21 February 2010, Orlando, FL: I'm here at the Disney Hilton with my son and investment partner at the Annual Rich Dad Forum.
First of all, I just want to get this off my chest. I'm a huge Robert Kiyosaki fan, ever since I discovered his book, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" back around 2000. It completely changed the way I think about money. One of the reasons it was user friendly for me, was that it was not the typical "financial book." Hard, cold financials never appealed to me. His was a human interest story, and one I could relate to. I never thought a financial book could make me cry! But any one that does, gets my vote. That's what I loved about Kiyosaki's books. Robert was very honest about his own lack of self-confidence, and his mistakes. And when he talked about the "toxic secrets" that families keep around money, that really hit home for me. It made me realize that lying about your financial condition does nothing but make things worse. Tough as it is, it is far more productive to take an honest look at where you are, so that you can determine where you need to go.
Anyway, while at the Forum this year, I took an hour off to go and work out in the deserted workout room at the Hilton. Who should walk in, but Robert Kiyosaki himself!
I didn't want to disturb his workout time, but I did go up and shake his hand and tell him how much his books had changed my life. We talked for a few minutes about the Michigan economy and then he said, "Give me a hug." My son was there, and he saw me get teary-eyed. That was such a thrill for me!
I have three major heroes: Bruce Lee, Louise Hay, and Robert Kiyosaki. Meeting Robert on a one-on-one basis, and seeing how truly gracious and friendly he is, is something I will always remember.
The Forum was my first chance to hear Kim Kiyosaki speak, and it is easy to see why these two are such a power couple. She talked about the divorce rate, which as almost everyone knows is more than 50%. But she revealed something I didn't know: That after divorce, most women's financial status goes down 45%, while most men's improve by 15%!
If that isn't a wake-up call, ladies, I don't know what is. These statistics underscore the need for financial intelligence, and the absolute necessity of creating our own income stream. Becoming our own financial powerhouse enables women to fulfill that most romantic idea of all; marrying just for love.
Given that financial problems are the number one cause of divorce (followed by infidelity), if we each are financially independent when we enter into a romantic relationship, it has a much better chance of success.
And don't think that our current sluggish economy has eliminated all opportunities for financial growth. It hasn't! In some ways, it has created more. You just need to know where to look.
We found many opportunities at the Rich Dad Forum. We'll be pursuing them this year. If anyone is interested, just drop me a line and I'll be glad to share some ideas.
Remember: The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. But it's the biggest one you'll ever take.
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