To Grow Your Business, First You Have to Grow Yourself: 3 Ways to Invest in Yourself

Do you want to stretch in your business? The best way I have found to quickly become more successful in your business is to take yourself to the next level and really stretch your limitations. Investing in your own growth will help you eliminate things you see as challenges when you do not have the knowledge to see the opportunity and path to implementation.
Here are 3 different things you should do to help you increase your scope and reach in your business.

1. Education (Take a course, workshop, program, get a certificate)

One of your best investments is to become a life-long-learner. Just because you are an expert at what you do does not mean you will have the skills or knowledge to tackle and manage all the challenges your business will require you to know. As the leader of your business your people will be looking to you to model the way.

Make sure you have the basic understanding of all administrative, legal, management and operational aspects of how business works. If you are a solo-preneur consider going to a conferences and workshops where you can get expert training on marketing, sales, mindset and so much more. An additional benefit of this is you get to network with like-minded people and run your ideas by them.

Many people offer free teleconference calls. This way you can get some information to start the process and then when you find the program that will really help you kick-it-up a notch, put your money into doing the entire program. Don’t be afraid to spend money on learning, it will have both short-term and long-term payback for you and your business.

2. Work with an Expert

If you are a couple of years or more into your business you will be in ‘Do’ mode. This is a great time to engage a coach or join a professional mastermind. These experts and peers can help you quickly identify the things that are not working best for the growth of your business and make suggestion you could implement immediately.

Create an advisory board or engage a mentor to meet with you regularly. It is important that you are getting an outside look at you and your business so you can see what is working well and what is not working, without the bias you will have when you evaluate yourself.

All these experts will stretch you and your beliefs around what is possible.

3. Look After Yourself

This investment is the key to great results. You only have one of you and if you get worn-down or sick you cannot help grow your business. Look at these three areas to get your best personal results.

1. Get and stay healthy
   • Lose weight if you need to
   • Eat well
   • Exercise daily
2. Spend time with family and friends.
   Laughter has great health benefits and what better way to get your required dose of laughter then sharing time with your friends. Remember, your down-time should be business free and focused on you.
3. Treat yourself
   • Have a night out
   • Take regular vacations
   • Go to the spa
   • Play golf of another activity that you love

Finding time to do things for yourself not only creates a better, more healthy you, it also shows others that you are doing the right things in business and you have created a life worth living and sharing.