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s shut down and destroyed； only to find out it was a mistake on the part of the government。 I realize all that。 But the price of working from January to mid…May is a high price to pay for that intimidation。 My poor dad never fought back。 My rich dad didn't either。 He just played the game smarter； and he did it through corporations…the biggest secret of the rich。
You may remember the first lesson I learned from my rich dad。 I was a little boy of 9 who had to sit and wait for him to choose to talk to me。 I often sat in his office waiting for him to 〃get to me。〃 He was ignoring me on purpose。 He wanted me to recognize his power and desire to have that power for myself one day。 For all the years I studied J and learned from him； he always reminded me that knowledge was power。 And with money es great power that requires the right knowledge to keep it and make it multiply。 Without that knowledge； the world pushes you around。 Rich dad constantly reminded Mike and me that the biggest bully was not the boss or the supervisor； but the tax man。 The tax man will always take more if you let him。
The first lesson of having money work for me； as opposed to working for money； is really all about power。 If you work for money； you give the power up to your employer。 If your money works for you； you keep and control the power。
Once we had this knowledge of the power of money working for us； he wanted us to be financially smart and not let bullies push us around。 You need to know the law and how the system works。 If you're ignorant； it is easy to be bullied。 If you know what you're talking about； you have a fighting chance。 That is why he paid so much for smart tax accountants and attorneys。 It was less expensive to pay them than pay the government。 His best lesson to me； which I have used most of my life； is 〃Be smart and you won't be pushed around as much。〃 He knew the law because he was a law…abiding citizen。 He knew the law because it was expensive to not know the law。 〃If you know you're right； you're not afraid of fighting back。〃 Even if you are taking on Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men。
My highly educated dad always encouraged me to seek a good job with a strong corporation。 He spoke of the virtues of 〃working your way up the corporate ladder。〃 He didn't understand that； by relying solely on a paycheck from a corporate employer； I would be a docile cow ready for milking。
When I told my rich dad of my father's advice； he only chuckled。 〃Why not own the ladder？〃 was all he said。
As a young boy； I did not understand what rich dad meant by owning my own corporation。 It was an idea that seemed impossible； and intimidating。 Although I was excited by the idea； my youth would not let me envision the possibility that grownups would someday work for a pany I would own。
The point is； if not for my rich dad； I would have probably followed my educated dad's advice。 It was merely the occasional reminder of my rich dad that kept the idea of owning my own corporation alive and kept me on a different path。 By the time I was 15 or 16； I knew I was not going to continue down the path my educated dad was remending。 I did not know how I was going to do it； but I was determined not to head in the direction most of my classmates were heading。 That decision changed my life。
It was not until I was in my mid…20s that my rich dad's advice began to make more sense。 I was just out of the Marine Corps and working for Xerox。 I was making a lot of money； but every time I looked at my paycheck； I was always disappointed。 The deductions were so large； and the more I worked； the greater the deductions。 As I became more successful； my bosses talked about promotions and raises。 It was flattering； but I could hear my rich dad asking me in my ear： 〃Who are you working for？ Who are you making rich？〃
In 1974； while still an employee for Xerox； I formed my first corporation and began 〃minding my own business。〃 There were already a few assets in my asset column； but now I was determined to focus on making it bigger。 Those paychecks with all the deductions made all the years of my rich dad's advice make total sense。 I could see the future if I followed my educated dad's advice。
Many employers feel that advising their workers to mind their own business is bad for business。 I am sure it can be for certain individuals。 But for me； focusing on my own business； developing assets； made me a better employee。 I now had a purpose。 I came in early and worked diligently； amassing as much money as possible so I could begin investing in real estate。 Hawaii was just set to boom； and there were 4 fortunes to be made。 The more I realized we were in the beginning stages of a boom； the more Xerox machines I sold。 The more I sold； the more money I made； and； of course； the more deductions there were from my paycheck。 It was inspiring。 I wanted out of the trap of being an employee so badly that I worked harder； not less。 By 1978；I was consistently one of the top five salespeople in sales； often No。 1。 I badly wanted out of the rat race。
In less than three years； I was making more in my own little corporation； which was a real estate holding pany； than I was making at Xerox。 And the money I was making in my asset column； in my own corporation； was money working for me。 Not me pounding on doors selling copiers。 My rich dad's advice made much more sense。 Soon the cash flow from my properties was so strong that my pany bought me my first Porsche。 My fellow Xerox salespeople thought I was spending my missions。 I wasn't。 I was investing my missions in assets。
My money was working hard to make more money。 Each dollar in my asset column was a great employee； working hard to make more employees and buy the boss a new Porsche with before…tax dollars。 I began to work harder for Xerox。 The plan was working； and my Porsche was the proof。
By using the lessons I learned from my rich dad； I was able to get out of the 〃proverbial rat race〃 of being an employee at an early age。 It was made possible because of the strong financial knowledge I had acquired through these lessons。 Without this financial knowledge； which I call financial IQ； my road to financial independence would have been much more difficult。 I now teach others through financial seminars in the hope that I may share my knowledge with them。 Whenever I do my talks； I remind people that financial IQ is made up of knowledge from four broad areas of expertise。
No。 1 is accounting。 What I call financial literacy。 A vital skill if you want to build an empire。 The more money you are responsible for； the more accuracy is required； or the house es tumbling down。 This is the left brain side； or the details。 Financial literacy is the ability to read and understand financial statements。 This ability allows you to identify the strengths and weaknesses of any business。
No。 2 is investing。 What I call the science of money making money。 This involves strategies and formulas。 This is the right brain side； or the creative side。
No。 3 is understanding markets。 The science of supply and demand。 There is a need to know the 〃technical〃 aspects of the market； which is emotion driven； the Tickle Me Elmo doll during Christmas 1996 is a case of a