第24部分(第5/7 頁)

ake　a　cruise。

It　is　difficult　to　say　which　of　the　ten　steps　is　the　most　important。 But　of　all　the　steps；　this　step　is　probably　the　most　difficult　to　master　if　it　is　not　already　a　part　of　your　makeup。　I　would　venture　to　say　that　it　is　the　lack　of　personal　self…discipline　that　is　the　No。　1　delineating　factor　between　the　rich；　the　poor　and　the　middle　class。

Simply　put；　people　who　have　low　self…esteem　and　low　tolerance　for　financial　pressure　can　never；　and　I　mean　never；　be　rich。　As　I　have　said；　a　lesson　learned　from　my　rich　dad　was　that　〃the　world　will　push　you　around。〃　The　world　pushes　people　around　not　because　other　people　are　bullies；　but　because　the　individual　lacks　internal　control　and　discipline。　People　who　lack　internal　fortitude　often　bee　victims　of　those　who　have　self…discipline。

In　the　entrepreneur　classes　I　teach；　I　constantly　remind　people　to　not　focus　on　their　product；　service　or　widget；　but　to　focus　on　developing　management　skills。　The　three　most　important　management　skills　necessary　to　start　your　own　business　are：

1。 Management　of　cash　flow。

2。 Management　of　people。

3。　Management　of　personal　time。

I　would　say；　the　skills　to　manage　these　three　apply　to　anything；　not　just　entrepreneurs。　The　three　matter　in　the　way　you　live　your　life　as　an　individual；　or　as　part　of　a　family；　a　business；　a　charitable　organization；　a　city　or　a　nation。

Each　of　these　skills　is　enhanced　by　the　mastery　of　self　discipline。　I　do　not　take　the　saying　〃pay　yourself　first〃　lightly。

The　Richest　Man　in　Babylon；　by　George　Classen；　is　where　the　statement　〃pay　yourself　first〃　es　from。　Millions　of　copies　have　been　sold。 But　while　millions　of　people　freely　repeat　that　powerful　statement；　few　follow　the　advice。　As　I　said；　financial　li