In the last post, we talked about self-investment being the best form of investing. Now let’s look at 4 specific ways of doing that.
1- Take classes to increase earning ability
The future belongs to the competent. The more valuable skills you have, the more desirable you will be in the marketplace.
One of the easiest ways to improve hard skills is by signing up for classes or workshops. You can learn a new skill quickly by working with an instructor in a classroom environment.
Trying to learn on your own can be a long boring process. You have to learn by trial and error. Sometimes you won’t even realize where you’ve made mistakes.
An inexperienced instructor will give you feedback and show you what to focus on. They will show you faster ways of getting things. You may then be able to perform better than others who have more experience than you do.
Spending a few hundred dollars on sharpening your skills can translate into a few extra thousand dollars in your paycheck.
Competence leads to confidence. Knowing that you have an improved skill set will give you the confidence needed to seek out higher paying positions.
2- Improve mentally by buying books (and actually reading them!)
You may not be able to afford a class or seminar right now. Books are much cheaper.
Most adults never read even one non-fiction book in a year. Reading just one book a month will give you an edge over the entire population.
Choose books that you can learn new skills from. Books that relate to your industry. Books that explain difficult concepts. Just be sure to read good books. Remember, readers are leaders.
If you think that you can’t afford to buy books, Amazon is pretty cheap, then at least get a library card.
3- Improve your health by exercising and eating a better diet
Doing big things in life requires lots of energy. It’s hard to stay focused on your goals when you’re always tired. Eating potato chips while sitting on the couch watching TV won’t give you the energy you need to achieve your goals.
It’s like feeding cheeseburgers to a prize racehorse and letting it stay up late instead of getting proper sleep . You can’t expect it to be a winner. It may not even finish. You need the right stuff to run your race.
Eat healthier food even if it costs a little more. You’ll save on doctor’s bills later.
Join a gym and hire a personal trainer. That’s the fastest way to get on a fitness plan and stick to it. Paying all that money for a trainer buys you reliable accountability. If you can’t afford a gym, use workout videos. If you can’t commit to that either, then find someone to be your workout partner and run in the park or something.
Don’t forget to get enough sleep. It’s one of the best ways to boost your vitality. The body needs sleep to fully recover from a hard day.
4- Buy quality clothing that fits properly and sends the right message
When you get into better physical shape, you’ll need new clothes. Be sure to choose clothing that fits the image you want the world to see.
Clothing is a powerful tool for gaining influence. People usually judge a book by its cover.
Within seconds people determine your level of income, education, trustworthiness, reliability and competence. They do this just by looking at you. The fact that your clothes cover most of your body increases the importance of clothing choice.
You don’t want to pretend to be someone you’re not. On the other hand, you wouldn’t want to lose an opportunity due to wearing the wrong stuff.
Buy good quality clothes from trusted brands. They’ll last longer than cheap threads from bargain basement brands. That durability actually makes higher-priced clothes cheaper in the long run because they won’t need to be replaced every few months.
Taking action
Which of these 4 ways of self-investment will you get started on within the next 24 hours?