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e　when　others　backed　out。　〃That's　why　I　like　Texans　so　much。　They　took　a　great　failure　and　turned　it　into　a　tourist　destination　that　makes　them　millions。〃
But　probably　his　words　that　mean　the　most　to　me　today　are　these：　〃Texans　don't　bury　their　failures。　They　get　inspired　by　them。　They　take　i　their　failures　and　turn　them　into　rallying　cries。　Failure　inspires　Texans　to　'　bee　winners。　But　that　formula　is　not　just　the　formula　for　Texans。　It　j　is　the　formula　for　all　winners。〃
Just　as　I　also　said　that　falling　off　my　bike　was　part　of　learning　to　ride。　I　remember　falling　off　only　made　me　more　determined　to　learn　to　ride。　Not　less。　I　also　said　that　I　have　never　met　a　golfer　who　has　never　lost　a　ball。　To　be　a　top　professional　golfer；　losing　a　ball　or　a　tournament　only　inspires　golfers　to　be　better；　to　practice　harder；　to　study　more。　That's　what　makes　them　better。　For　winners；　losing　inspires　them。　For　losers；　losing　defeats　them。
Quoting　John　D。　Rockefeller；　〃I　always　tried　to　turn　every　disaster　'　into　an　opportunity。〃
And　being　Japanese…American；　I　can　say　this。　Many　people　say　that　Pearl　Harbor　was　an　American　mistake。　I　say　it　was　a　Japanese　mistake。　From　the　movie　Tora；　Tora；　Tom；　a　somber　Japanese　admiral　says　to　his　cheering　subordinates；　〃I　am　afraid　we　have　awakened　a　sleeping　giant。〃　〃Remember　Pearl　Harbor〃　became　a　rallying　cry。　It　turned　one　of　America's　greatest　losses　into　the　reason　to　win。　This　great　defeat　gave　America　strength；　and　America　soon　emerged　as　a　world　power。
Failure　inspires　winners。　And　failure　defeats　losers。　It　is　the　biggest　secret　of　winners。　　It's　the　secret　that　losers　do　not　know。　The　greatest　secret　of　winners　is　that　failure　inspires　winning；　thus；　they're　not　afraid　of　losing。　　Repeating　Fran　Tarkenton's　quote；　〃Winning　means　being　unafraid　to　lose。〃　People　like　Fran　Tarkenton　are　not　afraid　of　losing　because　they　know　who　they　are。　They　hate　losing；　so　they　know　that　losing　will　only　inspire　them　to　bee　better。　There　is　a　big　difference　between　hating　losing　and　being　afraid　to　lose。　Most　people　are　so　afraid　of　losing　money　that　they　lose。　They　go　broke　over　a　duplex。　Financially　they　play　life　too　safe　and　too　small。　They　buy　big　houses　and　big　cars；　but　not　big　investments。　The　main　reason　that　over　90　percent　of　the　American　public　struggles　financially　is　because　they　play　not　to　lose。　They　don't　play　to　win。
They　go　to　their　financial　planners　or　accountants　or　stockbrokers　and　buy　a　balanced　portfolio。　Most　have　lots　of　cash　in　CDs；　low…yield　bonds；　mutual　funds　that　can　be　traded　within　a　mutual…fund　family；　and　a　few　individual　stocks。　It　is　a　safe　and　sensible　portfolio。　But　it　is　not　a　winning　portfolio。　It　is　a　portfolio　of　someone　playing　not　to　lose。
