What if the smartest investment you could make was in you? While the stock market rises and falls, there’s one asset with the potential for exponential returns that doesn’t crash.
We found ourselves in an interesting conversation a few weeks ago about investments – not something you’d typically associate with NLP or personal development perhaps, but bear with us. There’s more to this than meets the eye.
At the time, UK stocks had fallen by around 11%. Most financial advisers will tell you not to panic – and in fact, not to even look at the markets too often. Historically, they always recover, and over the long term, a good annual return sits at around 6%. Thanks to the power of compounding, that adds up. For example, an investment of £2,000 could grow to £2,120 over the course of a year at that rate.
But this got us thinking…What if you invested that same £2,000 into something less volatile – you?
We often see students who complete our NLP Practitioner course go on to secure new job opportunities, negotiate better salaries, or experience career changes that boost their income significantly. In fact, a quick (and very informal!) survey of past graduates suggested their salary increases after the course ranged from 13% to 30%.
Let’s say someone earns £40,000 a year. A 13% increase would take that up to £45,320 – a jump of over £5,000. That’s more than a 200% return on a £2,000 course. And unlike stocks, this isn’t a one-time return. That salary increase often continues to grow year after year.
Of course, there’s more to investing in yourself than just the numbers. Increased confidence, clarity of direction, better communication, deeper relationships – those are hard to quantify but life-changing nonetheless.
So while we’re not saying don’t invest in the stock market, we are saying this: When you invest in your skills, your mindset, and your personal growth, the return can be extraordinary – both financially and in the quality of your life.