Surprisingly, most of us chronically overlook our most valuable asset, which is our own self!
So how do you invest in yourself?
The first often ignored step is taking the time to figure out what your ideal life looks like, financially, occupationally and otherwise, so that you can design your investing, and you finances in general, to complement your long and short-term objectives.
Once you know what you really want, you are now in a much better position to create a financial blueprint by design rather than one by default. In other words, you’ll know what you’re doing and why. That can make all the difference in the world!
There are many different ways to invest in one's self. A lot of people get stuck in investing ruts. They think that investing means mutual funds, or purchasing “hot” stocks. But there are many legitimate traditional and nontraditional ways to invest. Different investment vehicles can be smart ways to invest, depending on where you’re at in life, and what objectives you have.
Every investment vehicle has its positives and negatives, but the point is that there is more than one way to invest, and many overlook one of the most obvious investment opportunities: Developing your own capacity to create real value in the world, which in turn leads to financial prosperity.
It is not so much that investment products are good or bad, it is whether they meet the objective or not. What you want is a plan that is not based on limits, but on the limitless possibilities of your own unique potential.
Invest in Your Own Life, First
There is more to wealth than just money. Real prosperity involves your health, your spirituality, your relationships and your overall emotional/mental wellbeing. People don’t live compartmentalized lives.
Every aspect of life will naturally affect each other, including financially. If you want more money, realize that investing in yourself is likely to increase your wealth and happiness more than investing in someone else, or in some other company. Think about it. You’re smart. You have passions and ideas. Why can’t you make a lot of money doing what you want to do? Many people do, and there's no reason why you can't too.
So how do you invest in yourself?
One way is to identify your own natural passions, abilities, and talents, and then bringing them to the marketplace. That doesn’t mean that you have to own your own business or be a good salesperson. Anyone can find enjoyable ways to bring value to the marketplace, which in turn naturally creates wealth.
Investing in yourself allows you to identify and obtain a view of the possibilities. People who invest in their own ideas and talents are inevitably richer, happier and more satisfied than people who only dare invest in others talents and capacity for productivity.
From a larger perspective, you have to know where you’re going, to have any chance of getting there. Too many people are stuck in “survive” mode, when they could be moving into “thrive” mode. How do you do that? Again, it all starts with education and having a plan.