Don't　get　me　wrong。　It's　probably　a　better　portfolio　than　more　than　70　percent　of　the　population；　and　that's　frightening。　Because　a　safe　portfolio　is　a　lot　better　than　no　portfolio。　It's　a　great　portfolio　for　someone　who　loves　safely。　But　playing　it　safe　and　going　〃balanced〃　on　your　investment　portfolio　is　not　the　way　successful　investors　play　the　game。　If　you　have　little　money　and　you　want　to　be　rich；　you　must　first　be　〃focused；〃　not　〃balanced。〃　If　you　look　at　anyone　successful；　at　the　start　they　were　not　balanced。　Balanced　people　go　nowhere。　They　stay　in　one　spot。　To　make　progress；　you　must　first　go　unbalanced。　Just　look　at　how　you　make　progress　walking。
Thomas　Edison　was　not　balanced。　He　was　focused。　Bill　Gates　was　not　balanced。　He　was　focused。　Donald　Trump　is　focused。　George　Soros　is　focused。　George　Patton　did　not　take　his　tanks　wide。　He　focused　them　and　blew　through　the　weak　spots　in　the　German　line。　The　French　went　wide　with　the　Maginot　Line；　and　you　know　what　happened　to　them。
If　you　have　any　desire　of　being　rich；　you　must　focus。　Put　a　lot　of　your　eggs　in　a　few　baskets。　Do　not　do　what　poor　and　middle　class　people　do：　put　their　few　eggs　in　many　baskets。
If　you　hate　losing；　play　it　safe。　If　losing　makes　you　weak；　play　it　safe。　Go　with　balanced　investments。　If　you're　over　25　years　old　and　are　terrified　of　taking　risks；　don't　change。　Play　it　safe；　but　start　early。　　Start　accumulating　your　nest　egg　early　because　it　will　take　time。
But　if　you　have　dreams　of　freedom…of　getting　out　of　the　rat　race…　the　first　question　to　ask　yourself　is；　〃How　do　I　respond　to　failure？〃　If　failure　inspires　you　to　win；　maybe　you　should　go　for　it…but　only　maybe。　If　failure　makes　you　weak　or　causes　you　to　throw　temper　tantrums…like　spoiled　brats　who　call　an　attorney　to　file　a　lawsuit　every　time　something　does　not　go　their　way…then　play　it　safe。　Keep　your　daytime　job。　Or　buy　bonds　or　mutual　funds。　But　remember；　there　is　risk　in　those　financial　instruments　also；　even　though　they　are　safer。
I　say　all　this；　mentioning　Texas　and　Fran　Tarkenton；　because　stacking　the　asset　column　is　easy。　It's　really　a　low…aptitude　game。　It　doesn't　take　much　education。　Fifth…grade　math　will　do。　But　staking　the　asset　column　'J　is　a　high…attitude　game。　It　takes　guts；　patience　and　a　great　attitude　toward　failure。　Losers　avoid　failing。　And　failure　turns　losers　into　winners。''　Just　remember　the　Alamo。
Reason　No。　2。　Overing　cynicism。　〃The　sky　is　falling。　The　sky　is　falling。〃　Most　of　us　know　the　story　of　〃Chicken　Little；〃　who　ran　around　warning　the　barnyard　of　impending　doom。　We　all　know　people　who　are　that　way。　But　we　all　have　a　〃Chicken　Little〃　inside　each　of　us。
And　as　I　stated　earlier；　the　cynic　is　really　a　little　chicken。　We　all　get　a　little　chicken　when　fear　and　doubt　cloud　our　thoughts。
All　of　us　have　doubts。　　〃I'm　not　smart。〃　〃I'm　not　good　enough。〃　〃So　'　and　so　is　better　than　me。〃　Or　our　doubts　often　paralyze　us。　We　play　the。　｜　〃What　if？〃　game。　　〃What　if　the　economy　crashes　right　after　I　invest？〃　Or　〃What　if　I　lose　control　and　I　can't　pay　the　money　back？〃　〃What　if　things　don't　go　as　I　planned？〃　Or　we　have　friends　or　loved　ones　who　will　remind　us　of　our　shortings　regardless　of　whether　we　ask。　They　often　say；　〃What　makes　you　think　you　can　do　that？〃　Or　〃If　it's　such　a　good　idea；　how　e　someone　else　hasn't　done　it？〃　Or　〃That　will　never　work。　You　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃　These　words　of　doubt　often　get　so　loud　that　we　fail　to　act。　A　horrible　feeling　builds　in　our　stomach。　Sometimes　we　can't　sleep。　We　fail　to　move　forward。　　So　we　stay　with　what　is　safe　and　opportunities　pass　us　by。　We　watch　life　passing　by　as　we　sit　immobilized　with　a　cold　knot　in　our　body。　We　have　all　felt　this　at　one　time　in　our　lives；　some　more　than　others。
