Page 55 - Rich Dad's Increase Your Financial IQ: Get Smarter with Your Money

At the start of this book, I wrote that there are two kinds of money
problems. One problem is not enough money, and the other is too much

money. In 1974, as I was leaving the Marine Corps, I had to make up my
mind which problem I wanted. If I wanted the problem of not enough
money, I would take either the job with Standard Oil or the airlines. If I
wanted the problem of too much money, I would take the job with Xerox,

even if it paid the least. As you know, I took the problem of too much
money.
I wanted an education, not just money. I chose Xerox because I knew I
could be a ship’s officer, and I knew I could be a pilot. I didn’t know if I

could be an entrepreneur. I knew I could fail. I also knew I would learn the
most if I faced the risk of failing. If I let fear of failure—of being poor—
win, I wouldn’t ever have gotten off the ground.
One of the reasons people do not increase financial IQ #1 is because they

stick with what they know. Instead of taking on a new challenge and
learning, they play it safe. Now, this doesn’t mean you should do stupid and
risky things. There are many things we could do but choose not to. For
example, I could have chosen to climb Mount Everest. Or I could have

signed up for NASA’s astronaut program. Or I could have entered politics
and run for public office. My point is that I chose my next challenge
carefully, not haphazardly. I asked myself, “What will my life be like if I
take on this challenge and succeed?” It’s the same question I ask you to ask

yourself.
Helen Keller, the subject of the great movie The Miracle Worker, once
said, “Life is a daring adventure . . . or nothing.” I agree. In my opinion, one
way to increase your financial intelligence #1 is to look at life as a learning

adventure. For too many people, life is about playing it safe, doing the right
things, and choosing job security over life. Your life does not have to be
risky or dangerous. Life is about learning, and learning is about adventure.
That is why I didn’t go back to sailing ships or flying planes, even

though I loved both professions. It was time for a new adventure.
Intelligence is not about memorizing old answers and avoiding mistakes—
behavior our school system defines as intelligent. True intelligence is about
learning to solve problems in order to qualify to solve bigger problems.

True intelligence is about the joy of learning rather than the fear of failing.