第17部分(第2/7 頁)

ail　to　realize　that　they　might　be　the　problem。　Old　ideas　are　their　biggest　liability。 It　is　a　liability　simply　because　they　fail　to　realize　that　while　that　idea　or　way　of　doing　something　was　an　asset　yesterday；　yesterday　is　gone。

One　afternoon　I　was　teaching　investing　using　a　board　game　I　had　invented；　CASHFLOW；　as　a　teaching　tool。　A　friend　had　brought　someone　along　to　attend　the　class。　This　friend　of　a　friend　was　recently　divorced；　had　been　badly　burned　in　the　divorce　settlement；　and　was　now　searching　for　some　answers。　Her　friend　thought　the　class　might　help。

The　game　was　designed　to　help　people　learn　how　money　works。　In　playing　the　game；　they　learn　about　the　interaction　of　the　ine　statement　with　the　balance　sheet。　They　learn　how　〃cash　flows〃　between

the　two　and　how　the　road　to　wealth　is　through　striving　to　increase　your　monthly　cash　flow　from　the　asset　column　to　the　point　that　it　exceeds　your　j　monthly　expenses。　Once　you　acplish　this；　you　are　able　to　get　out　of　the　〃Rat　Race〃　and　out　onto　the　〃Fast　Track〃。

As　I　have　said；　some　people　hate　the　game；　some　love　it；　and　others　miss　the　point。　This　woman　missed　a　valuable　opportunity　to　learn　something。　In　the　opening　round；　she　drew　a　〃doodad〃　card　with　the　boat　on　it。　At　first　she　was　happy。 〃Oh；　I've　got　a　boat。〃　Then；　as　her　friend　tried　to　explain　how　the　numbers　worked　on　her　ine　statement　and　balance　sheet；　she　got　frustrated　because　she　〃had　never　liked　math。　The　rest　of　her　table　waited　while　her　friend　continued　explaining　the　relationship　between　the　ine　statement；　balance　sheet　and　monthly　cash　flow。 Suddenly；　when　she　realized　how　the　numbers　worked；　it　dawned　on　her　that　her　boat　was　eating　her　alive。　Later　on　in　the　game；　she　was　also　〃downsized〃　and　had　a　child。　It　was　a　horri