Peter　Lynch　of　Fidelity　Magellan　mutual　fund　fame　refers　to　warnings　about　the　sky　falling　as　〃noise；〃　and　we　all　hear　it。
〃Noise〃　is　either　created　inside　our　heads　or　es　from　outside。　Often　from　friends；　family；　co…workers　and　the　media。　　Lynch　recalls　the　time　during　the　1950s　when　the　threat　of　nuclear　war　was　so　prevalent　in　the　news　that　people　began　building　fallout　shelters　and　storing　food　and　water。　If　they　had　invested　that　money　wisely　in　the　market；　instead　of　building　a　fallout　shelter；　they'd　probably　be　financially　independent　today。
When　the　riots　broke　out　in　Los　Angeles　a　few　years　ago；　gun　sales　went　up　all　over　the　country。　A　person　dies　from　rare　hamburger　meat　in　Washington　State　and　the　Arizona　Health　Department　orders　restaurants　to　have　all　beef　cooked　well…done。　A　drug　pany　runs　a　national　TV　mercial　showing　people　catching　the　flu。　The　ad　runs　in　February。　Colds　go　up　as　well　as　sales　of　their　cold　medicine。
Most　people　are　poor　because　when　it　es　to　investing；　the　world　is　filled　with　Chicken　Littles　running　around　yelling；　〃The　sky　is　falling。　The　sky　is　falling。〃　And　Chicken　Littles　are　effective　because　everyone　of　us　is　a　little　chicken。　It　often　takes　great　courage　to　not　let　rumors　and　talk　of　doom　and　gloom　affect　your　doubts　and　fears。
In　1992；　a　friend　named　Richard　came　from　Boston　to　visit　my　wife　and　me　in　Phoenix。　He　was　impressed　with　what　we　had　done　through　stocks　and　real　estate。　The　prices　of　real　estate　in　Phoenix　were　depressed。　We　spent　two　days　with　him　showing　him　what　we　thought　were　excellent　opportunities　for　cash　flow　and　capital　appreciation。
My　wife　and　I　are　not　real　estate　agents。　We　are　strictly　investors。　After　identifying　a　unit　in　a　resort　munity；　we　called　an　agent　who　sold　it　to　him　that　afternoon。　The　price　was　a　mere　42；000　for　a　two…bedroom　townhome。　　Similar　units　were　going　for　65；000。　He　had　found　a　bargain。　Excited；　he　bought　it　and　returned　to　Boston。
Two　weeks　later；　the　agent　called　to　say　that　our　friend　had　backed　out。　I　called　immediately　to　find　out　why。　All　he　said　was　that　he　talked　to　his　neighbor；　and　his　neighbor　told　him　it　was　a　bad　deal。　He　was　paying　too　much。
I　asked　Richard　if　his　neighbor　was　an　investor。　Richard　said　〃no。〃　When　I　asked　why　he　listened　to　him；　Richard　got　defensive　and　simply　said　he　wanted　to　keep　looking。
The　real　estate　market　in　Phoenix　turned；　and　by　1994；　that　little　unit　was　renting　for　1；000　a　month…2；500　in　the　peak　winter　months。　The　unit　was　worth　95；000　in　1995。　All　Richard　had　to　put　down　was　5；000　and　he　would　have　had　a　start　at　getting　out　of　the　rat　race。　Today；　he　still　has　done　nothing。　And　the　bargains　in　Phoenix　are　still　here；　you　just　have　to　look　a　lot　harder。
