Nowadays, the value of a person is often measured by his financial net worth. Thus, when thinking about assets, the first thing that comes to mind is one’s material possessions that can be measured in monetary terms. Think houses, investment portfolio, consumer electronic appliances and gadgets, bank accounts and jewelry, to name a few.

The Most Valuable Asset – Yourself

However, the truth is that your greatest asset is yourself! Your monetary net worth is just one aspect, and a small part at that, of your total worth as a person. After all, you have other parts to your self – physical, mental and emotional – that needs to be developed.

And when you develop yourself in totality, you are also positively affecting your personal and professional life. So, if you must spend money to earn more money, then investing in yourself is the best way to go!

Invest in Your Health

More than anything else, your overall health is your most valuable weapon in your quest for a better personal and professional life. After all, you can do many great things – think triumph over the trials and tribulations of your life and of this world - when you are of sound mind and sound body!

With that said, you must invest in your health by slowly but surely making positive lifestyle changes. These must include:

• Get more sleep. The body functions best when it has had 8 hours of restful sleep in the night. Often, naps just don’t cut it. Besides, think of all the lost productivity because you were fighting off drowsiness!
• Eat better. This doesn’t mean eating in fine dining establishments. Instead, eat more nutritious foods, which feed your body the right nutrients, hence, providing it more energy towards your money-making activities.
• Exercise more. It gives your body adrenaline that, in turn, provides the rush you need to go after your goals, whether it’s monetary or non-monetary.
• Visit the doctor. It pays to be friends with your doctor especially when you want to live longer! Seriously though – don’t put off going for that annual checkup – it can save your life.

And when you are healthy, your relationship with money and all things that can be bought with it changes for the better. After all, you have a longer life with which to enjoy the fruits of your labor!

Invest in Personal Development

Amidst your search for greater earnings and greater wealth, you must take a step back to assess what makes you truly happy, money in the bank notwithstanding. Is it a walk in the park? Is it reading a book? Is it eating good food al fresco? Is it just being in the company of family and friends?

If there is somebody you must pamper, it is yourself especially after a hard day’s work of earning your keep and saving money for your early retirement.

When you have sufficiently and continuously invested in your health and in your personal development, you will find that investing in your professional life through social networking and building your personal brand can be easy. After all, your self-confidence shines through for other people to see and it is this quality that will attract them to you.

And let’s face it. The more people are attracted to your professional and personal qualities, the more opportunities open up for you to become a top earner!


©VanajaGhose 2010