Let me set the scene: I was at my local public library looking at some Suze Orman books.
For the record, I know there are a lot of people out there who don’t like her. (My own dad is not a fan.) However, I like her and her sassy personality. She tells it like it is, and her books have been useful to me.
But, I digress.
Back to the scene: I was holding the book to check out, but then I was overcome with the desire to actually own the book.
You see, I developed this bad habit in grad school of really marking up my books. I highlight them and mark pages and then I go back and look at those marked pages. I also like to re-read books and then see what stood out to me the first time and what’s different.
Last I checked, you can’t mark up a library book, so I stood there having an argument with myself over whether to go home and just buy it or to just save money and check it out. I decided to go home and try to find a used copy online instead.
I realized standing there that personal development isn’t something I should skimp on, and neither should you.
Here’s why:
1) Books Can Offer a Great Return on Your Investment
If you purchase a book to help further your knowledge of your business, it can offer a great return on your investment. I know that the public library allows you to read books for free, but if you are like me and want to have the book for an extended period of time, it’s worth it to buy it.
2) Classes Can Teach You a Valuable Skill
If you want to learn a new skill, it might be worth it to go back to school, attend a conference, or take a class online. These personal development tools can often come with a high price tag, but again, you have to look at the return on your investment. Will you learn a new skill that will set you apart from your competitors? Will you get a certification that will allow you to charge more for your services?
3) Coaches Can Give You Much Needed Support
Hiring a business coach can also be pricey, but they can also help you to focus your efforts, locate your weaknesses, and improve your bottom line. Again, if an hour or two of a coach’s expertise can help you to solve one of your biggest business problems, then it’s definitely worth the cost.
Ultimately, it can be hard to know when to spend money on personal development. After all, the personal finance world really praises living simply and not purchasing too many “extras.” However, my argument is that if these extras can dramatically better your life and your career, then they might be worth it.
What have you done for your own personal development this year? Any plans for next year?
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Great post! We feel the exact same way about books- we often buy them because we tend to go back to them again and again to review, re-read, etc.
On a side note- I think I figured out my Livefyre problem! Had to switch Browsers!
colormefrugal Wahoo! Glad you figured out the comments. I really love book too!
I like Suze Orman! Her show is funny and she posts hilarious things on Facebook. She’s a little harsh but I can live with it.
Holly at ClubThrifty Haha I think you and I have similar taste. She is harsh but sometimes I feel like they need to hear it!
My personal development is going to center around blogging. There is so much still to learn about how to be successful with it. I feel like I really need to catch up.
Brian @ Luke1428 So true! I keep saying I want to take a programming class.
I set aside 10% of each paycheck for personal development/ “education”. A lot of that gets eaten up by the things I need in my acting career- dance classes and voice lessons- but the rest is for books, seeing theatre, and expanding my mind and skill set.
brokeandbeau I love that!! I can imagine it adds up quickly!
I 100 percent agree. I am all about investing in myself. You can get a huge return by purchasing a ten dollar book and learning a new skill. I’ve also been taking courses lately too.
SingleMomIncome What kind of courses have you been taking?
Personal development is critical to growing as a person and achieving greater accomplishments…and you definitely shouldn’t skimp. On the other hand, you shouldn’t necessarily go overboard either. In other words, some people seem to be addicted to personal development. They go from one thing to the next greatest thing and fail to put what they’ve learned into action. I think a healthy balance is needed.
PFUtopia That is true. I know people who are constantly taking new classes etc, and I’m a bit more conservative with it!
Personal development is an investment, and you can invest in yourself without being extravagant. Like you did, you can buy used books or at least borrow from the library to take a book for a “test run” to make sure you like it before you buy. You can also try to swap services with a business coach in order to get a few free sessions or at least a discount. I don’t think people should feel badly about investing in themselves, especially when they can find a cost-effective way to do it!
RichmondSavers Oh yes I love swapping services and bartering!
I agree with Richmond Savers…personal development is an investment in yourself and you should never start learning. You can always buy a used book if you like to mark it up. Actually I was the opposite…maybe I’m overly cheap or something but I didn’t mark up my books in college cause I wanted to sell it back. Sells for more if its in better condition!
Andrew LivingRichCheaply That’s a good point about selling things back!!! I think I thought I was going to have a career in history and had all these history books that I wanted to keep but yeah, not doing that now lol!
I used to highlight books like crazy! Now I have a Kindle and I am constantly using the highlight function :)
Investing in yourself is so important and it’s something I don’t do often. I get a lot of my books for free and I haven’t taken a class since I finished school. Hmm…
I don’t believe in buying new books unless the price is about the same price new as used. But yes, for books for personal development, I definitely believe in buying. :)
Building a great financial life starts with financial education. As stated, you don’t have to go to school or even buy personal finance books. Many of the resources necessary to help you change your financial future can be found for free. Benjamin Franklin once said that “an investment in knowledge always pays the best interest”. I completely agree!
Bettering yourself and being the best you possible carries over to all areas of life. Many times we make the mistake of just looking at the upfront cost instead of the overall benefit. For example, finding a personal coach might cost you $1,000. But, if they help you to find out what you are passionate about, that could be worth the cost right there. Figuring out what you are passionate about could lead you to finding a job you love which improves your health and well-being ten fold. I’m not saying this is always the case, but sometimes we don’t see how valuable the benefits to some things are.