‘You’ are your best investment !!

 

I have written about some best investment options but I think at the end of day they still are not your best investment. I think it’s ‘You’ and an investment in ‘You’ that should be your best investment decision. When I graduated out of my engineering college, I knew nothing about engineering. Frankly I wasted those 4 years learning nothing either theoretically or practically there. But I was certain about one thing, I would pass any exam which got reasoning, mathematics and English as a subject, practically giving me a wild card entry in coveted government jobs like banks, insurance etc and I easily got into junior management in a public sector bank.

This was not due to my efforts in engineering but my dedication towards mathematics during my school days which till this day is reaping benefits for me! But, wasting my engineering education practically deprived me a lot of career opportunities and I repent that.

Thus, when I joined the bank, I started learning things rather than just passing time. It wasn’t necessary on my part as I was in a government job and no one could have fired me for not doing any productive work there !!

But, I know, if I were ever to leave this bank or asked to leave, I should equip myself with knowledge which can land me a good job somewhere else. I learned credit, made some excel sheets for faster loan processing and even did loan recovery  by going to nearby villages! That helped when I left my job and started working on these things. In fact, both of my successful companies were born out of that particular knowledge.

It’s not that the companies don’t put anything in training their employees  but that’s a last place to look for if you are employed in a government job. I enrolled in 5 trainings at my bank and always found my teachers at the staff training centres sharing their experiences and ‘tales’ rather than  something which I could have used at my workplace. When I enquired about that, I was told that this is your ‘get away’ from boring banking life !!

Anyway, even private companies have got this problem coupled with budget cuts, you got to learn yourself, equipping yourself with those basic tools which prepare you for life beyond your present organization.

Whether you are in marketing, IT, coding or in banking sector, make yourself learn and do things. That’s an investment in you which has got its benefits. For example, your company will find you to be more productive, first to respond to crisis and that sure will reflect in your job profile, perks and incentives.

Then there are some personal benefits as well, you attend seminars and conferences where in turn you network to others and increase your circle. You will be asked for help at your workplace by your colleagues and your knowledge earned will help you wherever you go.

Rather than looking for the ‘next’ big stock or sector to invest, invest in yourself !