The crux of "Rich Dad Poor Dad" by Robert T. Kiyosaki revolves around the contrasting financial philosophies and mindsets of his two "dads"—his biological father (whom he refers to as "Poor Dad") and the father of his best friend (whom he calls "Rich Dad").

Here are the key themes and lessons from the book:

1. The Importance of Financial Education

• Kiyosaki emphasizes that formal education (schooling) doesn’t teach us how to manage money or build wealth. He argues that financial education—learning about assets, liabilities, and investments—is essential to achieving financial success.
• Poor Dad believes in working hard, earning a paycheck, and saving money, while Rich Dad advocates for understanding money, investing, and growing wealth through assets.

2. Assets vs. Liabilities

• Rich Dad teaches Kiyosaki that the key to wealth lies in acquiring assets, which are things that put money in your pocket, such as real estate, stocks, and businesses.
• In contrast, Poor Dad accumulates liabilities, which are things that take money out of your pocket, such as debt, consumer goods, and unnecessary expenses.
• Key lesson: "Rich people acquire assets. The poor and middle class acquire liabilities that they think are assets."

3. Making Money Work for You

• Rich Dad believes in creating multiple streams of income and leveraging money to work for you, rather than relying on a single paycheck from a job.
• Poor Dad believes in the traditional path of working for a salary and saving money in the bank.

4. The Importance of Entrepreneurship

• Rich Dad encourages Kiyosaki to think like an entrepreneur, to create businesses, and to take calculated risks.
• Poor Dad, on the other hand, believes in job security and working hard for a company.

5. Mindset and Attitudes Toward Money

• Rich Dad has a mindset focused on opportunities and believes in taking risks to create wealth, whereas Poor Dad is risk-averse, prioritizing job security, and working within a system rather than outside of it.
• The book stresses that the way we think about money can either limit or expand our potential to become wealthy.

6. The Power of Sales and Marketing

• Rich Dad teaches the importance of learning sales, marketing, and business skills. These are crucial for building and growing wealth.
• Poor Dad focuses primarily on academic achievement and traditional career paths, neglecting the importance of these skills.

Overall Message:

• The book advocates for a mindset shift—encouraging readers to focus on building wealth through financial education, investing, and entrepreneurship rather than following the conventional path of working for money. It teaches readers to focus on acquiring assets, minimizing liabilities, and making money work for them instead of working for money.

In essence, "Rich Dad Poor Dad" highlights the significant difference between those who work for money and those who make money work for them, urging readers to become financially literate and to adopt a mindset that fosters financial independence and wealth creation.