Living your best life means making big Investments in yourself – and those around you
Invest in yourself. Invest in the human family. Invest in people. Build a community of those you love and who love you. These tokens of wisdom come from mentors, intertwined with my favorite book, “Tuesdays with Morrie.” Together, they outline my approach to all relationships in life, both personal and professional.
When pursuing a general manager position at AT&T, I met with a mentor who asked me how many hours a week I worked out. When I said 4-5 hours weekly, he said; “Great! That is the minimum number of hours you need to invest in yourself and your career.” Much like a financial portfolio, investments are diverse and come in different forms. Some yield greater returns, yet each is essential in creating financial wealth. The same is true for self-investment. Consider your physical investments, emotional and health investments, professional investments, and personal interests too! Connecting over coffee, participating in training, listening to a podcast, lifting weights, reading a great book, taking a walk, traveling the world, enjoying a glass of wine, and allowing time for meditation and peace are all investments made in yourself and humankind. Each activity contributes towards your portfolio, growing benefits both inside and outside of the office – for you and for your community.
Where do I make my greatest self-investment? In people.
I am a very social and extroverted individual. I enjoy connecting with others more than anything in the world. I feel truly fulfilled when my team and I learn together and celebrate our successes. Investing in all aspects of human interaction brings me great joy. Furthermore, I’ve found greater success by incorporating the power of my relationships as I develop unique solutions for the market. There are moments each year where I am intentional in gathering people who have contributed to my success to commemorate all we have accomplished. These events often include peers from both my past and present. The ability to connect others drives tremendous collaboration and increases strategies for success exponentially.
For me, the investments go beyond the office and the advice follows me at home. Both my career and personal life are filled with those who invest in themselves and one another. Collectively, I’ve learned our individual and community portfolios are diversified and robust. Together, we’ve created mutually beneficial outcomes where achievements are bountiful.
