Jeffrey Gitomer

When I use the word “investing,” what comes to mind? Stocks? Day trading? A hot tip?

Those are not what I’m thinking of.

Investing offers a much more powerful opportunity, which most people do not take advantage of: investing in yourself.

If done correctly, personal investing will lead to wealth and security without buying one share of stock.

Investing in yourself has several elements. Rate your self-investment as you read each one:

  • Thinking investment. How much thinking time do you set aside each day? Even if it’s in the car with no radio, quiet contemplation will allow new thoughts and ideas to surface.
  • Library investment. Don’t borrow books; buy them. Books are not just for reading and learning. They’re also for education and reference. It’s your personal success library.
  • Style investment. Do you look successful? Do you feel successful when you look in the mirror? Each person must create a look and invest in it.
  • Mental investment. How much time are you investing in your attitude and the way you think? Invest in positive self-thought, and your outcomes will follow suit.
  • Physical investment. What shape is your body in? If it’s like most Americans, it’s carrying an extra 10 to 20 pounds. To have a healthy look, you must invest in a healthy lifestyle.
  • Health investment. When you’re ill, nothing else matters besides getting well. That’s why it’s an imperative to invest in your heath and well-being. Focus on prevention of illness.
  • Value-first investment. My marketing strategy is to put myself in front of people who can say yes to me and deliver value first. Invest your time to position your material to be in front of decision-makers.
  • Study investment. In sales, it’s crucial to dedicate yourself to lifelong learning. Conduct research before making a sales call. Study your customers and prospects. Study sales. Study loyalty and incentives.
  • Time investment. This is the glue that makes all the other investments possible. Take time to study your product, to think, to study your customers and prospects — even time to study the competition.

In my experience, people spend more time trying to figure out how to get a 7% return on their money than they do trying to figure out how to get a 1,000% return on their life.

Instead of searching for a hot tip, you might want to schedule appointments with yourself for thinking, writing, reading, exercising and studying — elements vital to your success but missing from your lifestyle.

Source: Business Journals

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