Invest in Yourself

How many of us are presented with potential investment or business

opportunities on almost a daily basis? For those of us that are interested

in a potential investment or business opportunity, we perform our due

diligence in looking to see whether or not this would be a potentially good

investment of our resources. In performing this investigative work, many

questions should come to mind. How well do I know the business or industry

that is the subject of this investment? How well do I know the individuals

involved in this particular investment? What is my level of trust and

comfort in the potential investment? What if I were to tell you about an

investment that could provide you with great returns and one in which you

would be extremely comfortable with the individual involved? Would you be

more willing to make an investment in this particular venture?

 

What better use of your resources and what greater comfort level could you

then obtain by investing in yourself? Regardless of what point you are in

your business cycle, there are always more things you could learn. What

specialized knowledge or training could you obtain that could increase your

income? What systems or processes could you implement in your business that

could provide you with greater cash flow? What seminars or workshops are

being offered that you could take to gain a competitive advantage? What

programs, that are being run by industry leaders, could you attend that

could educate you to make you a better provider of your goods and/or

services to the consuming public?

 

Two major objections will come to mind for most people. The first is that

you don't have the money. I like to think that gaining specialized knowledge

or training is not a cost but rather an investment because I know that the

money I expend for any such seminars and trainng programs will come back to

me multiple times thereafter.  Think about the knowledge you will gain and

the people you will meet and how these contacts can help to improve your

business and ultimately your cash flow? How can you share the specialized

knowledge and training with the consuming public through social media, press

releases and by posting on your website that will enable you to gain more

clients or customers?

 

The second objection is that you don't have the time. What better investment

of your time could there be for you than to be learning, improving and

growing in your business?

 

There is a huge spectrum of investments that you can make in yourself that

range from minimal uses of your resources to devoting significant time and

money into personal development. Have you thought about how becoming a

better communicator might make you more marketable and provide you with a

greater source of income? Look into joining your local Toastmasters Club

which requires minimum use of your time and money. The benefits of this

investment are huge in what you will learn and the people you will meet.

Looking for other options? What programs, seminars or classes are there on

CDs that you can buy and then listen to in your car while driving to and

from work, to business appointments or on weekends? This investment is also

minimal but can provide you with great returns. Are there seminars or

workshops that are being conducted in your area that you could attend? Are

there larger events that might require you to travel and stay at a hotel to

attend that could provide you with a worthwhile return on your investment?

 

Rather than looking to invest your time and money into business ventures or

business opportunities that present a great deal of risk, you should always

consider investing in yourself. Become more disciplined. Set time aside each

day to better learn your craft. Listen to CDs while driving. Read books and

listen to audio programs. Attend seminars, webinars and workshops. Make sure

you get to know the people attending these events and give your elevator

speech to develop potential sources of business. By investing in yourself

you have greater control over your expected rate of return. This return

would include becoming more knowledgeable about your area of expertise and

generating more income for you and your business.