Kiyosaki describes feeling perplexed as a child by the issue of wealth. His own family struggle desperately, but his best friend's father was rich and successful. This combined point-of-view led him to gain wealth, and he says this book is designed to teach what he learned.
He begins by saying that wealth acquisition is about playing to win, instead of playing it safe. He says that when you exit the rat race of promotions and middle management in big business, people will call you crazy and it will feel embarrassing, so no one does it. But he says that this is all predicated on a broken belief in the American Dream, which is not a sure philosophy in the modern age. Because of the changes in technology, he believes no job is truly safe.
He starts with a basic example. Suppose an investment has a 60% chance of doubling in value, but it has a 40% chance of failing. Most people won't take those odds, because they operate by greed and fear, he says. Greed makes them want to keep their money, and fear makes them afraid of risks. Greed also causes materialism, he warrants.
He continues by addressing financial education. Although financial education is available online and in books, people make excuses for themselves to stay in the dark. He says that we elect people without financial sense to public office, because the majority of people don't even understand what financial education is or why it matters. To prove this, he observes that 38% of Americans never even save for their retirement.
He urges his reader to start today. Start now, by taking responsibility for your desires and by working to learn what there is to learn about realistic financial acquisition. He says it will take years, but in the end, when you're rich from years of doing the right thing by faith, he says it will be worth your while.
He ends by specific discussion of financial ideas, such as understanding basic tax law, and investments in bonds or liens. He urges his readers to invest in the stock market, and to understand the basics of assets and liabilities. In a word, he says that liabilities are possessions that don't accrue money over time, like a vehicle. He says, acquire assets, not liabilities.
