Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About MoneyThat the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!

Finding Your Path
This CASHFLOW Quadrant book is important because it is about
finding your path in life. As you know, most people are programmed early
in life to “Go to school and get a job.” School is about finding a job in the E
or S quadrant. It is not about finding your life’s path.
I realize there are people who know exactly what they are going to do
early in life. They grow up knowing they are going to be a doctor, lawyer,
musician, golfer or actor. We have all heard about child prodigies, kids with
exceptional talents. Yet you may notice, these are professions, not
necessarily a life’s path.
So How Does One Find Their Path in Life?
My answer is: I wish I knew. If I could wave my magic wand and your
life’s path would magically appear, I would.
Since I do not have a magic wand nor can I tell you what to do, the best
thing I can do is tell you what I did. And what I did was trust my intuition,
my heart, and my guts. For example, in 1973, returning from the war, when

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my poor dad suggested I go back to school, get my higher degrees, and
work for the government, my brain went numb, my heart went heavy and
my gut said, “No way.”
When he suggested I get my old job back with Standard Oil or fly for
the airlines, again my mind, heart, and gut said no. I knew I was through
sailing and flying, although they were great professions and the pay was
pretty good.
In 1973 at the age of 26, I was growing up. I had followed my parent’s
advice and gone to school, received my college degree, and had two
professions: a license to be a ship’s officer and a license to fly. The problem
was, they were professions and the dreams of a child.
At the age of 26, I was old enough to know that education is a process.
For example, when I wanted to be a ship’s officer, I went to a school that
turned out ships’ officers. And when I wanted to learn to fly, I went to Navy
flight school, a two-year process that turns non-pilots into pilots. I was
cautious about my next educational process. I wanted to know what I was
going to become before I started my next educational process.
Traditional schools had been good to me. I had achieved my childhood
professions. Reaching adulthood was confusing because there were no signs
saying, “This is the way.” I knew what I didn’t want to do, but I did not
know what I wanted to do.
It would have been simple if all I wanted was a new profession. If I had
wanted to be a medical doctor, I would have gone to medical school. If I
had wanted to be a lawyer, I would have gone to law school. But I knew
there was more to life than just going to school to gain another professional
credential.
I did not realize it at the time, but at 26 years of age, I was now looking
for my path in life, not my next profession.