In business, there is a term called ‘Return on Investment’, or ROI, used to determine what sort of benefit you receive from the amount of money or time you put into something. In digital marketing, the number of conversions that lead to purchases (i.e. profit) would be a good return on investment (e.g. paid social ads).
Investing in yourself, your career, is a similar concept. What you put in, you should hope to get out – and ideally more.
Anything worth pursuing is worth putting time and money into it, since that is what will bring you the results you are looking for. You cannot skip the gym, day after day, and expect to gain muscle, or routinely forgo Mass, the sacraments, your prayer life, or ignore performing any of the works of mercy, and expect to nourish and fortify your soul. Simply put, any kind of gain requires an investment of time, a commitment.
When it comes to developing your career, think of each job, each task, each skill as another asset. Your professional life begins – and only begins – when you graduate college or trade school. What skills you invested in with tuition and time during your academic period of life is merely the tipping of the first domino. From there, you should be keen on building off of the skills you acquired while studying.
There are different ways to continually invest in yourself and your career. And I differentiate these two because who you are as a person will inevitably – even necessarily – reflect upon your career and professional life. There are aspects of your character (a word that comes from the Greek word “kharassein”, which means “engraving”, or “to engrave”) that bleed into your professional life and which will either (depending on what character you’ve developed) elevate it or degrade it.
Investing in yourself, your character, especially virtue, will prove beneficial. Practice patience at home so you can have patience in the office. Practice prudence in your personal life so you will make prudent decisions in the workplace. Speak clearly and honestly to your wife, children, and friends so you can speak in kind to your co-workers and peers.
When it comes to investing in the practical skills of your profession, this takes more of a commitment to discipline and, often, requires spending money. If you are a writer, keep an eye out for seminars or writing guilds that might help you improve your writing skills. If you are in finance, research and purchase software that will help you better do your job. If you are an auto mechanic, invest in quality tools that will make your job easier, safer, and more efficient. Up front, the cost may be a “hard pill to swallow”. But whatever skill you are trying to learn or improve, and whatever certification you are pursuing to help make you stand out, consider how that investment will actually improve your practical worth.
Like anything worth doing, it requires commitment, dedication, and constant improvement in order to do it well. This is a rule applicable to both your personal life and professional career. From developing your character to taking advantage of various professional resources, investing in yourself and your career will prove to be invaluable.
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