Most of the time, investing is a good idea. You could invest in real estate, stocks, mutual funds, you name it. However, you cannot forget to invest in yourself! Most people settle down and stop investing in themselves early in life, separating those who work for free and those who work for their new home worth millions. With the fact that most people settle and just give up in their 20s, it really isn’t that hard to get ahead of the game and be a leader in any industry or walk of life. With that being said, we’ll get the ball rolling by delving a little deeper into the terrifyingly common art of settling down.

1. Get ahead of the game – Start with increasing your education. Our brains are powerful tools that can hold a ton of information, you are simply limiting yourself by not filling it. Take a pottery class or go online and take an educational course on personal finance or budgeting and whatever. Don’t settle for mediocrity! The only people in this world who will try to keep you from investing in yourself are broke people!

2. Become a leader – If you speak better, know more, perform better, and all that goodness, then it’s practically impossible not to become a leader in whatever industry you’re involved in. If you are a nurse, for example, and you can answer questions that only a doctor can answer, my only logical assumption is that you will see an increase in your income sooner than any other nurse in the hospital where you work. It just makes sense! My knowledge of computers and marketing was meager a few years ago, but after making a mature and determined effort to expand greatly in both fields, I have become a leader in both industries.

3. Confidence – The power of trust is truly remarkable. For example, I used to be afraid of math, even basic equations! I took the time and invested in my math education and self-taught through online pathways through Calculus. This does not mean that I now love math or that I am an expert mathematician capable of solving linear inequalities on the fly. However, when I see an equation I am no longer terrified of numbers. I’m very confident in my mathematical ability to know that if I work at it long enough and stay focused and relaxed, I’m likely to discover the correct answer. The power of confidence is taking on a task and understanding that you are capable of handling it, no matter how difficult or challenging it may be.

If you review the top three reasons why you should invest in yourself, you’ll quickly realize that they’re also steps to take. Constantly increase your education and start making waves in your industry. Then become a leader in whatever industry you’re in, which will take care of itself by cause and effect of increasing your overall knowledge. Finally, harness the power of trust and use it to your advantage to continue the process!