September 12, 2022
Future Self
How to Make the Greatest Investment Ever
What is the greatest investment that you can make? Is it in stocks, in real estate or in gold? What will give you the greatest returns?
What if I told you that the best investment you can ever make is in yourself. Investments made in yourself profits the person you are to become. It assures you that your future will be better than today as it increases your value in many aspects. You will have a happier, healthier, wealthier, more fulfilling life if you invest in yourself.
Most people do not invest in themselves because it is a challenge. The best investment you will ever make requires commitment, effort, time, and sometimes money. You must also accept and improve on your vulnerabilities. You need to have the courage to stand up for yourself and not conform with what society tells you.
Every action you take is either a cost or an investment in your future self. If you monetize the time, you spend procrastinating or in being distracted then you will realise how much you are losing. However, if you do not procrastinate and instead do things you are supposed to do then your future self will gain from it.
Know Your Capital Resources
As with any other investment you make, the first thing you need to know is your capital, what you can you invest and how much are you willing to put in. You might think well, that is just the problem because you do not have enough money or material resources to invest so how can you gain?
Investing in yourself does not focus on your financials because your main capital is yourself. It is therefore important to be aware of where you are in your life. You need to invest time to stop and examine your life without judgement. This gives you a better perspective and avoid negative emotions that can cause you to ruminate.
Think of the following questions: Are you happy with where you are now? Are you living a life that you really want? What brought you to your present state? What habits are costing your future self? Are you looking for something more fulfilling? What more can you do? How can you be better? What other possibilities exist for you?
Once you have examined your present self. You must now spend time and effort to prospect about your future. You can imagine and choose who you can become. You do not have to be the person you are today. You do not have to conform to what society tells you. You have the right to express your uniqueness, to be who you were meant to be. Do not limit yourself.
The possibilities are endless. See your future self in your mind. Imagine where that person is, what he feels, what he has. There can be several scenarios, several possibilities, all you need to do is to choose who you want to be. Decide who your future self is.
Once you have decided on who that person will be, let that be your goal. Be guided by that person. Be mindful of your thoughts, actions, and your emotions. The narrative that you tell yourself leads to your actions. If you have a limited and negative view of your future, then nothing will change. If your emotions rule, then you will make decisions and actions that cost your future self.
The path to your future self is not easy. There will always be challenges but remember that challenges make you grow into a better person. Your vision of your future self helps you live with intent and direct every action you take.
In all these processes, it is very important that you do not underestimate yourself. Undervaluing yourself limits your vision of the future. People often underrate themselves because they focus on the big goals and often consider what others think. People often fail to recognize the small everyday tasks that has allowed them to survive the challenges they faced.
Give yourself credit for being where you are right now, for having the courage to live through life despite the enormous difficulties. Know that you can accomplish what you set your mind on.
The Return on Investment
The profits or capital gains on your investment depend on how much you are willing to invest. How much time, effort, and commitment you put in. As previously said, the road to a better you are always challenging. You must therefore be totally committed to accomplishing your goal.
People are driven by challenges. Difficulties make people act and look for solutions but often people go back to what is familiar to them after averting a crisis. This cycle harms your future self. It prevents you from becoming the person you want to be because you remain your present self and continue to live the life you do not want.
The return on investment you make is positively affected by your inputs. The more committed you are, the more effort you will put in. If you are truly committed to the person you want to become, then you will act accordingly. You avoid distractions and procrastinating because you know every act you do now is a vote for your future self.
Too little effort and commitment prevents you from having the life you want. You easily get distracted, procrastinate, ruminate thus you are unable to do the things you have set yourself to do.
Best Investments to Make
Now that you know your capital and what you can gain, it is time to determine where to or how you can make the best investment.
Invest in you physical and mental well-being
Your first investment must be your health. Health is crucial to living the life you want. Without good health and a sound mind you will not reap the profits of a better life. Poor health results in debilitating diseases whereas a fit and sound mind gives you the ability to do the things and enjoy the happy life you deserve.
Change of habit is needed to have better health. Think of the habits that you can stop as well as new habits that you can start to have better health. It can be as simple as drinking an additional glass of water in the morning, taking a stroll at the park, going for a run around the neighborhood block, avoiding social media before going to sleep.
These are small tasks you can easily do but greatly profit your future self. Exercise not only revitalizes the body, but it also gives you a dose of endorphins or happy hormones. It boosts your emotions that allow you to have a positive mindset and strength to do the things you have set yourself to do.
Positive emotions lead to better relationships with the people around you. You increase your capacity to understand their actions and words if you have a positive mindset. It lessens the misunderstandings and arguments because you respond better to a negative situation. Smiling to everyone you encounter is a good habit you can develop to help spread positivity in the world.
Changing habits is a challenge, but it can be easier with a supportive community and proper guidance. The Stop One Start One Challenge is a strategy with a community of likeminded persons who can inspire you and guide you to develop good habits and stop those that limit you.
Invest in personal development
Another investment you must make is toward your personal development. You must develop yourself, let yourself grow by learning. Add on to what you already know. Learn new things. There are many ways by which you can gain wisdom. Ways that do not necessarily require money.
You can increase your knowledge if you read on things that interest you, skills that you need in the office, the business you manage or want to manage. You can talk to well experienced and knowledgeable persons for new insights and perspectives.
You can also learn new skills online. There are numerous online courses to help you improve on your weaknesses. Some of them may require money but there are also courses you can do without spending anything.
Learning requires you to invest your time, commitment, and effort but this also increases your personal value. New skills provide you with more options and greater earnings as it can land you in a better job, a promotion at work that provides you with better income.
New skill set, greater knowledge also makes you believe in yourself more. You increase the confidence in yourself to take on more challenging roles. You know you can do the work; you know you can be more productive. This newfound inspiration helps you achieve the wealthier life you have always wanted.
Invest in self-retrospection
Self-retrospection or looking into oneself is a must if you want to have a better life. Self- retrospection allows you to have a better relationship with your future self.
Set a time each day or week to reflect on your insights. Analyse whether your actions lead to your future self or are costing your future. Be aware of your everyday accomplishments and reward yourself. Keep yourself grounded and focused on your goals. Have everything written in a journal for greater affirmations.
Self-retrospection is also better if you meditate. Meditation clears your mind and lets you look at everything positively and without judgement. It provides you with the right energy for reflection.
The Future Self Podcast with Pete Cohen featured two meditation guides you can use during your reflections or any time you prefer. Click the link to listen to them.
If you want a better life tomorrow, now is the best time to invest in yourself. Be extraordinaire. A great life does not happen by chance. It happens by design.
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Future Self
