What Investing In Yourself Really Looks Like
When you hear the word ‘invest’, what do you see? We assume investing as a profession is an old boys club best left to the men. They handle the money. They have the stomach for taking risks. They do the math that keeps their head in the game and their hearts out of the deal.
FALSE.
Women are naturals at investing! And I’m not just referring to trading stocks (at least not in this article). Sound investing requires an instinct for potential and value, the ability to allocate resources where they are needed to see improvements, and the gut feeling that tells us when it’s best to cut our losses and walk away from the table.
Can you think of your most recent investments?
Was it investing in your child’s education by regularly checking their homework or speaking with their instructors (potential and value)? How about investing in your professional development by taking an online course on managing social media (allocating resources)? Perhaps you joined a different gym because your old one had a class schedule that conflicted with other priorities (knowing when to cut your losses).
Let’s explore some areas where an investment of our time, talents and treasures (read: $$$) are worth the sacrifice. Courtney Sanders of Think & Grow Chick recommended the following 10 categories for investing in yourself as a woman.
Faith
Health
Habits
New Experiences
Professional & Personal Networks
Books
Skill Mastery
Debt Elimination
Income
Education
Not all investments require a lot of money (or any money for that matter).
Investing in your health doesn’t require an expensive personal trainer. Instead maybe you invest the time it takes to rise early for a sunrise run and a spirit centering cup of coffee before the day begins. Or a case of water bottles to make sure you drink enough to stay hydrated.
Your library card gives you access to popular business titles that boost your confidence in everything from industry trends to how to dress for job interviews. That membership is a great investment of a very small portion of your tax dollars.
I invested in the reputation of my alma mater Spelman College by making a donation to a scholarship fund. The return I receive in both the gratitude I feel towards this institution for my education and the quality of my network because of my ties with the school as well as the gratification I feel from supporting the next generation of young women.
My point is this, if you were to put your resources into a certain task, experience, or purchase, can you confidently say that the sacrifice is worth the results you expect to earn back? If the answer is no, then re-channel some of the resources to a better investment. And when it comes to a ROI (return on investment), always bet on yourself first!
Get it done,
Naomi D.