Friday, August 19, 2011

Are You Investing In Yourself?

Learning the pianoOne of the longest-lasting investments you can make, with the best returns over time, is in yourself. Investing in yourself can help you improve your earning power, as well as provide you with a sense of satisfaction.

Even as you work to earn money and improve your finances, don?t neglect yourself. It?s important that you take the time to invest in yourself, improving your skills and knowledge, and even acquiring new talents. Here are some of the ways you can invest in yourself, and live a richer, fuller life:

Education

One of the best investments you can make in yourself is in the area of education. Knowledge can help you more than almost anything else. And I?m not talking about earning a degree; while a degree can be useful, it isn?t the only way to obtain an education.

It?s also possible to educate yourself. There are a number of resources available that allow you to learn on your own. Opencousreware provides you with free access to Ivy League college classes. There are numerous books about investing, business, finance and more. Learning about how money works is one of the most important bits of knowledge you can have. When you have this knowledge, you can use that education to help you make better decisions.

Skills Development

You can earn a professional certification to help you attain a desirable skill set or get a promotion. If your employer places emphasis on certain skills, you can work to develop those. You can also develop skills that can help you in other areas. Learn to cook, and raise your own food, and you will spend less money eating out. Learn about marketing, and you can better develop your home business. There are a number of skills you can develop that can help you enrich your life and improve your finances ? even if you don?t receive formal instruction.

Hobbies

While a hobby can occasionally turn into a way to make money, in some cases, developing a hobby can simply be a way to enjoy yourself. One of the ways to invest in yourself is to engage in activities that you enjoy. In order to have a healthy, well-balanced life, you need time to relax. Such activities can help you avoid burnout in other areas of your life, and give you time to wind down and then to re-focus. Some of my most relaxing times are when I can read, or when I play the piano or guitar.

Plus, life shouldn?t just be about toil and trying to earn money. You should also consider the things that you enjoy. Developing a hobby or a talent can help you find more enjoyment in life ? as well as share your enjoyment with others.

Bottom Line

An investment in yourself can provide returns that are difficult to lose. The stock market may crash, or you may lose your job, but your knowledge and skills are harder to take from you. With your knowledge and skills, you can find new ways to make more money. And of course, an investment in yourself pays intangible returns that are hard to measure in monetary terms.

(Photo: magnusfranklin)

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Source: http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/investing.html

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