of Investing in Yourself

How do you invest in yourself? Do you invest time in learning, reading, or developing your skills? Exercising your body, or creating something new? Do you invest resources in growing your business, caring for yourself, or giving yourself gifts?

Sometimes we lose sight of the idea that we have to invest in ourselves as much as, if not more than, we invest in the people and things around us. If you are not investing in yourself and your future, how do you figure you are going to grow and mature? Just like stocks, you have to put in to be able to get out. Life can be quite constraining: finding the time to learn can be difficult, creation can drain your energy, and resources can be tight. However, the simple act of reading something new, allotting some for caring for your body and mind, or buying yourself a small gift can improve your quality of life more than the initial investment costs you.

What are the costs involved in investing in yourself? How much time, effort, or money do you actually have to put into yourself to see results? Instinctually, humans gather and safeguard their time, energy, and resources. The hundreds of thousands of years we spent outrunning predators, raising our families in dangerous times, and fighting/fending off rival factions have led us to being resistant to investing in a future we cannot readily see. It’s fair to say that the “ancestor perception” can be difficult to overcome. No one wants to spend what they have now to be left out in the cold later. The thing is, though, we are not living in those harshest of times. Humanity as a whole is living in the most privileged time of its collective history.

Now, you may say, what if I don’t have anything to spare? That’s fair. I can’t be the judge of that. If anthropology has taught me one thing it’s to be completely aware of my white male place of privilege in society. It’s easy for me to say, “Get out there and learn, work, and invest in yourself!” when the reality is that a lot of us don’t have that luxury. But investing in yourself doesn’t require money or resources. What it does take is will and determination. For just 2 hours a week you can develop a skill or language. For just 30 minutes a day you can improve your health by walking or working out. For just 20 minutes a day you can start reading those books you’ve been wanting to. For just 10 minutes a day you can find your calm. Your immediate reward is a feeling of satisfaction; your long-term reward is a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

A lot of the time, we don’t even have the space and time to realize that we aren’t happy. Work, family, social life, and everything else does not afford us that luxury. But the pandemic has changed that. Never have most of us been given so much time to reflect. It is also a time of great change—and change shakes us up and challenges our routines and perceptions. Seize the opportunity to reflect, and to invest in yourself.

One of the worst feelings is that of unfulfilled potential. You continue to put things off, continue to say that tomorrow you will work on that project, and continue to feel like your life isn’t everything that it could be. Coaches and teachers see it all the time, and it is our raison d’être to help you overcome your own limitations. So take it from the coach, get out there and start investing in yourself. You are worth it. And not only you will benefit; those around you will be happy you did too.