Published on Achiever's Map | 7 min read
Sometimes a book finds you when you're not looking for it. It happens during those quiet moments when you've given up on quick fixes and grand transformations, when you're simply trying to figure out your next small step forward.
After my spectacular self-improvement failure, I had sworn off motivational books. My shelves were already filled with highlighted copies of "Transform Your Life in 30 Days" and "The 7 Secrets of Highly Successful People"—all promising revolutionary changes that never materialized. I was done chasing magic bullets.
The Library Discovery
Two months after my failed "Project New Me," I was wandering through the Seoul Metropolitan Library with no particular purpose. I was actually there to kill time before meeting a potential freelance client—my first real attempt at rebuilding my career after the business collapse.
I wasn't even in the self-help section. I was browsing through the economics and business books when a slim volume caught my eye, not because of its flashy cover or bold promises, but because of how understated it looked among all the "Get Rich Quick" and "10 Steps to Success" titles.
The book was "Rich Dad Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki. I almost didn't pick it up. The title made it sound like another investment guide, and I didn't even have money to invest at the time.
But something about the subtitle intrigued me: "What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!" Not "Quick Wealth Building" or "Investment Secrets"—but a fundamental approach to mindset.
The Chapter That Broke Me Open
I started reading it on the subway ride home, and during the "Rich Dad's Lessons" chapter, I had to put the book down. Not because it was boring, but because it was hitting too close to home.
Kiyosaki was talking about the mindset differences between two fathers. The poor dad (his real father) said "Money is the root of all evil," while the rich dad (his friend's father) said "The lack of money is the root of all evil."
But what really hit me was this sentence: "The poor and middle class work for money. The rich have money work for them."
I had spent my entire life thinking only about working harder, never about working smarter.
I realized I had been looking for magic bullets my entire adult life. In business, I had wanted the breakthrough product, the viral marketing campaign, the overnight success. In personal development, I had wanted the perfect morning routine, the life-changing habit, the 90-day transformation.
But Kiyosaki was saying something different: True wealth comes from cash flow. And cash flow comes from assets.
The Simple Truth That Changed Everything
The most powerful part of the book wasn't about investment techniques or money-making methods—it was about mindset. Kiyosaki explained the difference between assets and liabilities.
An asset puts money in your pocket, and a liability takes money out of your pocket. It was such a simple definition, but I realized how wrong my thinking had been all along.
When my IT business failed, I thought I just needed to make more money. But what really mattered was learning how to make money work for me.
But what really hit me was the concept of the "Rat Race"—the vicious cycle where the more you earn, the more you spend, and the more you spend, the harder you have to work. I was running in that wheel.
My First Real Change
Unlike my previous all-or-nothing approach, this time I was challenged to start differently: with small habits, but not just for personal development—for long-term asset building.
Based on Kiyosaki's principles, I chose one habit: Pay myself first by saving 10% of my income every month. It wasn't a large amount—my freelance income was modest at the time. But the principle was what mattered.
I also decided to do 10 push-ups every morning. Not 50, not 100—just 10. It took about 60 seconds.
For the first month, I didn't add anything else. No meditation, no journaling, no elaborate morning routine. Just wake up, do 10 push-ups.
The interesting thing wasn't the physical change—10 push-ups won't transform your body. The interesting thing was the psychological change. Every morning, I proved to myself that I could commit to something and follow through.
At the same time, I started putting 10% of whatever money came in into a separate account. The amount was small, but this was my first attempt at "paying myself first."
The Compound Effect in Action
After a month of 10 push-ups and 10% saving, more things naturally followed. As I felt my body getting stronger, I increased the exercise to 15, then 20. As my saving habit took hold, I started thinking more carefully about money.
Three months later, I naturally started investing time in improving my freelance skills. Six months later, I was doing 50 push-ups and had a small but steadily growing emergency fund.
By the end of that first year, my life included regular exercise, saving, and skill development—not because I planned it that way, but because each small success made the next small improvement feel natural.
What I Actually Learned
Kiyosaki's book taught me something no other self-help book had: Success isn't about working harder—it's about making money work for you. And that starts with small habits.
This principle changed how I approached everything:
Career: Instead of looking for the big break, I focused on getting 1% better at my craft every day while building multiple income streams. I improved my skills incrementally, built relationships gradually, and grew my freelance business slowly but sustainably.
Finances: Instead of get-rich-quick schemes, I started with the simple habit of paying myself first. This led to learning about investments, understanding cash flow, and eventually building real assets.
Learning: Instead of trying to read two books a week, I committed to 15 minutes of financial education daily. Over 25 years, this has led to hundreds of books and thousands of hours of learning about money and business.
Mindset: Instead of thinking like an employee who trades time for money, I started thinking like an investor who makes money work for him.
The Long View
Today, 25 years later, I can trace almost every positive change in my life back to understanding that wealth-building mindset. My career, my financial stability, my approach to learning—all built through small, consistent habits rather than dramatic transformations.
The irony is that small financial habits eventually create dramatic results—they just happen so gradually that you don't notice them day by day. One day you wake up and realize you're living a financially independent life, but you can't pinpoint exactly when it changed.
If You're Looking for Your Own Breakthrough
Maybe you're where I was in 2000—frustrated with your financial situation, tired of living paycheck to paycheck, skeptical of another "get rich" approach.
Here's what I wish someone had told me: Stop looking for the book that will make you rich overnight. Start looking for the principle that will build wealth over time.
The wealth-building mindset isn't sexy. It doesn't promise instant riches or dramatic lifestyle changes. But it works because it's based on the most reliable principle in finance: small amounts, invested consistently, compound over time.
Find your "pay yourself first" habit—the smallest financial improvement you can commit to forever. Then trust the process.
What's one small financial habit you could start today and maintain for a year? Remember: wealth is built through undramatic daily choices, not dramatic get-rich-quick schemes. Subscribe to Achiever's Map for more insights on building sustainable success through small, consistent actions.
About the Author: Welcome to Achiever's Map. I'm documenting my 25-year journey of personal development and the systems that have helped me build a more sustainable, fulfilling life. Follow along as I share what works, what doesn't, and everything I wish I had known earlier.
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