han　pay　the　government。　His　best　lesson　to　me；　which　I　have　used　most　of　my　life；　is　〃Be　smart　and　you　won't　be　pushed　around　as　much。〃　He　knew　the　law　because　he　was　a　law…abiding　citizen。　He　knew　the　law　because　it　was　expensive　to　not　know　the　law。 〃If　you　know　you're　right；　you're　not　afraid　of　fighting　back。〃　Even　if　you　are　taking　on　Robin　Hood　and　his　band　of　Merry　Men。

My　highly　educated　dad　always　encouraged　me　to　seek　a　good　job　with　a　strong　corporation。　He　spoke　of　the　virtues　of　〃working　your　way　up　the　corporate　ladder。〃　He　didn't　understand　that；　by　relying　solely　on　a　paycheck　from　a　corporate　employer；　I　would　be　a　docile　cow　ready　for　milking。

When　I　told　my　rich　dad　of　my　father's　advice；　he　only　chuckled。　〃Why　not　own　the　ladder？〃　was　all　he　said。

As　a　young　boy；　I　did　not　understand　what　rich　dad　meant　by　owning　my　own　corporation。　It　was　an　idea　that　seemed　impossible；　and　intimidating。　Although　I　was　excited　by　the　idea；　my　youth　would　not　let　me　envision　the　possibility　that　grownups　would　someday　work　for　a　pany　I　would　own。

The　point　is；　if　not　for　my　rich　dad；　I　would　have　probably　followed　my　educated　dad's　advice。　It　was　merely　the　occasional　reminder　of　my　rich　dad　that　kept　the　idea　of　owning　my　own　corporation　alive　and　kept　me　on　a　different　path。　By　the　time　I　was　15　or　16；　I　knew　I　was　not　going　to　continue　down　the　path　my　educated　dad　was　remending。　I　did　not　know　how　I　was　going　to　do　it；　but　I　was　determined　not　to　head　in　the　direction　most　of　my　classmates　were　heading。　That　decision　changed　my　life。

It　was　not　until　I　was　in　my　mid…20s　that　my　rich　dad's　advice　began　to　make　more　sense。　I　was　just　out　of　the　Marine　Corps　and　working　for　Xerox。　I　was　making　a　lot　of　money；　but　every　time　I　look