Putting Our Money Where Our Mouth Heart Is ... the gift of investing in ourselves

Back when I had a "real job" at a desk that wasn't located within 10 feet of a washing machine, with a weekly paycheck and a dental plan, I didn't think much about investing money into it.

(it was more about getting money out of it)

I mean, I bought books related to my job and clothes so I would fit in and look the part,

(even the uncomfortable shoes that were way too uncool to be that uncomfortable)

and I took classes when the company paid for them - but it usually ended there.

I didn't think of these things as investing in myself.

(although of course, they were)

When we land, are pushed or jump into the world of the self-employed we need to evolve out of this employee-mindset.

(a mindset that is all about someone else taking care of us and getting as much money out of our venture as possible while putting as little money in as possible - the old employee paradigm that can keep us stuck)

It is easier to put money into our business when the return on investment is obvious and fast - a new piece of equipment that obviously speeds things up for us, a new app that streamlines certain routine tasks, buying things in bulk that we use all the time - it may be harder to put money into things that don't always have such visible returns right away.

Things like classes and books and ebooks and seminars are the kinds of investments in our business (and ourselves) that adjust our mindset from employee thinking to self-employed thinking

and

send vibrations out into the ethers that we are ready to invest in ourselves, that we trust our business will be around long enough to recoup the return on investment - that we aren't going anywhere - that we will be sticking around awhile ...

Maybe this summer would be a good time to invest in something that supports the long term goals of our business.

"As for the future, your task is not to predict it, but to enable it.”
... antoine de saint-exupéry (love that one)

*the past is the future - wood block print by lucius art

3 comments

Vivika said...

I love this post... and agree whole heartedly

Catherine Ivins said...

thanks Vivika- this has been a big lesson for me

Heather said...

such a hard thing to do...but definitely something i needed to hear. thanks!! and i'm totally stealing that quote by antoine de saint-exupéry. :)