《富爸爸,穷爸爸(英文版)》第31章

Since　1984；　I　have　made　millions　simply　by　doing　what　the　school　system　does　not。　In　school；　most　teachers　lecture。　I　hated　lectures　as　a　student；　I　was　soon　bored　and　my　mind　would　drift。
In　1984；I　began　teaching　via　games　and　simulations。　I　always　encouraged　adult　students　to　look　at　games　as　reflecting　back　to　what　they　know；　and　what　they　needed　to　learn。　Most　importantly；　a　game　reflects　back　on　one"s　behavior。　It"s　an　instant　feedback　system。 Instead　of　the　teacher　lecturing　you；　the　game　is　feeding　back　a　personalized　lecture；　custom　made　just　for　you。
The　friend　of　the　woman　who　left　later　called　to　give　me　an　update。　She　said　her　friend　was　fine　and　had　calmed　down。 In　her　cooling…off　period；　she　could　see　some　slight　relationship　between　the　game　and　her　life。
Although　she　and　her　husband　did　not　own　a　boat；　they　did　own
everything　else　imaginable。 She　was　angry　after　their　divorce；　both　because　he　had　run　off　with　a　younger　woman　and　because　after　twenty　years　of　marriage；　they　had　accumulated　little　in　the　way　of　assets。　There　was　virtually　nothing　for　them　to　split。　Their　twenty　years　of　married　life　had　been　incredible　fun；　but　all　they　had　accumulated　was　a　ton　of　doodads。
She　realized　that　her　anger　at　doing　the　numbers…the　ine　statement　and　balance　sheet…came　from　her　embarrassment　of　not　understanding　them。　She　had　believed　that　finances　were　the　man"s　job。　She　maintained　the　house　and　did　the　entertaining；　and　he　handled　the　finances。　She　was　now　quite　certain　that　in　the　last　five　years　of　their　marriage；　he　had　hidden　money　from　her。　She　was　angry　at　herself　for　not　being　more　aware　of　where　the　money　was　going；　as　well　as　for　not　knowing　about　the　other　woman。
Just　like　a　board　game；　the　world　is　always　providing　us　with　instant　feedback。　We　could　learn　a　lot　if　we　tuned　in　more。　One　day　not　long　ago；　I　plained　to　my　wife　that　the　cleaners　must　have　shrunk　my　pants。　My　wife　gently　smiled　and　poked　me　in　the　stomach　to　inform　me　that　the　pants　had　not　shrunk；　something　else　had　expanded　me！
The　game　CASHFLOW　was　designed　to　give　every　player　personal　feedback。　Its　purpose　is　to　give　you　options。　If　you　draw　the　boat　card　and　it　puts　you　into　debt；　the　question　is；　〃Now　what　can　you　do？〃　How　many　different　financial　options　can　you　e　up　with？　That　is　the　purpose　of　the　game：　to　teach　players　to　think　and　create　new　and　various　financial　options。
I　have　watched　this　game　played　by　more　than　1；000　people。　The　people　who　get　out　of　the　〃Rat　Race〃　in　the　game　the　quickest　are　the　people　who　understand　numbers　and　have　creative　financial　minds。　They　recognize　different　financial　options。 People　who　take　the　longest　are　people　who　are　not　familiar　with　numbers　and　often　do　not　understand　the　power　of　investing。　Rich　people　are　often　creative　and　take　calculated　risks。
There　have　been　people　playing　CASHFLOW　who　gain　lots　of　money　in　the　game；　but　they　don"t　know　what　to　do　with　it。　Most　of　them　have　not　been　financially　successful　in　real　life　either。　Everyone　else　seems　to　be　getting　ahead　of　them；　even　though　they　have　money。　And　that　is　true　in　real　life。　There　are　a　lot　of　people　who　have　a　lot　of　money　and　do　not　get　ahead　financially。
