富爸爸、穷爸爸(英文版)-第24章

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w　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。
The　world　is　filled　with　smart；　talented；　educated　and　gifted　people。　We　meet　them　every　day。　They　are　all　around　us。
A　few　days　ago；　my　car　was　not　running　well。　　I　pulled　into　a　garage；　and　the　young　mechanic　had　it　fixed　in　just　a　few　minutes。　He　knew　what　was　wrong　by　simply　listening　to　the　engine。　　I　was　amazed。
The　sad　truth　is；　great　talent　is　not　enough。
　I　am　constantly　shocked　at　how　little　talented　people　earn。　I　heard　the　other　day　that　less　than　5　percent　of　Americans　earn　more　than　100；000　a　year。　I　have　met　brilliant；　highly　educated　people　who　earn　less　than　20；000　a　year。　A　business　consultant　who　specializes　in　the　medical　trade　was　telling　me　how　many　doctors；　dentists　and　chiropractors　struggle　financially。　All　this　time；　I　thought　that　when　they　graduated；　the　dollars　would　pour　in。　It　was　this　business　consultant　who　gave　me　the　phrase；　〃They　are　one　skill　away　from　great　wealth。〃
What　this　phrase　means　is　that　most　people　need　only　to　learn　and　master　one　more　skill　and　their　income　would　jump　exponentially。　I　have　mentioned　before　that　financial　intelligence　is　a　synergy　of　accounting；　investing；　marketing　and　law。　Combine　those　four　technical　skills　and　making　money　with　money　is　easier。　When　it　comes　to　money；　the　only　skill　most　people　know　is　to　work　hard。
The　classic　example　of　a　synergy　of　skills　was　that　young　writer　for　the　newspaper。　If　she　diligently　learned　the　skills　of　sales　and　marketing；　her　income　would　jump　dramatically。　If　I　were　her；　I　would　take　some　courses　in　advertising　copywriting　as　well　as　sales。　Then；　instead　of　working　at　the　newspaper；　I　would　seek　a　job　at　an　advertising　agency。　Even　if　it　were　a　cut　in　pay；　she　would　learn　how　to　communicate　in　〃short　cuts〃　that　are　used　in　successful　advertising。　She　also　would　spend　time　learning　public　relations；　an　important　skill。　She　would　learn　how　to　get　millions　in　free　publicity。　Then；　at　night　and　on　weekends；　she　could　be　writing　her　great　novel。　When　it　was　finished；　she　would　be　better　able　to　sell　her　book。　Then；　in　a　short　while；　she　could　be　a　〃best…selling　author。〃
When　I　first　came　out　with　my　first　book　If　You　Want　To　Be　Rich　and　Happy；　Don't　Go　to　School？　a　publisher　suggested　I　change　the　tide　to　The　Economics　of　Education。　I　told　the　publisher　that　with　a　title　like　that；　I　would　sell　two　books：　one　to　my　family　and　one　to　my　best　friend。　The　problem　is；　they　would　expect　it　for　free。　The　obnoxious　title　If　You　Want　To　Be　Rich　and　Happy；　Don't　Go　to　School？　was　chosen　because　we　knew　it　would　get　tons　of　publicity。　I　am　pro…education　and　believe　in　education　reform。　　Otherwise；　why　would　I　continue　to　press　for　changing　our　antiquated　educational　system？　So　I　chose　a　title　that　would　get　me　on　more　TV　and　radio　shows；　simply　because　I　was　willing　to　be　controversial。　Many　people　thought　I　was　a　fruitcake；　but　the　book　sold　and　sold。
When　I　graduated　from　the　U。S。　Merchant　Marine　Academy　in　1969；　my　educated　dad　was　happy。　Standard　Oil　of　California　had　hired　me　for　its　oil…tanker　fleet。　I　was　a　third　mate；　and　the　pay　was　low　compared　with　my　classmates；　but　it　was　OK　for　a　first　real　job　after　college。　My　starting　pay　was　about　42；000　a　year；　including　overtime；　and　I　only　had　；　to　work　for　seven　months。　I　had　five　months　of　vacation。　If　I　had　wanted　to；　I　could　have　taken　the　run　to　Vietnam　with　a　subsidiary　shipping　company；　and　easily　doubled　my　pay　instead　of　taking　the　five　J　months'　vacation。
I　had　a　great　career　ahead　of　me；　yet　I　resigned　after　six　months　with　the　company　and　joined　the　Marine　Corps　to　learn　how　to　fly。　My　educated　dad　was　devastated。　Rich　dad　congratulated　me。
In　school　and　in　the　workplace；　the　popular　opinion　is　the　idea　of　〃specialization。〃　That　is；　in　order　to　make　more　money　or　get　promoted；　you　need　to　〃specialize。〃　That　is　why　medical　doctors　immediately　begin　to　seek　a　specialty　such　as　orthopedics　or　pediatrics。　The　same　is　true　for　accountants；　architects；　lawyers；　pilots　and　others。
My　educated　dad　believed　in　the　same　dogma。　That　is　why　he　was　thrilled　when　he　eventually　achieved　his　doctorate。　He　often　admitted　　　？？that　schools　reward　people　who　study　more　and　more　about　less　and　less。
Rich　dad　encouraged　me　to　do　exactly　the　opposite。　　〃You　want　to　　'　know　a　little　about　a　lot〃　was　his　suggestion。　That　is　why　for　years　I　worked　in　different　areas　of　his　companies。　For　awhile；　I　worked　in　his　accounting　department。　Although　I　would　probably　never　have　been　an　accountant；　he　wanted　me　to　learn　via　〃osmosis。〃　Rich　dad　knew　I　would　pick　up　〃jargon〃　and　a　sense　of　what　is　important　and　what　is　not。　I　also　worked　as　a　bus　boy　and　construction　worker；　as　well　as　in　sales；　reservations　and　marketing。　　He　was　〃grooming〃　Mike　and　me。　That　is　why　he　insisted　we　sit　in　on　the　meetings　with　his　bankers；　lawyers；　accountants　and　brokers。　He　wanted　us　to　know　a　little　about　every　aspect　of　his　empire。
When　I　quit　my　high…paying　job　with　Standard　Oil；　my　educated　dad　had　a　heart…to…heart　with　me。　　He　was　bewildered。　He　could　not　understand　my　decision　to　resign　from　a　career　that　offered　high　pay；　great　benefits；　lots　of　time　off；　and　opportunity　for　promotion。　When　he　asked　me　one　evening；　〃Why　did　you　quit？〃　I　could　not　explain　it　to　him；　as　much　as　I　tried。　My　logic　did　not　fit　his　logic。　The　big　problem　wasthat　my　logic　was　my　rich　dad's　logic。
Job　security　meant　everything　to　my　educated　dad。　Learning　mean