" As that old saying goes, "Chickens of a feather agree to- gether." If you watch CNBC, which is a gold mine of investment information, they often have a panel of so-called experts. One expert will say the market is going to crash, and the other will say it's going to boom. If you're smart, you lis- ten to both. Keep your mind open because both have valid points. Unfortunately, most poor people listen to "Chicken Little." I have had more close friends try to talk me out of a deal or an investment. A few years ago, a friend told me he was excited because he found a 6 percent certificate of deposit. I told him I earn 16 percent from the state gov- ernment. The next day he sent me an article about why my investment was dangerous. I have received 16 percent for years now, and he still receives 6 percent. I would say that one of the hardest things about wealth building is to be truejo ycjjrself and be willing to not go along with the crowd. For in the market, it is usuallythe crowd~that shows up late and is slaughtered. If a great deal is on the front page, it's too late in most instances. Look for a new deal. As we used to say as surfers: "There is always another wave." People who hurry and catch a wave late usually are the ones who wipe out. Smart investors don't time markets. If they miss a wave, they search for the next one and get themselves in posi- tion. "Why this is hard for most investors is because buying what is not popular is frightening to them. Timid investors are like sheep going along with the crowd. Or their greed gets them in when wise investors have already taken their profits and moved on. Wise investors buy an investment when it's not popular. They know their profits are made when they buy, not when they sell. They wait patiently. As I said, they do not time the market. Just like a surfer, they get in position for the next big swell. It's all "insider trading." There are forms of insider trad- ingjhaXjajeJlkgal, and there are forms of insider trading tHaTarelegal. But either way, it's insider tradingTThe only distinction is how far away from the inside are you? The reason you want to have rich friends who are close to the inside is because that is where the money is made. It's made on information. You want to hear about the next boom, get in and get out before the next bust. I'm not say- ing do it illegally, but the sooner you know, the better your chances are for profits with minimal risk. That is what friends are for. And that is financial intelligence. 4. MASTER A FORMULA AND THEN LEARN A NEW ONE: The power of learning quickly. In order to make bread, every baker follows a recipe, even if it's only held in their head. The same is true for making money. That's why money is often called "dough." Most of us have heard the saying "You are what you eat." I have a different slant on the same saying. I say, "You become_what you study.