LITMIR.BIZ

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to know one.

      We got to talking about the importance of education and he mentioned the mentor aspect of The Apprentice, and that he and Kim learned something from it every week.

      I asked him what he would do if he knew he couldn’t fail, and he quickly said, “We’d find ways to reach and teach many more people.”

      It was like I told him when I saw him in Chicago: I was the top business author and he was the top personal-finance author. Together we had a great shot at reaching millions of people. But more than that, it would be fun.

      Robert got what I meant immediately, but I appreciated that he wanted to think about the book before committing to me. I knew he was a thoughtful person, that he would do a lot of soul-searching in order to make the right decision. When he met with me at my office in New York a few weeks later, he said right off the bat, “I have to admit I was a little intimidated at first. It was like an inner fight going on. I didn’t know if we had enough in common. But the best person won—the one who refuses complacency!” Robert was honest with himself and me, and it confirmed for me why his books have been such monster hits.

      Writing books can be enjoyable, but it’s a lot of work, and my schedule doesn’t allow for much extracurricular activity, which is what writing books can be for me. But I found myself looking forward to working hard on something new—especially with someone who shared my concerns and hopes.

      Emerson said, “The man who can make hard things easy is the educator.” He also said, “Knowledge exists to be imparted.”

      When I read Rich Dad Poor Dad years ago, before I ever met Robert, I remember thinking that Robert had a knack for making things easy to comprehend. He’s a bit of a storyteller, and that is one of the keys to making things accessible to people. It’s another reason he’s a great public speaker, and people have often said the same thing about me. I don’t know if we have that “raconteur” ability naturally, but it has helped us to help others—and to use stories to make seemingly complex things a bit simpler.

      I know that often when people think of me, they think, “Oh, the billionaire…” and it’s a bit like having the door shut in my face. My son, Don Jr., has said that I’m like a blue-collar guy with a big bankroll, if that’s any insight into my persona. He’s spent a lot of time with me, and he knows I’m pretty simple at my core. That doesn’t mean I’m easy, but I do have a simple approach to things. And while what I do can be very complex, I also know how to break it down. You don’t start with a finished skyscraper—you start with a blueprint and a foundation. I’m aware that things take time and patience, and that applies to education, too.

      If you’ve watched The Apprentice, you know that we are tough on the apprentices because real life doesn’t give a lot of room or sympathy for excuses. As the old saying goes, Life is not a dress rehearsal. It’s the real thing. So there’s a certain amount of living on the edge that’s needed if one is to excel. Robert and I are hoping to make that edge a little less scary and a little more attainable at the same time.

      I will admit that people I know were surprised to hear I was going to collaborate with another entrepreneur to write a book. Entrepreneurs very much like being in control, and sharing the control is not high on our list of desirable situations. But when you meet someone who is on the same wavelength in so many ways, it becomes a pleasure. Joining forces makes us stronger, not weaker.

      In fact, one of the weaknesses of many visionaries and entrepreneurs is the inability to successfully share their visions and goals. It can be a lonely road. The old saying, It’s lonely at the top—but not crowded, can sometimes be true.

      Entrepreneurs are people who like to try something new. Collaborating in this way is something new for both Robert and me, and I think we’ve enhanced each other as educators, speakers and people by bringing our diverse personalities together to achieve a whole that is both comprehensive and comprehensible. What’s the point of having great knowledge and keeping it to yourself?

      Here’s another amusing point: Entrepreneurs are often marked by avoiding group efforts. They want to be in charge. They want to do it themselves, have it for themselves, and so be it. At least that’s what the experts have said when analyzing personality types suitable to entrepreneurship. I guess Robert and I just don’t fit the mold. But I don’t think that bothers either of us too much.

      What has evolved in this process took on a life of its own, and it became more than just another book with a proper outline. It has become a living example of what we worked on and lived through together from our initial meeting to the day we finished our first draft. It quickly became a joint effort to provide financial education to anyone seeking a better life at a time when we all need to be financially equipped for the future we face.

      What’s the point of having great knowledge and keeping it to yourself?

       – Donald J. Trump

      This book is for anyone who wants to move forward and get out of their comfort zone. You may be a millionaire already, or maybe not yet, but the lessons here can apply to everyone, no matter what your current financial circumstances might be.

      I hope you will see the process as one from which you can learn while being entertained. There is nothing boring about business, which you are soon to discover. Robert and I have another thing in common—neither of us likes to be bored. We like to get things done. So pay attention, keep your focus, and enjoy yourself. Why We Want You to be Rich—Two Men • One Message has a lot to offer. Tune in, and stay tuned!

       CHAPTER TWO

       OUR SHARED CONCERNS

       Robert’s View

       Dallas, Texas: February 19, 2006

      Once again, on Sunday afternoon, the black limo pulls up to the backstage entrance of another huge convention center for another real estate expo. Once again, the excitement builds as word spreads, “The Donald is here.” And once again, the police escort comes in first to clear the way, two lines form, and Mr. Trump walks the gauntlet of adoring fans.

      After about an hour, after the press has left, Donald asks me, “How big is the audience, and how are they?”

      “Tens of thousands in attendance, and they’re a great group. People have come from all over the world to be here this weekend. They’re very excited about learning and hungry for knowledge.”

      I was excited, too—but for different reasons.

      Since our last meeting, I had read Donald’s book, The America We Deserve. The book addresses many of the problems we face as a nation and as a world, such as terrorism, the national debt and healthcare. The following are excerpts from his chapter on the healthcare issue. “The U.S. government’s General Accounting Office, an objective investigative arm of the Congress, paints an ugly picture:

       “Unlike Social Security, Medicare’s HI program has been experiencing a cashflow deficit since 1992—current payroll taxes and other revenues have been insufficient to cover benefit payments and program expenses…In essence, Medicare has already crossed the point where it is a net claimant on the Treasury—a threshold that Social Security is not expected to reach until 2013…’

       “The current Medicare program is both economically and fiscally unsustainable. This is not a new message—the Medicare trustees noted in the early 1990s that the program is unsustainable in its present form.”

      As to what politicians are doing about this

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