I love the idea that I am my greatest asset.
It’s a concept I learned from a fellow coach a few years ago.
It’s helped me realize my own value, and understand the importance of investing in myself.
So, I’m sharing it here with you.
YOU as an asset
So, normally we think of assets as relating to things of monetary value.
Things like our house, our car, our furniture, and our investments.
But assets can also be people, like the employees in a company.
And more specifically, an asset can be YOU.
Yes, YOU are an asset.
In fact, you are your GREATEST asset.
And when I say YOU, I mean your body, mind, and spirit.
ALL of you.
YOU are the greatest asset in your life.
Because you are the most consistent and precious possession you’ll ever have.
Your value isn’t just your net worth, it’s also your knowledge, your skills, your time, your kindness, your love, your generosity, and your physical presence.
And so much more.
YOU are the one asset that can never be taken from you.
So, you are the GREATEST ASSET.
When you start looking at yourself this way, you start to value your mind, your body, and your spirit on a whole new level.
Investing in the asset of YOU
Just like you invest in your home so that it retains or increases its value, you can invest in yourself as an asset of value.
And when you invest in yourself consistently, you continue increasing your value over time.
By investing I mean spending time, money, and energy on YOU.
For example, an investment of time in silence can connect you more deeply to your spirit.
Or an investment of money can sharpen your skills and allow you to learn more useful and interesting things.
Or an investment of energy can strengthen your body, and make it more resilient to illness and injury.
In order for YOU to gain value through your lifetime, you must invest in YOU.
I started doing this several years ago.
I had an “a-ha” moment when I realized that my financial investments were mostly things I had no control over.
Things like my retirement savings, my house, and my children’s education.
Not that these aren’t good investments, but the fact is that I have no control over the markets, or if my children will use their education.
The only thing I have control over is ME.
And it hit me that I hadn’t thought of my mind or my body, and especially not my spirit as being worthy of investment.
I hadn’t thought of myself as an ASSET.
And yet I was, and I am.
And now I recognize that as we are our GREATEST ASSET, our purpose in life is to increase our PERSONAL VALUE.
To become a more valuable ASSET as a human being.
And that means investing in ourselves as we would any other asset.
That means spending time, money, and energy on our maintenance and our growth.
I remember one of the first times I intentionally invested in myself.
It was when I signed up for my first marathon (that’s 42.2 km or 26.2 miles.)
I’d never run anything even close to that.
But I decided to invest in myself, and pursue my dream of running that illustrious distance.
So, I spent significant moolah for me at the time, on the registration fee, the hotel booking, and the plane ticket (it was in Chicago!)
And I invested 9 months of my life, running three to four times a week, including a long 2 to 3-hour run on the week-ends.
Not to mention the energy I put into building not just my body, but building the belief that I could actually do it.
I had a lot of doubt at first.
But my desire was stronger.
I invested in myself, and I got a 100% return on that investment.
Not only did that investment yield me a finisher’s medal, a T-shirt, and greater physical endurance, it also yielded me higher self-confidence and a belief in myself that felt new to me.
That investment was the foundation upon which I had the courage to face many other challenges, and affect many more people.
That experience showed me that I’m a good bet.
And since then, I’ve made several more investments in ME.
I’ve chosen to see myself as an ASSET that’s constantly gaining value in this world.
It’s an empowering and motivating way to see yourself.
The RISK of investing in YOU
But of course, investing in yourself isn’t without risk.
When I’ve invested in myself, I’ve been worried about failing.
And, in fact, I have failed.
Many times.
But I’ve kept investing.
Because I know that it’s normal for investments to go up and down.
But over time, the general trend is up.
It’s the same for investing in me.
If I look at the last 15 years since that investment in completing my first marathon, I’ve done some things that I’m super proud of, and I’ve also failed miserably.
But the overall trend has been up.
I see it as a low risk investment that can yield amazing returns.
Overcoming resistance to being your greatest asset
I know that, especially as women, we’re reluctant to see ourselves this way.
To see ourselves as an asset, worthy of significant investement.
We’re reluctant to spend the time, money, and energy on OURSELVES.
It seems sometimes like everyone else or everything else is more important, more valuable.
But that’s not true.
Imagine telling your daughter that everyone else’s needs and wants are more valuable than hers.
The truth is that you are an ASSET, and investing in yourself increases your VALUE.
Not just the value of you to yourself, but the value you’ll be providing to everyone around you.
When you actually invest time, money, and energy in YOU, you’ll find yourself suddenly less tired, less resentful, less angry, and less bitter.
You’ll feel stronger, more clear-headed, more empowered, and more confident in your body, mind, and spirit.
And that will SHINE through you.
That light inside YOU, will touch and inspire others.
It will give them permission to shine their light too (as Marianne Williamson has famously written.)
An investment in YOU, is an investment in your family, your community, and even the world at large.
Where to invest YOUR time, money, and energy
Your burning desires.
They are there for a reason.
They’re connected to your purpose.
And they’re unique to you.
For me, one of my burning desires, besides running a marathon, was to start a business that would help others.
I had no idea how to do that.
So, I invested the time, money, and energy in figuring it out.
I pulled on my passions for fitness, healthy eating, meditation, and helping others succeed.
And I created what is now this life coaching business.
Where I get to help women move forward through mid-life, in a healthier body, mind, and spirit.
I couldn’t have done this without seeing myself as an ASSET.
Without the investment of time in learning the coaching craft.
Or the money spent on courses and coaches.
Or the energy spent in creating videos, posts, and other materials.
And along the way, I’ve also come to recognize that my greatest value isn’t in the end product.
It’s not in me as a coach, or in my business.
It’s the value I’ve given to others.
The value that they’ve received because of my investment in myself.
And they’ve used that value to change their own lives.
And that’s where your greatest value lies too.
When you play a bigger game, and invest in YOU, the value you give to others, just through your presence, will be life changing.
You are always worth the investment.
Keep moving forward,
Debbie
P.S. As a life coach, I help you build up your own personal VALUE by helping you get those things done that matter most to YOU.
Whether it’s losing weight, creating better relationships, or making more money, I help my clients gain more value and belief in themselves.
Sound interesting? Let’s talk: https://calendly.com/debbie-harbec-coaching/free-consultation