" 98 Rich Dad's Guide to Investing "What?" I asked. "I just told you I wanted to be rich. Why should I bother with a plan to be secure?" Rich dad laughed. "Just as I thought," he said. "The world is filled with guys like you who only want to be rich. The prob- lem is, most guys like you don't make it because you don't un- derstand being secure, or being comfortable financially. While a few people like you do make it, the reality is, the road to wealth is littered with wrecked lives ... wrecked lives of reck- less people... people just like you." I sat there ready to scream. All my life, I had lived with my poor dad, a man who valued security above all. Now, I'm fi- nally old enough to be outside of my poor dad's values and now my rich dad is saying the same thing. I was ready to scream. I was ready to get rich, not be secure. It was three weeks before I could talk to rich dad again. I was very upset. Everything I had done my best to get away from he put back in my face. Finally I calmed down and called him for another lesson. , 'Are you ready to listen?" rich dad asked when we met again. I nodded, saying, "I'm ready but not really willing." "Step one," rich dad started. "Call my financial advisor. Say, 'I want a written financial plan for lifetime financial security.'" "OK," I said. "Step two," said rich dad. 'After you have a written plan for basic financial security, call me and we'll go over it. Lesson is over. Goodbye." It was a month before I called him. I had my plan and I showed it to him. "Good" was all he said. "Are you going to follow it?" "I don't think so," I said. "It's just too boring and auto- matic." "That is what it is supposed to be," said rich dad. "It's sup- Decide Now What You Want to Be 99 posed to be mechanical, automatic, and boring. But I can't make you follow it, although I do recommend you do." I was calming down as I said, "Now what?" "Now you find your own advisor and you write a plan on how to be financially comfortable," said rich dad. "You mean a long-term financial plan that is a little bit more aggressive?" I asked. 'That is correct," said rich dad. "That is more exciting," I said. "That one I can get into." "Good," said rich dad. "Call me when you have that one ready." It was four months before I could meet with rich dad again. This plan was not that easy... or as easy as I thought it would be. I checked in by phone with rich dad every so often, but the plan was still taking longer than I wanted. Yet the process was extremely valuable because I learned a tremen- dous amount talking to different financial advisors. I was gain- ing a better understanding of the concepts rich dad was trying to teach me. The lesson I learned was that unless I am clear, it is hard for the advisor to be clear and able to help me. Finally, I was able to meet with rich dad and show him my plan. "Good" was all he said for a while.