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One of the best investments we can ever make is in ourselves. But too often self-investment feels selfish or something we will do someday in the future when things are easier. We generally say we don’t have the time or money to invest in ourselves, but the true reason is that we don’t see the value. We tell ourselves, “I’ll do that someday.”The fact is that we are worth it. We can grow and become better as we take advantage of opportunities to venture out and try new things. The simple act of investing in a class, trying something new, getting a mentor . . . can help us to develop and grow, shaping us into the best we can be.Investing in yourself reaps major payoffs:
Confidence—Investing in yourself will boost your self-confidence from the first moment you start. You set your sights higher, you try harder, and your outlook improves. You end up doing more than you thought possible.
Satisfaction—The sense of achievement and accomplishment when you try something new and see it through cannot be overestimated. It will continue to improve your mindset.
Stability—Whenever you invest in yourself, you are investing in your own future. No job or relationship is guaranteed. When you invest in yourself, you are adding worth to yourself and stabilizing your future. You will always have a direction.
Connections—Never underestimate the power of a good friend! As you invest in yourself and learn new things, you meet new people. You can invest in each other and help each other progress. Many of the people we need in our future are found as we invest in ourselves today.
So where should you start? The good news is, there’s something for everyone’s budget and schedule if you really want to grow. Here are just a few worthwhile investments you could start on today that can produce excellent rewards.
Fitness
Education
Experiences (travel, etc.)
Relationships (cultivating friendships)
Attending seminars and workshops
Developing good habits and breaking bad ones
Reading books
Taking care of your health
Spending time in nature
Creative pursuits (writing, musical expression, painting, drawing)
Starting a new business venture
What can you add to the list?The surest way to achieve a better quality of life, to be successful, productive, and satisfied is to place a priority on investing in both personal and professional growth. The effort you put into consistently investing in yourself plays a large role in determining the quality of your life now and in the future. There are three basic choices that you can personalize and put into your life that will get and keep you on the path.
1. Develop your skills. Improving your skills doesn’t always mean investing in higher education. That IS an option and may be a great one for you depending on your career goals. But investing in your skills doesn’t need to be limited to one area or even be formal.There are many “skill investment” avenues. Extra classes, in person or online, advanced degrees, relevant certifications, are all valuable investments. Utilize all the available training: Enroll in workshops, attend conferences or participate in webinars. Read books, articles, write papers, anything related to the talent or skill you want to improve. Keep current: Stay abreast of the latest trends or advancements. Subscribe to publications, read blogs of experts, and follow the latest news.
2. Explore your own creativity. There is a great deal of creativity in every single one of us that may never be discovered. Creativity helps us to grow personally and professionally, to view problems and solutions in different ways and to utilize other untapped parts of our mind. Creativity is in large degree trying new things.
3. Feed your mind, body, soul, and spirit. Feeding yourself, investing in yourself, allows you to have more to give now and in the future —more energy, more knowledge, more compassion, more ideas, greater strength, physical and mental endurance.Learning new things and keeping your mind active even in simple ways helps to grow and maintain your mental ability. Read anything and everything. Attend concerts and plays, listen to different styles of music, travel, or join an organization or group of people from different backgrounds. Engage in conversations with those who have a different perspective. Look at an argument and try to make a case for the opposing point of view. Play word games, board games that include strategy, or try using your brain to perform simple calculations rather than relying on a calculator. Care for your body. Your body is like a well-oiled machine. If you care for it in the way that you might maintain an expensive car, it will perform marvelously and last for a very long time.
4. Develop your soul. We are not physical beings with a soul. We are spiritual beings who inhabit a body. When your soul is functioning well, everything gets better. Read. Pray. Go to church. Get into a soul-developing small group.Investing in yourself truly makes a difference in your life, your well-being, and your ability to thrive. The extent to which you invest in yourself, mind and body, not only shapes the way you interact with the outside world, it often reflects the opinion you have of yourself. Your future is primarily determined by your willingness and ability to invest in yourself now.The proverb says, “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” Get started.