Do you invest in yourself?
 

I think its safe to say that most of us invest in our businesses. I spend a good chunk of my monthly gross on expenses and additional investment for expansion, as do most of my friends. I find it ironic that we all understand the importance of investing in our businesses but so few of us understand the importance of investing in ourselves.

The other day I downloaded a copy of the best-selling title Rich Dad Poor Dad after hearing several people recommend it. I read it in about 6 hours, I found it to be a pretty good book, but what I really got out of it was the reminder of my former interest in self-investment. Several years ago I was all about self-investment, I don't know what happened but for whatever reason I lost interest at one time and seemed to forget the importance of self-investment and education.

Anyway, long story short, I'm on my 3rd book this week. I totally got sucked in and have been soaking up all of the information like a sponge. I'm going to take a break after this book and start applying some of the new strategies and ideas I've picked up as well as re-read some of the more important chapters.

Just reading these books has made me realize how many areas of my life, weaknesses to be exact, need to be strengthened and improved. Skills that will not only make me a better person in my personal life but also skills that will help propel my business to the next level. Skills like communication, leadership, public speaking, and the list goes on.

So, to wrap up the purpose of this thread, do you invest in yourself? And if so, in what ways? Do you take classes? Go to seminars? Read books?

I think the best thing I took from the books such as Rich Dad, Poor Dad is that sometimes you need to exercise tough love. By this I mean you will have friends who go through shit and you try to help them and possibly even give them your last buck... And they do what with it? Fuck up again... So you are better off saving the bucks, opening your own businesses and then offering the friend a job. If they don't want it and just want the money, they weren't a friend and since we don't just hand out a grand to strangers.... I think I made my point...

nice post Sly.. investing in yourself could include more time for hobbies, and vacation too.. definitely something many people overlook.

That's what you got out of Rich Dad Poor Dad? Wow.

I learned what a true asset is. I learned the difference between how rich people think and how poor people think. I learned simple steps towards building a bigger business. I learned what kind of earner I really am, what kind of earner I really want to be, and how to become that earner.

Among many other things. I think some people will understand the books while others will not. I will recommend the books to some of my friends but not others.

I'm always learning and when I stop I will get out.

I definatly need to invest more into myself, I seem to care about everyone but myself.

Sly - I love you. I don't know you, but I love you.

Never forget the biggest problem with business books: they tend to oversimplify things to get an "aha"-reaction, which often leads to them presenting a distorted view of reality, which sounds nice but doesn't work well.

I continue to learn, and probably will never stop.

They aren't really business books. They are, but they aren't. They're more "mentality books". They teach a certain way of thinking. A way of believing. Regardless of what the Rich Dad books do or don't teach, this thread is primarily about self-improvement. You could be reading cooking books or taking sewing classes, all ways to improve yourself.

And yes, I know precisely what you're talking about. In fact, the books I've been reading have made no mention of anything being simple or easy.

Its the only investment where I KNOW it will make money :thumbsup

I'm not saying they claim that things are easy, rather, I'm saying that they tend to give a view of the world that is too simplistic.

The effects of self-improvement seminars have been researched, and it was proven that they indeed do work. The thing is, though, that they mostly work because they motivate people, rather than because they actually contain so much valuable information. The effects actually wear off within a week or two. (I'd look up the original source, but searching for anything to do with a study researching the effects of self improvement seminars is utterly ungooglable, for obvious reasons)

My guess is that the same would go for books of that type: their real value lies in motivation, rather than information.

plastic surgery. spending 500k on myself over a 2 year plan.

Boing... Just what I said... only I gave an example...

Here is another:

About 1 1/2 years ago I got connected with some of my old best friends from high school. A buddy got married and we all hooked up.

They asked me what I do for a living. I told them the simplified version. They asked how much I make and I told them.

They were like, "FUCK! How do I get into this???"

I told them to come here and read between the lines like I did. The ones with decent jobs basically don't talk to me anymore because I wouldn't show them exactly how to be my biggest competition. They began to feel that I don't make as much as I say I do because I live moderately small. I don't have a pimped out house, fancy cars or a pool table. Or a swimming pool for that matter. I put my money into things that make more money.

The one guy with no job got interested in this enough to try posting galleries and learn traffic sources. But after a while he too got bored of "work" and bailed.

Recently we all hooked up again at a club one of the guys co-owns. They asked me how much I make and the number had since doubled plus some. Five of them asked if they could get into it again and would I just show them some of the basics and they would go from there. I said, "FUCK YOU, I offered this info 1 1/2 years ago and you all wrote me off as a lier and a bum. gfy.com has all of your answers and more."

