on…dollar　empire　to　run。　I　am　not　as　sophisticated　because　my　empire　is　smaller；　yet　we　e　from　the　same　simple　foundation。　In　the　following　pages；　I　offer　to　you　the　same　simple　line　drawings　Mike's　dad　created　for　us。　Though　simple；　those　drawings　helped　guide　two　little　boys　in　building　great　sums　of　wealth　on　a　solid　and　deep　foundation。

Rule　One。　You　must　know　the　difference　between　an　asset　and　a　liability；　and　buy　assets。　If　you　want　to　be　rich；　this　is　all　you　need　to　know。　It　is　Rule　No。　1。　It　is　the　only　rule。　This　may　sound　absurdly　simple；　but　most　people　have　no　idea　how　profound　this　rule　is。　Most　people　struggle　financially　because　they　do　not　know　the　difference　between　an　asset　and　a　liability。

〃Rich　people　acquire　assets。　The　poor　and　middle　class　acquire　liabilities；　but　they　think　they　are　assets〃

When　rich　dad　explained　this　to　Mike　and　me；　we　thought　he　was　kidding。　Here　we　were；　nearly　teenagers　and　waiting　for　the　secret　to　getting　rich；　and　this　was　his　answer。　It　was　so　simple　that　we　had　to　stop　for　a　long　time　to　think　about　it。

〃What　is　an　asset？〃　asked　Mike。

〃Don't　worry　right　now；〃　said　rich　dad。　〃Just　let　the　idea　sink　in。　If　you　can　prehend　the　simplicity；　your　life　will　have　a　plan　and　be　financially　easy。　It　is　simple；　that　is　why　the　idea　is　missed。〃

〃You　mean　all　we　need　to　know　is and　we'll　be　rich？〃　I　asked。

Rich　dad　nodded　his　head。　〃It's　that　simple。〃

〃If　it's　that　simple；　how　e　e