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t they have wealth？ As well as having my own definitions for assets and liabilities； I also have my own definition for wealth。 Actually I borrowed it from a man named Buckminster Fuller。 Some call him a quack； and others call him a living genius。 Years ago he got all the architects buzzing because he applied for a patent in 1961 for something called a geodesic dome。 But in the application； Fuller also said something about wealth。 It was pretty confusing at first； but after reading it for awhile； it began to make some sense： Wealth is a person's ability to survive so many number of days forward。。。 or if I stopped working today； how long could I survive？
Unlike worth…the difference between your assets and liabilities； which is often filled with a person's expensive junk and opinions of what things are worth…this definition creates the possibility for developing a truly accurate measurement。 I could now measure and really know where I was in terms of my goal to bee financially independent。
Although worth often includes these non…cash…producing assets； like stuff you bought that now sits in your garage； wealth measures how much money your money is making and； therefore； your financial survivability。
Wealth is the measure of the cash flow from the asset column pared with the expense column。
Let's use an example。 Let's say I have cash flow from my asset column of S〃J；000 a month。 And I have monthly expenses of 52；000。 What is my wealth？
Let's go back to Buckminster Fuller's definition。 Using his definition； how many days forward can I survive？ And let's assume a 30…day month。 By that definition； I have enough cash flow for half a month。
When I have achieved 2；000 a month cash flow from my assets； then I will be wealthy。
So I am not yet rich； but I am wealthy。 I now have ine generated from assets each month that fully cover my monthly expenses。 If I want to increase my expenses； I first must increase my cash flow from assets to maintain this level of wealth。 Take notice that it is at this point that I no longer am dependent on my wages。 I have focused on and been successful in building an asset column that has made me financially independent。 If I quit my job today； I would be able to cover my monthly expenses with the cash flow from my assets。
My next goal would be to have the excess cash flow from my assets reinvested into the asset column。 The more money that goes into my asset column； the more my asset column grows。 The more my assets grow； the more my cash flow grows。 And as long as I keep my expenses less than the cash flow from these assets； I will grow richer； with more and more ine from sources other than my physical labor。
As this reinvestment process continues； I am well on my way to being rich。 The actual definition of rich is in the eye of the beholder。 You can never be too rich。
Just remember this simple observation： The rich buy assets。 The poor only have expenses。 The middle class buys liabilities they think are assets。 So how do I start minding my own business？ What is the answer？ Listen to the founder of McDonald's。
CHAPTER FOUR
Lesson Three： Mind Your Own Business
In 1974； Ray Kroc； the founder of McDonald's； was asked to speak to the MBA class at the University of Texas at Austin。 A dear friend of mine； Keith Cunningham； was a student in that MBA class。 After a powerful and inspiring talk； the class adjourned and the students asked Ray if he would join them at their favorite hangout to have a few beers。 Ray graciously accepted。
〃What business am I in？〃 Ray asked； once the group had all their beers in hand。
〃Everyone laughed；〃 said Keith。 〃Most of the MBA students thought Ray was just fooling around。〃
No one answered； so Ray asked the question again。 〃What business do you think I'm in？〃
The students laughed again； and finally one brave soul yelled out； 〃Ray； who in the world does not know that you're in the hamburger business。〃
Ray chuckled。 〃That is what I thought you would say。〃 He paused and then quickly said； 'ladies and gentlemen； I'm not in the hamburger business。 My business is real estate。〃
Keith said that Ray spent a good amount of time explaining his viewpoint。 In their business plan； Ray knew that the primary business focus was to sell hamburger franchises； but what he never lost sight of was the location of each franchise。 He knew that the real estate and its location was the most significant factor in the success of each franchise。 Basically； the person that bought the franchise was also paying for； buying； the land under the franchise for Ray Kroc's organization。
McDonald's today is the largest single owner of real estate in the world； owning even more than the Catholic Church。 Today； McDonald's owns some of the most valuable intersections and street corners in America； as well as in other parts of the world。
Keith said it was one of the most important lessons in his life。 Today； Keith owns car washes； but his business is the real estate under those car washes。
The previous chapter ended with the diagrams illustrating that most people work for everyone else but themselves。 They work first for the owners of the pany； then for the government through taxes； and finally for the bank that owns their mortgage。
As a young boy； we did not have a McDonald's nearby。 Yet； my rich dad was responsible for teaching Mike and me the same lesson that Ray Kroc talked about at the University of Texas。 It is secret No。 3 of the rich。
The secret is： 〃Mind your own business/' Financial struggle is often directly the result of people working all their life for someone else。 Many people will have nothing at the end of their working days。
Again； a picture is worth a thousand words。 Here is a diagram of the ine statement and balance sheet that best describes Ray Kroc's advice：
Most people
Your Profession …》 Your Ine
The Rich
Your Assets …》 Your Ine
Our current educational system focuses on preparing today's youth to get good jobs by developing scholastic skills。 Their lives will revolve around their wages； or as described earlier； their ine column。 And after developing scholastic skills； they go on to higher levels of schooling to enhance their professional abilities。 They study to bee engineers； scientists； cooks； police officers； artists； writers and so on。 These professional skills allow them to enter the workforce and work for money。
There is a big difference between your profession and your business。 Often I ask people； 〃What is your business？〃 And they will say； 〃Oh I'm a banker。〃 Then I ask them if they own the bank？ And they usually respond。 〃No； I work there。〃
In that instance； they have confused their profession with their business。 Their profession may be a banker； but they still need their own business。 Ray Kroc was clear on the difference between his profession and his business。 His profession was always the same。 Me was a salesman。 At one time he sold mixers for milkshakes； and soon thereafter he was selling hamburger franchises… But while his profession was selling hamburger franchises； his business was the accumulation of ine…producing real estate。
A problem with school is that you often bee what you study。 So if you study； say； cooking； you b