E and S), trading time for money. The right side (B and I) is where wealth and financial freedom are created.
Why I Refused the “Safe Job”
To me, getting a job would have been a step backward. I didn’t want to spend my life working for money. I wanted to build systems and investments that would let money work for me.
That choice was painful. Kim and I fought often during those years. Hunger and uncertainty tested our relationship. But love, trust, and vision held us together. And in the long run, the struggle was worth it.
Lessons from Two Dads
I had two father figures with very different philosophies:
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My educated (poor) dad believed that the love of money was evil, that job security mattered most, and that investing was too risky. He lived honestly but died frustrated, reliant on Social Security.
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My rich dad believed money was essential to support life and that it should work for you, not the other way around. For him, money meant time for family, freedom to contribute to his community, and the ability to live fully.
Watching their lives unfold showed me that small choices early on create huge differences later.
Choosing Your Quadrant
Each quadrant has its strengths and weaknesses. You can be rich or poor in any of them. But if your goal is financial freedom, the right side (B and I) gives you leverage, tax advantages, and control over your destiny.
That’s why Kim and I endured homelessness instead of taking jobs. We weren’t chasing paychecks. We were building a future where we never had to work for money again.
✍️ Takeaway:
The question isn’t “Do you have a job?” but “From which quadrant do you earn your income?” Your answer to that question determines whether you’re working for money—or money is working for you.
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