Investing in you!!
Because you’re worth it!
You do the hard work.
You’ve invested in the hairdo, you’ve invested in the holiday and you’ve invested in the handbag.
We spend hundreds of Euro, or even thousands each year investing in things we feel we need in order to feel better or look better; be it a fresh cut and colour, a relaxing holiday or a statement thing like a bag, a watch or some jewellery or nice clothes. Perhaps we feel like we have a certain position or status in work, so we need to look the part. We can’t be seen in scruffy shoes, or in last year’s dress. We need to update and be fresh and professional to reflect our brand.
I remember reading somewhere, years ago, advice that we should spend 10% of our earnings on our wardrobe. That’s a whole lotta cash on stuff to wear! €5000 if you’re on €50K, €10,000 if you’re on €100K (it’s easy maths, just take off a zero!) And let’s be clear – I am NOT suggesting that this is a thing, or a figure you should be working with at all.
But if we are spending (any) money on outward appearances and “keeping up our brand”, professionally speaking, isn’t it just as important to work “on” our careers, rather than “in” them.
Invest in more than stuff!
Have you ever considered investing in your own self-development, your own future, your own career? Isn’t this just as important (or perhaps more important) than the suit we wear, or the timepiece on our wrist? A fortnight’s holiday to the sun may revive and refresh us physically, but how about reviving our motivation, or professional development and our career?
We spend so much of our time at work and only 2 weeks in the sun, doesn’t our work life deserve at least as much investment in planning, time and money as our annual jaunt away?
Regular investments!
You justify your €200 hairstyle or your €5000 holiday as something you want, something you need and something that has a return on investment. And it’s something you renew regularly. Hairstyle every 6-8 weeks, annual holiday with maybe a couple of weekends away in between, new wardrobe or at least new pieces every season, new shoes when the others begin to wear. If something is important to us and it’s not permanent, then we invest in renewing it. New tyres, new car etc
It reminds me of this quote:
“Of course motivation is not permanent. But then, neither is bathing; but it is something you should do on a regular basis.” ― Zig Ziglar, Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World
Return on investment! You are worth it!
And our love for our jobs, our job satisfaction, our earnings, our motivation, our sense of achievement, our learning, our career trajectory, our expectations etc are not permanent either. Things change; companies change, culture changes, colleagues change, bosses change, roles change, circumstances change, you change.
If you get fed up with your hairstyle, you change it.
Your car has become uneconomical, you change it.
Your career/job/position doesn’t fit anymore – you can change it.
It may take some investment in time, energy and finances from your part.
But consider the return on investment.
To coin a well-known phrase – because you’re worth it!
In September I am launching
MID CAREER SUCCESS MENTORSHIP
A 6 month, high-touch Mentorship Programme for those in mid-career who are committed to achieving success* in their lives and careers
First 6 sign-ups get a super discount!
(*That is whatever success means to you - a promotion, a new job, your own personal development, career change, negotiation, visibility, communication, leadership, challenge, career resilience, future planning, work-life balance etc)