Richard's　backing　out　did　not　surprise　me。　　It's　called　〃buyer's　remorse；〃　and　it　affects　all　of　us。　It's　those　doubts　that　get　us。　The　little　1　chicken　won；　and　a　chance　at　freedom　was　lost。
In　another　example；　I　hold　a　small　portion　of　my　assets　in　tax　lien　certificates　instead　of　CDs。　I　earn　16　percent　per　year　on　my　money；　which　certainly　beats　the　5　percent　the　bank　offers。　The　certificates　are　secured　by　real　estate　and　enforced　by　state　law；　which　is　also　better　than　most　banks。　The　formula　they're　bought　on　makes　them　safe。　They　just　lack　liquidity。　So　I　look　at　them　as　2　to　7…year　CDs。　Almost　every　time　I　tell　someone；　especially　if　they　have　money　in　CDs；　that　I　hold　my　money　this　way；　they　will　tell　me　it's　risky。　They　tell　me　why　I　should　not　do　it。　When　I　ask　them　where　they　get　their　information；　they　say　from　a　friend　or　an　investment　magazine。　They've　never　done　it；　and　they're　telling　someone　who's　doing　it　why　they　shouldn't。　The　lowest　I　yield　I　look　for　is　16　percent；　but　people　who　are　filled　with　doubt　are　willing　to　accept　5　percent。　Doubt　is　expensive。
My　point　is　that　it's　those　doubts　and　cynicism　that　keep　most　people？　poor　and　playing　it　safe。　The　real　world　is　simply　waiting　for　you　to　get　rich。　　Only　a　person's　doubts　keep　them　poor。　As　I　said；　getting　out　of　the　rat　race　is　technically　easy。　It　doesn't　take　much　education；　but　those　doubts　are　cripplers　for　most　people。
〃Cynics　never　win；〃　said　rich　dad。　〃Unchecked　doubt　and　fear　creates　i　a　cynic。　Cynics　criticize；　and　winners　analyze〃　was　another　of　his　favorite　sayings。　Rich　dad　explained　that　criticism　blinded　while　analysis　opened　…《　eyes。　Analysis　allowed　winners　to　see　that　critics　were　blind；　and　to　see　opportunities　that　everyone　else　missed。　And　finding　what　people　miss　is　｜　key　to　any　success。
Real　estate　is　a　powerful　investment　tool　for　anyone　seeking　financial　independence　or　freedom。　It　is　a　unique　investment　tool。　Yet；　every　time　I　mention　real　estate　as　a　vehicle；　I　often　hear；　〃I　don't　want　to　fix　toilets。〃　That's　what　Peter　Lynch　calls　〃noise。〃　That's　what　my　rich　dad　would　say　is　the　cynic　talking。　Someone　who　criticizes　and　does　not
analyze。　Someone　who　lets　their　doubts　and　fears　close　their　mind　instead　of　open　their　eyes。〃
So　when　someone　says；　〃I　don't　want　to　fix　toilets；〃　I　want　to　fire　back；　〃What　makes　you　think　I　want　to？〃　They're　saying　a　toilet　is　more　important　than　what　they　want。　I　talk　about　freedom　from　the　rat　race；　and　they　focus　on　toilets。　That　is　the　thought　pattern　that　keeps　most　people　poor。　They　criticize　instead　of　analyze。
　〃　'I　don't　wants'　hold　the　key　to　your　success；〃　rich　dad　would　say。
Because　I；　too；　do　not　want　to　fix　toilets；　I　shop　hard　for　a　property　manager　who　does　fix　toilets。　And　by　finding　a　great　property　manager　who　runs　houses　or　apartments；　well；　my　cash　flow　goes　up。　But　more　importantly　a　great　property　manager　allows　me　to　buy　a　lot　more　real　estate　since　I　don't　have　to　fix　toilets。　A　great　property　manager　is　key　to　success　in　real　estate。　Finding　a　good　manager　is　more　important　to　me　than　the　rea