第16部分(第2/7 頁)

as　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　technical　or　emotion…driven　market。　The　other　market　factor　is　the　〃fundamental〃　or　the　economic　sense　of　an　investment。　Does　an　investment　make　sense　or　does　it　not　make　sense　based　on　the　current　market　conditions。

Many　people　think　the　concepts　of　investing　and　understanding　the　market　are　too　plex　for　kids。　They　fail　to　see　that　kids　know　those　subjects　intuitively。　For　those　not　familiar　with　the　Elmo　doll；　it　was　a　Sesame　Street　character　that　wa