EZasset's Blog!

Everywhere the cliche is tossed around: “invest in your self.” It’s a supposed self help statement to help an individual prioritize; to focus on the essentials.

90% of the time it’s ridiculous tripe. It means nothing beyond the sales pitch that soon follows. But what does investing in “one’s self” actually mean?

1) Refine one’s strengths – Why strengthen weaknesses? It only leads to being mediocre. Its the classic issue of being good at many things, or excellent at a few things. Which will take an individual further?

2)”Know Thy Self” – The ancient oracle at Delphi (in Greece) would always give two prophecies: One was an answer to the seekers question. While the other applied to any individual that visited. Above the entrance to the temple was written the phrase “know thyself.” Introspection leads to understanding. Learn about who you are, how you act, and more importantly how you react to situations.

3) Learn The Lie of the Land – If you look back throughout history, good leaders are noted to have a strong understanding of their lands. As in, they knew the people, the resources, the routes, and more. It was preparation for war. But knowing what a country possessed was essential to defending it.

4) Take Stock. Survival guides, from “Hatchet” to The US Army make a point of  mentioning the importance of taking stock. That is, an honest assessment of resources, skills, and odds of survival. This actually, is the key to survival. Knowing where one stands, will then dictate the next move.

These are only four examples of what it actually means to “invest in yourself.” Notice, there wasn’t a large outlay of money. Rather, it was much more a focus on introspection and understanding. That truly is what it means to invest in oneself.

However, it is vital to know where you stand. Take a self inventory, and figure out where you are, and that way learn where you need to go.