Life

5 Ways To Invest In Yourself

Published

10 years ago

May 9, 2015

The investment business is worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Organizations spend millions to get your money and hope you believe their investment strategy is the best.

We are inundated with magazines, 24-7 investment channels, and investment “experts” on every aspect of the market. All of this is irritating because rarely does anyone honestly tell you the best investment decision you can make.

There is no doubt you can earn a decent return over time in a well diversified portfolio. That’s no secret. My long term money is invested in the market.

However, the best investment no one talks about is investing in yourself. Time and time again this is absolutely the best investment you can make in your life.

I’m not simply talking about taking more college courses or mandatory trainings from your employer. I am referring to making a commitment to learn new skills, improve old ones, and changing with the times.

When you make the commitment to invest in yourself, the return on investment will begin to multiply exponentially over time – similar to compound interest.

“Success Doesn’t come to you, you go to it.” – Marie Colling

At First you may not notice the payoff from the investment, but there will be a time when your growth will sky rocket.

Investing in yourself can lead to promotions at work, starting new businesses (like myself), better health, improving relationships, and much more. It is really the investment that keeps on paying dividends.

Most people go to college then believe there is no reason to learn much more. If you want to find success, you need to continue to grow.

There are three reasons why we stop learning: cost, time, and laziness. Since I know the people reading this article aren’t lazy, the main reasons must be time and money.

Luckily we live in the best time ever to continue our education. We have access to learning at our fingertips that our ancestors only dreamed of having.

Let’s discuss 5 ways to invest in yourself.

1. Podcasts

Most of us have a commute to work or a mundane activity we must do each week (i.e. clean the house, mow the grass, exercise, ect). Instead of turning on Pandora Radio to the 90s mix, look into Podcasts.

Podcasts are the best way to hear inspiring stories, learn new skills, or brush up on your own industry.

Jump on iTunes or Sticher and you can find topics that cover everything from business to comedy.

2. Online Courses

Want to learn to code? Improve your marketing skills? Start your own business?

You can do that today because there are courses at your fingertips for no charge. YouTube is filled with great information. If you only watched Ted Talks on YouTube you would dramatically change your life.

You can take real courses from the Khan Academy. Even MIT has courses you can take for free.

If you don’t mind paying for something, then check out Udemy, Lynda.com, or Skillshare. I learned how to place Facebook ads from Udemy and it was one of the best courses I ever took (and I have my MBA).

There are also a number of courses taught by people who specialize in a particular subject. You can find some great courses on copy writing, marketing, starting a blog, and much more.

“Your life doesn’t get better by chance, it gets better by change.” – Jim Rohn

3. Library

Most people don’t read books because they don’t want to purchase them or don’t want to make the trek to the library. According to Zig Ziglar, 58% of all people in our society, when they finish their formal education, never read another meaningful book.

Well, it’s not your grandfather’s library anymore.

You can rent books from the library and read them on your Kindle or iPad. There is a large number of books that you can check out and have for two or three weeks.

You can also rent digital books and play them on your device of choice.

Do what most people don’t – read books and become an expert in a topic.

4. Join a Group

Maybe you’re an introvert (like myself) and want to meet more people. Then join an organization. I don’t care where you live, there are groups to join.

A few sites to check out are Meetup and LinkedIn. You can find groups to join that have local meetings.

Just in my area you can join groups that discuss blogging, business, marketing, running clubs, and more.

Also, consider looking into Toastmasters International. This is something on my list of things to do because it is a phenomenal club. Learning to speak in front of groups is a skill that everyone could improve.

5. Go to a Seminar/Conference

A great way to learn more about your industry or break into a new industry is attend a seminar or conference. Not only will you learn a great deal, but you can also meet a number of new people.

If you don’t have the money to attend a conference, then try to be in the area when the conference will be held and attend meet ups. That way you can meet a lot of new people and start to foster more relationships in the industry.

If you pick one or two of these ideas, take action, and stay committed, your investment will pay off astronomically over time.

Related Topics:achieve change invest in yourself Investment motivation personal development personal growth podcast Succeed Success

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Travis Scott

Travis Scott, most importantly, is a husband and father of four in Ohio. In 2011, after losing a child and spending nearly a decade as a financial advisor, he decided a change was needed. Since then he found a career he loves, sold an app business, and learned what was most important in life. He also started StuffParentsLike.com where he provides tools to lead a happier & richer life for parents and teaches how he makes over $1k a month selling on Amazon part-time. You can follow Travis on Twitter @StufParentsLike.

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Life

How Learning the Skill of Hope Can Change Everything

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s a state of being and a skill that has profound evidence of helping people achieve success in life

Published

3 weeks ago

Jan 6, 2025

Daniel Bell

Image Credit: Midjourney

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s a state of being and a skill that has profound evidence of helping people achieve success in life.

