Richdads-CASHFLOW-Quadrant-

Chapter Sixteen
afraid they might make a mistake or get rejected. If you are ready to start
your journey to the financial Fast Track, I offer you the same words of
advice and encouragement that rich dad offered me when I was learning
something new: Be prepared to be disappointed.
He meant this in a positive, not negative, sense. He believed that if
you are prepared for disappointment, you can turn that disappointment
into an asset. Most people turn disappointment into a liability, a longterm
one. You notice this when they say, “I’ll never do that again,” or “I
should have known I would fail.”
Just as inside every problem lies an opportunity, inside every
disappointment lies a priceless gem of wisdom.
Whenever I hear someone say, “I’ll never do that again,” I know
I am listening to someone who has stopped learning. They are letting
disappointment stop them. Disappointment has erected a protective wall
around them, instead of a foundation from which to grow.
Rich dad helped me learn how to deal with deep emotional
disappointments. He would say, “The reason there are few self-made rich
people is because few people can tolerate disappointment. Instead of
learning to face disappointment, they spend their lives avoiding it.”
Rich dad believed that disappointment is an important part of
learning. Just as we learn from our mistakes, we gain character from our
disappointments. The following are some words of advice he gave me
over the years:
• Expect to be disappointed.
Rich dad often said, “Only fools expect everything to go the way
they want. Expecting to be disappointed does not mean being
passive or a defeated loser. Expecting to be disappointed is a way
of mentally and emotionally preparing yourself to be ready for
surprises that you may not want. By being emotionally prepared,
you can be calm and dignified when things do not go your way.
When you are calm, you think better.”
Over the years, I have met many people with great new
business ideas. Their excitement lasts about a month, and
then disappointment begins to wear them down. Soon their
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