Investing in yourself is the key to Success

You spend time and money keeping your car in good shape. You buy what your family and home need without hesitation. You may even invest in stocks, real estate, and other services to help secure your financial future. However, there’s another type of investing that can pay bigger dividends than any of these: investing in yourself! Many people end up feeling guilty when it comes down to spending money, time, energy, on themselves, but learning to make yourself a priority may be one of the most profitable investments you ever make. 
The best way to achieve a better-quality life, and be successful, productive, and fulfilled is to place a priority on investing in both personal and professional advancement. The effort you put into consistently investing in yourself plays a large role in determining the quality of your life now and in the future.
The best part is that you can accomplish so much more when you invest in yourself and make yourself a priority! Try these techniques to enrich your life by investing in you:

1. Hire a personal trainer. Your health and fitness are important. Get an expert on your side. Many health clubs offer free personal training. Look for a gym with this service. If you have the financial resources, hiring the local expert can speed your progress.                    

 
     2. Hire a personal chef. A personal chef typically comes to your house once every two weeks and prepares two weeks of food at a time. The meals can accommodate any food preferences you have. It’s not a cheap service, but it’s less expensive than a private chef!
 
     3. Take a course. What interests you? You could take a class on Buddhism, basket weaving, marketing, calculus, business, or a golf lesson. What would enrich your life? Identify what would do the most for you and go do it. You might ask some of your happy and successful network for a few ideas. It might even give your career a boost.
 
     4.  Hire a personal coach. A personal coach can help you figure out what you want to do with your life, career, assist you to grow your business, and advise you on how to make your goals happen. A personal coach is a sounding board, friend, and an expert that helps you stay on track toward your goals and holds you accountable so you are successful.
 
 
     5. Do something to advance your career. You might hire someone to write a professional resume, brush up on your interviewing skills, or spend some time networking. Take a public speaking course, join a mastermind, find a group coaching program for professinals. What do you need to take your career to the next level?
 
 
Read something just for you. Anything you like. It might be something that helps you at work, with a hobby, or just provide entertainment. Make reading a regular habit. Reading is one thing most successful people have in common.

1. Take a Vacation. Taking time off from work/business can boost your productivity, engagement, and overall happiness. Research shows that taking time off is beneficial to your long-term physical and mental health as well. So don’t ever feel guilty about taking time to relax and investing in a fun and fulfilling vacation.
   

       2. Set specific goals and commit to them. It’s important to be working toward something. What will that something be? Without a goal, you’re just waiting for something to happen. Choose what you want to happen in your life. Spend whatever time you need to create a few goals that will enhance your life. Stay committed until you achieve them. Don’t be afraid to invest in them and trust that the return on investment will be greater than what you put in.
Investing in yourself is one of the best returns on investments you can have. Whether it’s investing in learning a new skill, developing yourself personally or professionally, tapping into your creativity, hiring domestic helpers, or hiring a coach to keep you accountable, you need to give to yourself first before you can give to others. What can you do today to ensure a more prosperous future? Spend a small portion of your resources - time, money, or focus - on yourself each month. Make yourself a priority. You’ll be thrilled at the results.