The only 2 I still speak to now are the club owner and the jobless troll. They both know I am right. Either by association (club owner) or by being there and seeing my daily totals and work put in with his own eyes (jobless troll).

Not to worried about it. I make plenty of industry friends the higher I get on the totem poll.

I think your analysis is right on!

Weird.. unless you dont mind losers... the better you do the less people you want to be around....

So are you debating/arguing with me to make yourself feel smart or is there something you would like to share?

You're an educated person, you have gone to school, you have posted regarding it many times. I am not, and neither are many of the other people I know. We value a different sort of education, and maybe you do too. Furthering that education is important and most people don't realize it.

You have posted nothing of value in this thread except trying to prove me wrong. Congratulations.

If you want to invest in yourself on a personal level, rather than in yourself on a business level, I highly recommend the book "Handbook to Higher Consciousness" by Ken Keyes.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/096...lance&n=283155

I own RDPD too, and I must say it's a very inspirational. But there is more to life than succeeding in your business. Give the Handbook a chance. You can pick it up for as low as $0.78.

Seb.

tony is constantly investing in himself. always looking for ways to improve. :)

think and grow rich by napolean hill is great too.

i also read the one minute manager

Sly is the oldest 22 year old I know and I love him for that! :)

Good post Sly, I read the Rich dad poor dad books too, unfortunately 3 years too late after the Australian property boom was at its peak. But got some good ideas from the book along the way.

I think its also very important to find a balance in life, exercise a lot and take care of yourself phyically which breeds good energy levels. The more energy you have in life the more you can apply that energy to work, play, fun, and making money :)

You reminded me that I should be reading more books I'm going to jump on amazon now and order a couple of new ones.

cheers :)

Matt

"think and grow rich by napolean hill is great too." that goes back a few years :winkwink: Used to be my bible in the 70s :thumbsup

I love his books. I have 5 of them that I have went through so far. I need to re-read a few of them once I get closer to taking action on a few investments though. Just to refresh my memory.

yep, sure, if not you don't survive in the biz

Rich Dad Poor Dad definitely changed the way I look at wealth and wealth creation. Wealth truly is an attitude. As Kiyosaki said in his book (paraphrasing): I may become broke from time to time but I'm never poor. Very true. This explains why many rich people have gone through one or several bankruptcies but they are still wealthy. Compare that to a person with a "poor" mentality and they always end up broke regardless of how much money they come across. Wealth is an attitude.

Some basic Wealth is Attitude mental points:

1) Think about possibilities -- don't limit yourself to what is present and what is 'real'.

2) Think BIG -- Volume and scale rewards effort and vision exponentially.

3) Other people want to help they just don't know it -- structure your value proposition in such a way that when people help themselves, they end up helping you and you ALL win.

4) Use other's skepticism to your advantage -- when people criticize your idea or you, they are actually inviting you to create more value. This may not seem obvious. Sometimes the easiest path is to take it personally. However, how you handle adversity adds immensely to your personal value.

5) Compound interest works on ideas as well -- just as 'real' money gathers more value with time, ideas gain more value with each new implementation. Realize this and profit from it.

If anyone needs any ebooks or personal achievement sites built, hit me up. We provide this type of writing!

sly, we need to hook up for a beer sometime. I was just expounding on this with some friends. Having always worked for myself I am aware that if this business dies out, I only have my skills. I make money by applying those skills so they always have to be current and sharp.
Better if I improve them so yes I invest in me.

I don't understand why most of the folks in this industry are so secretive. What's so bad about sitting down with someone and actually spelling it out for them? If they use your ref codes, you'll even make 5 or 10% from their efforts. Maybe you can just give general advice and not specifics to your niche.

Anyway, I want to thank Kblogger for giving me one tip that really helped. And a couple of guys who've talked to me by phone about different things.

...oh, and if you're gonna ask me what the tip was...don't bother! :1orglaugh

Actually, what I wanted to share pretty much followed from that post, I just said it in a way that may have been a bit too subtle. Here it is again, then, and in clearer words: many self improvement things are based on raising your efficiency by getting you motivated, while otherwise being larded with "facts" that are actually either blatantly obvious or pure speculation.

In other words: don't rely too much on stuff that they "teach" you. In most cases, they are much the same as diet books - filled with things you already knew, facts that aren't facts at all, inspirational talk to get you going, and maybe a few things that are actually true and helpful.

Using the terminology some inspirational author favours is not what will make you rich :2 cents:

I read helpful books that would enrich my thinking and I take time to play some sports to make my body fit and healthy.

read the communist manifesto by Karl Marx ;]

Yes. Classified. No. No. Yes. :glugglug

I invest in my future.