5 Tips to Invest In Yourself

 

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If you've read my blog, you know that I'm a big fan of self development. There is a great saying in the world of finance that applies really well to personal development. You should always pay yourself first. What does that mean? It means that, after you get your paycheck you should stop and invest in your own future before you pay any other bills. The easier you invest in your own financial future the sooner and more effectively it will pay off. That statement can be an analogy for personal development. Before you begin each day you should pay yourself first, by taking time for self development.

Self development can mean different things to different people. The best way to look at it, is that when you are doing a self development activity, it is an activity that is helping you to become better. Self development is something that helps you to become your best self. Whether you're reading a book, watching a documentary, exercising or studying a new subject, self development helps push you forward as an individual. 

In a moment we'll get into some tips on how to invest in yourself. Before we do that, I want to remind you that it's important to plan. You must plan your work and work your plan, in both your professional setting and your personal development. If you create a plan and write it down, you are much more likely to pursue it and achieve your goals.

5 Tips to Invest In Yourself

Start Now

There is now time like the present. You should start your development plan right now, today, after you read this article. The sooner you start to work on self development the sooner you can begin to see the benefits of your efforts. Procrastination is like quicksand, the longer you stand in quicksand the deeper you sink and the harder it is to climb back out. The longer you procrastinate the harder it is to get started again. Don't sink your own goals by procrastinating. 

Use Checkpoints

If you've ever read about people that climb mountains they use checkpoints or base camps along the way. As they approach different sections of the climb they have points where they know they will stop. That means that from day 1 they are working towards that checkpoint. The ultimate goal is the summit, of course, but by focusing on getting to the next checkpoint they make it mentally easier and more rewarding to climb towards the summit. Each checkpoint achieved gives them a boost in confidence and makes them feel accomplished. Do the same thing with your self development. You may have a goal to write a novel, but instead of that being the only goal, you might start with Identify Subject > Draft Outline > Define Characters > Fill in Chapter Outlines > Write 1 Chapter Per Day > Edit and Review. Instead of having to write one book all at once you have smaller tasks that feel more achievable and are harder to procrastinate. 

Be Accountable

You must always account for what you said you would do. If you say you are gong to do 100 pushups every day, then you must hold yourself to that outcome. If you have a goal to write a novel, you must hold yourself to the next step in your checkpoints. Skipping 1 day, once in a great while is fine, but when you start to miss multiple checkpoints, you will start to feel that it's OK not to invest in yourself. If you find yourself in this situation, stop and be honest with yourself about your progress. Adjust your plan and checkpoints and start again. 

Follow Your Passion

Every individual has strengths and weaknesses. Strengths are things that they are good at and they love to do. They come naturally to you. Weaknesses are things that you are naturally not good at. Do not chase improvement if your weaknesses. Imagine if you spent all of your time focused on things you're not good at, have no passion for and can't really ever become truly great at. You'd hate it and never work your plan! Instead focus on what you are naturally good at. Improve it, become the best you can possibly be. 

Development is Lifelong

You can't stop the endless tick of the clock and you should never stop self development either. You should always be working toward a new goal. Once you've achieved a goal, you should stop for a moment and celebrate, because you've truly achieved something great. Afterwards, think about what you want to do next and write down your new goal and plan to achieve it and get started. 

Writing these articles is part of my self development plan. I write these, because it forces me to look at my own thoughts and ideas and think through how I would explain them to someone else. By taking that time to write them down, I am forced to clarify my own thoughts and views. If you are working on self development or planning to get started, I want to hear about it! Post below or contact me to tell me more!