Curious about Investment: How Much Are You Investing in Yourself? Or Are You Just Paying for Expenses?

“If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” - Benjamin Franklin, American politician

This afternoon I was listening to a CD where a successful woman was relating how she and her husband changed their approach to money and financial expenditures. She pointed out the differences they had to learn between expenses and investments. As an example she compared going to a movie – an enjoyable expense with little or no pay off – to the investment of buying self improvement tools.

This couple have long been involved with the business I joined last summer. The speaker told how in the beginning they were worried about the money they were spending on books, CDs, DVDs, seminars and conventions. That was until they realized that these were investments in their future, while so many of the unnecessary expenditures were actually expenses.

When I hunted for quotations about investment, of course I found many that addressed taxes and economics, but was also pleased to find quite a few that fit my perception of worthwhile investing.

• “Education is the investment our generation makes in the future.” - Mitt Romney, American politician
• “There is no investment you can make which will pay you so well as the effort to scatter sunshine and good cheer through your establishment.” - Orison Swett Marden, American writer
• “Taking the time to read to children is not only a worthwhile investment but also a wonderful experience. I have visited 119 schools in Maine, and these visits are among the most rewarding experiences in my career in public service.” - Susan Collins, American politician
• “When the students are occupied, they're not juvenile delinquents. I believe that education is a capital investment.” - Arlen Specter, American politician
• “We need to make a greater investment in human intelligence.” - Bob Graham, American politician
• “My best investment is my imagination, because it has never failed to bring me my greatest returns!” - Randy Castillo, American musician
• “The prudent course is to make an investment in learning, testing and understanding, determine how the new concepts compare to how you now operate and thoughtfully determine how they apply to what you want to achieve in the future.” - Dee Hock, American businessman

And then, two of my favorites:

“There's a need for accepting responsibility - for a person's life and making choices that are not just ones for immediate short-term comfort. You need to make an investment, and the investment is in health and education.” - Buzz Aldrin, American astronaut

“Goodness is the only investment that never fails.” - Henry David Thoreau, American author

I ask you, how are you investing in your future? Think about the books you are reading, the audios you are playing, and the choices you are making for spending your time? I would love to read your feedback.