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〃Look； school is very； very important。 You go to school to learn a skill or profession so as to be a contributing member of society。 Every culture needs teachers； doctors； mechanics； artists； cooks； business people； police officers； firefighters； soldiers。 Schools train them so our culture can thrive and flourish；〃 said rich dad。 〃Unfortunately； for many people； school is the end； not the beginning。〃
There was a long silence。 Rich dad was smiling。 I did not prehend everything he said that day。 But as with most great teachers； whose words continue to teach for years； often long after they're gone； his words are still with me today。
〃I've been a little cruel today；〃 said rich dad。 〃Cruel for a reason。 I want you to always remember this talk。 I want you to always think of Mrs。 Martin。 I want you always to think of the donkey。 Never forget； because your two emotions； fear and desire； can lead you into life's biggest trap； if you're not aware of them controlling your thinking。 To spend your life living in fear； never exploring your dreams； is cruel。 To work hard for money； thinking that money will buy you things that will make you happy is also cruel。 To wake up in the middle of the night terrified about paying bills is a horrible way to live。 To live a life dictated by the size of a paycheck is not really a life。 Thinking that a job will make you feel secure is lying to yourself。 That's cruel； and that's the trap I want you to avoid； if possible。 I've seen how money runs people's lives。 Don't let that happen to you。 Please don't let money run your life。〃
A softball rolled under our table。 Rich dad picked it up and threw it back。
〃So what does ignorance have to do with greed and fear？〃 I asked。
〃Because it is ignorance about money that causes so much greed and so much fear；〃 said rich dad。 〃Let me give you some examples。 A doctor； wanting more money to better provide for his family； raises his fees。 By raising his fees； it makes health care more expensive for everyone。 Now； it hurts the poor people the most； so poor people have worse health than those with money。
〃Because the doctors raise their rates； the attorneys raise their rates。 Because the attorneys' rates have gone up； schoolteachers want a raise； which raises our taxes； and on and on and on。 Soon； there will be such a horrifying gap between the rich and the poor that chaos will break out and another great civilization will collapse。 Great civilizations collapsed when the gap between the haves and havenots was too great。 America is on the same course； proving once again that history repeats itself； because we do not learn from history。 We only memorize historical dates and names； not the lesson。
〃Aren't prices supposed to go up？〃 I asked。
〃Not in an educated society with a well…run government。 Prices should actually e down。 Of course； that is often only true in theory。 Prices go up because of greed and fear caused by ignorance。 If schools taught people about money； there would be more money and lower prices； but schools focus only on teaching people to work for money； not how to harness money's power。〃
〃But don't we have business schools？〃 Mike asked。 〃Aren't you encouraging me to go to business school for my master's degree？〃
〃Yes；〃 said rich dad。 〃But all too often； business schools train employees who are sophisticated bean counters。 Heaven forbid a bean counter takes over a business。 All they do is look at the numbers； fire people and kill the business。 I know because I hire bean counters。 All they think about is cutting costs and raising prices； which cause more problems。 Bean counting is important。 I wish more people knew it； but it； too； is not the whole picture；〃 added rich dad angrily。
〃So is there an answer？〃 asked Mike。
〃Yes；〃 said rich dad。 〃Learn to use your emotions to think； not think with your emotions。 When you boys mastered your emotions； first by agreeing to work for free； I knew there was hope。 When you again resisted your emotions when I tempted you with more money； you were again learning to think in spite of being emotionally charged。 That's the first step。〃
〃Why is that step so important〃 I asked。
〃Well； that's up to you to find out。 If you want to learn； I'll take you boys into the briar patch。 That place where almost everyone else avoids。 I'll take you to that place where most people are afraid to go。 If you go with me； you'll let go of the idea of working for money and instead learn to have money work for you。〃
〃And what will we get if we go with you。 What if we agree to learn from you？ What will we get？〃 I asked。
〃The same thing Briar Rabbit got；〃 said rich dad。 〃Freedom from the Tar Baby。〃
〃Is there a briar patch？〃 I asked。
〃Yes；〃 said rich dad。 〃The briar patch is our fear and our greed。 Going into our fear and confronting our greed； our weaknesses； our neediness is the way out。 And the way out is through the mind； by choosing our thoughts。〃
〃Choosing our thoughts？〃 Mike asked； puzzled。
〃Yes。 Choosing what we think rather than reacting to our emotions。 Instead of just getting up and going to work to solve your problems； just because the fear of not having the money to pay your bills is scaring you。 Thinking would be taking the time to ask yourself a question。 A question like； ‘Is working harder at this the best solution to this problem？' Most people are so terrified at not telling themselves the truth…that fear is in control…that they cannot think； and instead run out the door。 Tar baby is in control。 That's what I mean by choosing your thoughts。〃
〃And how do we do that？〃 Mike asked。
〃That's what I will be teaching you。 I'll be teaching you to have a choice of thoughts to consider； rather than knee…jerk reacting； like gulping down your morning coffee and running out the door。
〃Remember what I said before： A job is only a short…term solution to a long…term problem。 Most people have only one problem in mind； and it's short term。 It's the bills at the end of the month； the Tar Baby。 Money now runs their lives。 Or should I say the fear and ignorance about money。 So they do as their parents did； get up every day and go work for money。 Not having the time to say； ‘Is there another way？' Their emotions now control their thinking； not their heads。〃
〃Can you tell the difference between emotions thinking and the head thinking？〃 Mike asked。
〃Oh； yes。 I hear it all the time；〃 said rich dad。 〃I hear things like； ‘Well； everyone has to work。' Or ‘The rich are crooks。' Or ‘I'll get another job。 I deserve this raise。 You can't push me around。' Or ‘I like this job because it's secure。' Instead of； ‘Is there something I'm missing here？' which breaks the emotional thought； and gives you time to think clearly。〃
I must admit； it was a great lesson to be getting。 To know when someone was speaking out of emotions or out of clear thought。 It was a lesson that served me well for life。 Especially when I was the one speaking out of reaction and not from clear thought。
As we headed back to the store； rich dad explained that the rich really did 〃make money。〃 They did not work for it。 He went on to explain that when Mike and I were casting 5…cent pieces out of lead； thinking we were making money； we were very close to thinking the way the rich think。