now　the　definition　may　sound　good　to　a　trained　accountant；　but　for　the　average　person　it　makes　no　sense。　But　we　adults　are　often　too　proud　to　admit　that　something　does　not　make　sense。

As　young　boys；　rich　dad　said；　〃What　defines　an　asset　is　not　words　but　numbers。　And　if　you　cannot　read　the　numbers；　you　cannot　tell　an　asset　from　a　hole　in　the　ground。〃

〃In　accounting；〃　rich　dad　would　say；　〃it's　not　the　numbers；　but　what　the　numbers　are　telling　you。　It's　just　like　words。　It's　not　the　words；　but　the　story　the　words　are　telling　you。

Many　people　read；　but　do　not　understand　much。　It's　called　reading　prehension。　And　we　all　have　different　abilities　when　it　es　to　reading　prehension。　For　example；　I　recently　bought　a　new　VCR。　It　came　with　an　instruction　book　that　explained　how　to　program　the　VCR。　All　I　wanted　to　do　was　record　my　favorite　TV　show　on　Friday　night。　I　nearly　went　crazy　trying　to　read　the　manual。　Nothing　in　my　world　is　more　plex　than　learning　how　to　program　my　VCR。　I　could　read　the　words；　but　I　understood　nothing。　I　get　an　〃A〃　for　recognizing　the　words。　I　get　an　〃F〃　for　prehension。　And　so　it　is　with　financial　statements　for　most　people。

〃If　you　want　to　be　rich；　you've　got　to　read　and　understand　numbers。〃　If　I　heard　that　once；　I　heard　it　a　thousand　times　from　my　rich　dad。　And　I　also　heard；　〃The　rich　acquire　assets　and　the　poor　and　middle　class　acquire　liabilities。〃

Here　is　how　to　tell　the　difference　between　an　asset　and　a　liability。　Most　accou