Rich Dad, Poor Dad is a best-selling personal finance book written by Robert T. Kiyosaki. The book contrasts the financial philosophies and habits of two father figures in the author’s life—his biological “Poor Dad” and his mentor “Rich Dad.”
Through practical lessons and anecdotes, Kiyosaki emphasizes the importance of financial education, investing, and building assets as keys to wealth. He advocates for thinking differently about money and encourages readers to pursue financial independence by developing skills that aren’t traditionally taught in school.
I read Kiyosaki’s book several years ago and learned that I’d adopted a bit of his savvy since elementary school. Robert Kiyosaki repeatedly emphasizes that the best way to succeed is to emulate those already successful. I put that wisdom to work for me early on in fourth grade as a copycat.
Larelia Sadler sat in front of me, and she always scored high in written tests, especially math, where I was mathematically challenged. I learned that I could emulate her As and Bs by simply copying the answers I didn’t know. It was more about survival for me than anything else, because no kid wants a bad grade.
In car racing, this is known as cheating, with winning only invalidated if a racer’s caught. The late Dale Earnhardt Sr. was a professional at this trick, along with many others, such as A.J. Foyt. The list of those caught with their hand in the cookie jar is miles long. These guys were always trying to copy someone else’s speed secrets, or someone was trying to steal theirs.
Cheating in car racing is quite common, often taking the form of bending or breaking rules for a competitive advantage. Teams may use illegal modifications, hidden technology, or even subtle adjustments that go unnoticed to gain an edge.
In many cases, the thrill of competition and the stakes involved lead participants to push the boundaries of what’s allowed, making enforcement and detection an ongoing challenge for racing officials. Teachers in schools have the same problem, especially now that the digital age is upon us.
I was never caught, but unfortunately, a classmate sitting behind me in fifth or sixth grade came up short in the “emulation meltdown.” On that day, he thought I was getting all the right answers, but unfortunately, the person in front of me was also a low achiever. All three of us flunked.
In Junior high. I stopped copying when the risk of a swat or a trip to the principal’s office made the act a bit more painful, along with the embarrassment of others finding out, especially parents. That still didn’t stop some guys. I suppose they eventually ended up in prison or elected office.
I did use Robert Kiyosaki’s advice in an intended way when it comes to real estate, and it paid off for retirement. The $9.95 or so I forked out for his book back then was money well spent. This emulation or copycat expertise also helped me come in first place in a go-kart race with friends.
At a small dirt track in Anchorage, Alaska, I observed a teenage employee reach back and disable the engine governor while driving, letting his machine speed around paying customers. Copying this little trick, I cheated and easily won that race before being barred from the track.
Something tells me that Dale Earnhardt Sr. and A.J. Foyt never had that problem. Perhaps their arms were longer than mine, and they didn’t have to completely turn their heads around, which is a dead giveaway!
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