I make it a point to learn something new every day.  Today I learned that the greater the investment the greater the return.  This is a concept that I was a little familiar with, but I’ve discovered the idea of investment goes far beyond the return we expect. I want to be as clear as possible, I’m not just talking about the money we invest into the things and people we love; I’m talking about encouragement, research, compassion, time and understanding.

I’ve heard people say you can’t love anyone else if you don’t first love yourself.  This statement is so true on many levels.  How can we provide inspiration to others if we can’t find inspiration within ourselves?  How can we commit to supporting the goals and interests of others when we can’t completely commit to our own personal goals and interests?

Personal investment is just what it sounds like; you investing in yourself.  If you don’t invest in yourself who will?  You have to know your interests. You are the only one that knows why you wake-up every morning and do whatever it is you do each day.  You know what makes you happy, and you know what inspires you to want to reach your personal goals.  Everyone has an interest and it is usually more than one thing.  These things help define who you are and how you build relationships with others.  Those interests are usually the defining factor when developing those long-lasting healthy relationships. 

The more you invest in your personal interests the more you grow.  You must learn as much as you can about yourself, because the more you know about yourself the more you have to offer to whoever it is you are developing a relationship with.  How do you know if you’ve grown, if you don’t know who you are?

Contact Ike at IBNetters@b-now.com