Robert Kiyosaki grew up with two father figures: his biological father — a highly educated government employee who believed in job security and steady paychecks — and his best friend's father, a self-made entrepreneur who never finished eighth grade yet became one of Hawaii's wealthiest men. These two men gave Robert completely opposite advice about money, and that contrast became the foundation of his entire financial philosophy.

Poor Dad believed the path to success was: study hard, get good grades, land a safe job, and let your employer take care of you. Rich Dad believed the path to success was: understand how money works, make money work for you, and build or own things that generate income. The book is essentially Robert's journey of choosing which mindset to adopt — and arguing that the Rich Dad mindset is available to anyone willing to learn it.