CHAPTER　SEVEN　
Lesson　Six：Work　to　Learn　… Don"t　Work　for　Money
In　1995；1　granted　an　interview　with　a　newspaper　in　Singapore。　The　young　female　reporter　was　on　time；　and　the　interview　got　under　way　immediately。　We　sat　in　the　lobby　of　a　luxurious　hotel；　sipping　coffee　and　discussing　the　purpose　of　my　visit　to　Singapore。　I　was　to　share　the　platform　with　Zig　Ziglar。　He　was　speaking　on　motivation；　and　I　was　speaking　on　〃The　Secrets　of　the　Rich。〃
〃Someday；　I　would　like　to　be　a　best…selling　author　like　you；〃　she　said。　I　had　seen　some　of　the　articles　she　had　written　for　the　paper；　and　I　was　impressed。　She　had　a　tough；　clear　style　of　writing。　Her　articles　held　a　reader"s　interest。
〃You　have　a　great　style；〃　I　said　in　reply。 〃What　holds　you　back　from　achieving　your　dream？〃
〃My　work　does　not　seem　to　go　anywhere；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Everyone　says　that　my　novels　are　excellent；　but　nothing　happens。 So　I　keep　my　job　with　the　paper。　At　least　it　pays　the　bills。　Do　you　have　any　suggestions？〃
〃Yes；　I　do；〃　I　said　brightly。 〃A　friend　of　mine　here　in　Singapore　runs　a　school　that　trains　people　to　sell。　He　runs　sales…training　courses　for　many　of　the　top　corporations　here　in　Singapore；　and　I　think　attending　one　of　his　courses　would　greatly　enhance　your　career。〃
She　stiffened。 〃Are　you　saying　I　should　go　to　school　to　learn　to　sell？〃
I　nodded。
〃You　aren"t　serious；　are　you？〃
Again；　I　nodded。 〃What　is　wrong　with　that？〃　I　was　now　backpeddling。　She　was　offended　by　something；　and　now　I　was　wishing　11　had　not　said　anything。　In　my　attempt　to　be　helpful；　I　found　myself　defending　my　suggestion。
〃I　have　a　master"s　degree　in　English　Literature。　Why　would　I　go　to　school　to　learn　to　be　a　salesperson？　I　am　a　professional。　I　went　to　school　to　be　trained　in　a　profession　so　I　would　not　have　to　be　a　salesperson。　I　hate　salespeople。　All　they　want　is　money。　So　tell　me　why｜　I　should　study　sales？〃　She　was　now　packing　her　briefcase　forcibly。　The　interview　was　over。
On　the　coffee　table　sat　a　copy　of　an　earlier　best…selling　book　I　wrote。　I　I　picked　it　up　as　well　as　the　notes　she　had　jotted　down　on　her　legal　pad。　｜　〃Do　you　see　this？〃　I　said　pointing　to　her　notes。
She　looked　down　at　her　notes。 〃What；〃　she　said；　confused。
Again；　I　pointed　deliberately　to　her　notes。 On　her　pad　she　had　written　〃Robert　Kiyosaki；　best…selling　author。〃
〃It　says　"best…selling　author；"　not　best　"writing"　author。〃
Her　eyes　widened　immediately。
〃I　am　a　terrible　writer。　You　are　a　great　writer。　I　went　to　sales　school。　You　have　a　master"s　degree。　Put　them　together　and　you　get　a　"best…selling　author"　and　a　"best…writing　author。"〃
Anger　flared　from　her　eyes。　〃I"ll　never　stoop　so　low　as　to　learn　how　to　sell。　People　like　you　have　no　business　writing。　I　am　a　professionally　trained　writer　and　you　are　a　salesman。　It　is　not　fair。〃
The　rest　of　her　notes　were　put　away；　and　she　hurried　out　through　the　j；　large　glass　doors　into　the　humid　Singapore　morning。
At　least　she　gave　me　a　fair　and　favorable　write…up　the　next　morning。