The Importance Of Investing In Yourself

July 31, 2020

When you hear the word ‘investment’ what springs to mind? Most of us will automatically conjure up images of flipping houses or buying and selling stocks and shares. These are popular investment options, and there’s no doubt that they can be lucrative, but perhaps the most worthwhile opportunity is investing in yourself.

The importance of investing in yourself

When it comes to setting up a business, going freelance or climbing a career ladder to reach the top of the tree, there is nothing more important than backing yourself and giving yourself the best possible chance of achieving your goals. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur, or you’re working your way towards a promotion or a management role, it pays to have confidence in your abilities and to put your money where your mouth is. One of the most crucial steps you can take is to equip yourself with the knowledge and skills you need to move to the next level. If you have a job, and you’re eager to progress through the ranks, taking on more responsibility and developing your skills through learning can help you secure more senior roles. Take a look at courses like those on offer at Kettering Online and prepare yourself for management opportunities. If vacancies crop up, you want to be able to act quickly and to demonstrate why you’re a strong candidate. If you’re an entrepreneur, learning how to run a business and expanding your skillset to cover elements that don’t match your experience and training is hugely beneficial. 

Working out what you want

Setting goals can be helpful, but it’s vital to be realistic and to try and be as specific as possible. Work towards ambitious end goals, but understand that you’ll have to pass several smaller milestones along the way. Push yourself without applying too much pressure and figure out the most effective way to get what you want. Whether you’re aiming to expand your business or land a dream job, planning ahead can improve your chances of success. 

Giving yourself the best chance to succeed

There are multiple elements that determine whether or not we succeed in hitting targets. Sometimes, we have total control over these factors. In other cases, they are beyond our control. Focus on aspects that you can influence. Make yourself more employable or more knowledgeable through training and learning, mitigate risks with careful preparation and take the time and effort to prepare applications, draft statements, answer questions and get ready for interviews or pitches. Have confidence in your ability to get a job or seal a deal. It can be very difficult to build confidence, especially if you’ve had a lot of setbacks, but it’s important not to give up at the first hurdle. Keep plugging away and learn from your mistakes. Use feedback, take comments on board and address weaknesses. Nobody is a perfect candidate or a faultless business leader. There is always room for improvement. 

Investments don’t just come in the form of stocks and shares and real estate. Investing in yourself through gaining knowledge, skills and experience is incredibly valuable. Don’t underestimate the difference backing yourself through learning, studying and broadening your professional and personal horizons can make.

Mark Asquith

That British podcast guy, Mark is co-founder of Captivate.fm, the world's only growth-oriented podcast host. A Harvard, TEDx, Podcast Movement and Podfest speaker (amongst many more!), he's a wildly approachable Brit and Star Wars/DC Comics geek.

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