Wishful thinking, on the other hand, is like having dreams in the sky without a ladder to climb, having a destination without a map, or trying to operate a jet-engine airplane without instructions. It sounds nice but is impossible to realize. You don’t have what you need to make it happen!

What Real Hope Is

Real hope is actionable, practical, and realistic. Better yet, it’s feasible and can be learned.

One popular approach is Hope Theory. This concept is used by colleges to study how hope impacts students’ academic performance. Researchers found that students with high levels of hope achieve better grades and are more likely to graduate compared to those with less hope.

Hope can be broken down into two components:

Pathways – The “how to” of hope. This is where people think of and establish plans for achieving their goals.
Agency – The “I can” of hope. This is the belief that the person can accomplish their goals.

Does Hope Really Work?

According to Webster’s Dictionary, hope as a noun is defined as: “desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment.”

As humans, we are wired to crave fulfillment. We have the ability to envision it and, through hope, make it a reality.

My Experience with Hope

For 13 years, I was a hopeless human. During my time working at a luxury hotel as a front desk agent earning $11.42 per hour, I felt the sting of hopelessness the most.

The regret of feeling my time was being stolen from me lingered every time I clocked in. Eventually, I decided to do something about it.

I gave myself permission to hope for something better. I began establishing pathways to success and regained agency by learning from self-help books and seeking mentorship.

Because I took action toward something I desired, I now feel more hope and joy than I ever felt hopelessness. Hope changed me.

Hope Actually Improves Your Life

Wishful thinking doesn’t work, and false hope is equally ineffective. Real hope, however, is directly tied to success in all areas of life.

Studies show that hopeful people tend to:

Demonstrate better problem-solving skills
Cultivate healthier relationships
Maintain stronger motivation to achieve goals
Exhibit better work ethic
Have a positive outlook on life

These benefits can impact work life, family life, habit-building, mental health, physical health, and spiritual practice. Imagine how much better your life could be by applying real hope to all these areas.

How to Develop the Skill to Hope

As acclaimed French writer Jean Giono wrote in The Man Who Planted Trees:
“There are also times in life when a person has to rush off in pursuit of hopefulness.”

If you are at one of those times, here are ways to develop the skill to hope:

1. Dream Again

To cultivate hope, you need to believe in its possibility. Start by:

Reflecting on what you’re passionate about, your values, and what you want to achieve.
Writing your dreams down, sharing them with someone encouraging, or saying them out loud.
Creating a vision board to make your dreams feel more tangible.

Dreams are the foundation of hope—they give you something meaningful to aspire toward.

2. Create an Environment of Hope

Set Goals: Write down your goals and create a plan to achieve them.
Visualize Success: Use inspirational quotes, photos, or tools like dumbbells or canvases to remind yourself of your goals.
Build a Resource Library: Collect books, eBooks, or audiobooks about hope and success to inspire you.

An environment that fosters hope will keep you motivated, resilient, and focused.

3. Face the Challenges

Don’t avoid challenges—overcoming them builds confidence. Participating in challenging activities, like strategic games, can enhance your problem-solving skills and reinforce hope.

4. Commit to Wisdom

Seek wisdom from those who have achieved what you aspire to. Whether through books, blogs, or social media platforms, learn from their journeys. Wisdom provides the foundation for real, actionable hope.

5. Take Note of Small Wins

Reflecting on past victories can fuel your hope for the future. Ask yourself:

What challenges have I already overcome?
How did I feel when I succeeded?

By remembering those feelings of happiness, relief, or satisfaction, your brain will naturally adopt a more hopeful mindset.

Conclusion

Hope is more than wishful thinking—it’s a powerful skill that can transform your life. By dreaming again, creating a hopeful environment, facing challenges, seeking wisdom, and celebrating small wins, you can develop the real hope necessary for success in all aspects of life.

Let hope guide you toward a brighter, more fulfilling future.

Life

The 5 Stages of a Quarter-Life Crisis & What You Can Do

A quarter-life crisis isn’t a sign you’ve lost your way; it’s a sign you’re fighting for a life that’s truly yours.

Published

1 month ago

Dec 27, 2024

CT Dool

Image Credit: Midjourney

The quarter-life crisis is a well-defined set of stages—Trapped, Checking Out, Separation, Exploration, Rebuilding—one goes through in breaking free from feelings of meaninglessness, lack of fulfillment, and misalignment with purpose. I detail the stages and interweave my story below. (more…)

Life

Here’s The Thing About Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning

Stop hoarding and start sharing your knowledge and wealth for the benefit of humankind

Published

2 months ago

Nov 21, 2024

M.S. Rao

Image Credit: Midjourney

Few people have the habit of hoarding their wealth without spending. However, it limits their motivation as they tend to get into their comfort zones. When people start spending money, then there will be depletion in their coffers. (more…)